Logo - Feel The Words

Being Quotes

On identity, openness and staying true to yourself.

This set of quotes explores what it means to simply be: holding onto a child's spontaneity, embracing honesty that feels inappropriate in creative work, or aging with flexibility instead of resistance. For more on self-belief, see our Able quotes.

That whole business of having two homes, and that divided loyalty bind that kids get into. I mean, my parents were divorced - though I was adult - but I still grappled with being responsible to both of them.

Quotes by Jayne Anne Phillips

I tell my students that being a writer is like being a member of a medieval guild and that what we are doing is very subversive and very important.

Quotes by Jayne Anne Phillips

I like being a pin-up girl. There's nothing wrong with it.

Quotes by Jayne Mansfield

I was fed up with being just plain Jane.

Quotes by Jayne Meadows

I seek to be authentic and engaging, using my own experiences, being as vulnerable as I ask my clients to be, to enhance the process.

Quotes by Jayson Blair

I guess I did get to tick a big one off the bucket list, though, and that was being on a giant billboard smack-bang in the hub of Hollywood Boulevard. That was... well, pretty Hollywood.

Quotes by Jay Ryan

In order to protect against being disrupted, startups also need to recruit employees that are committed to life-long learning. The skills that made your team members valuable may not be the skills needed to take your company to the next...

Quotes by Jay Samit

In many traditions, the world was sung into being: Aboriginal Australians believe their ancestors did so. In Hindu and Buddhist thought, Om was the seed syllable that created the world.

Quotes by Jay Griffiths

I would say being in that institution - that psyche ward, or whatever it was. That was really creepy because it was a real place from like the early 1900s.

Quotes by Jay Hernandez

The DREAMers who are in my state are some of the most ambitious, creative, going to be productive businesspeople and doctors. That's why I'm proud of being the first governor to make sure the DREAMers get access to college education.

Quotes by Jay Inslee

I really love being governor. I've been extremely successful.

Quotes by Jay Inslee

The Champions League was something very distant for us. I grew up in a very small town with 50,000 inhabitants, and it was a way of being able to watch my idols or people I admired play football on television.

Quotes by Javier Mascherano

The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.

Jawaharlal Nehru

That's one of those things about being a computer science major: Valentine's Day is just another day.

Quotes by Jawed Karim

I really love visiting schools - in fact, that's my favorite part of being an author now - even though I still get stage fright! When I visit schools, I know I'm going to be talking to some kids who...

Quotes by Jay Asher

My favorite aspect of being an author has always been visiting different communities and meeting my readers face to face.

Quotes by Jay Asher

It's weird to think about being introduced as 'Hall of Fame members Rascal Flatts.'

Quotes by Jay DeMarcus

We love touring. We love being in front of the fans.

Quotes by Jay DeMarcus

I'm that weird guy; I hate being told what to do.

Quotes by Jason Winston George

Happiness to me is simply not being unhappy.

Quotes by Jasper Carrott

Frequently Asked Questions

What perspectives on "being" show up in these quotes?
The quotes touch on being from a particular place ("Being from Louisiana and a big outdoorsman"), being childlike as a performer, being inappropriate as part of the craft of acting, and being flexible and open as part of aging well.
Is there a quote here about acting and creativity?
Yes, two: "As an actor, you always want to reach back to being a child and having the spontaneity and the imagination of a child," and "There's so much we can't express in our day-to-day interaction with people because it's considered inappropriate. And acting is all about being inappropriate." For more on consistent character traits, see Always.
What does this page say about aging?
"Aging gracefully means being flexible, being open, allowing change, enjoying change and loving yourself" offers a positive take on getting older, tied closely to the idea of "being" open to change.
Is there anything here about personal identity or background?
Yes: "Love the show 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.' Being from Louisiana and a big outdoorsman, I'm a big fan of 'Duck Dynasty' as well" ties personal identity to place and interests. For more quotes centered on personal likes, browse Like.
How does this page relate to the Able quotes page?
"Being" here is about states and qualities of a person - childlike, open, flexible - while Able focuses more on capability and what someone can do. Also check Good for more positive, character-focused quotes.

You may also like our Good quotes on positive character traits and Always quotes on consistency and steadfastness.