We often tend to change things about ourselves repeatedly to accommodate those around us. It may be something as small as giving up on an item you wished to buy, or altering your personality to match and please others. Julia Roberts, known for portraying strong, opinionated, and hard-headed women, advocates a different approach. In today’s quote for the day, Roberts emphasizes the importance of staying true to yourself, drawing on her own life experiences.
Quote of the Day by Julia Roberts
“To really be accepting of myself was my hardest lesson and not censor myself and remove parts of myself that I felt would make me more accommodating to another individual.”
In an old interview with Oprah Winfrey, the famed actress opened up about learning not to change herself for others repeatedly. While discussing how she learned to accept herself—flaws, pros, cons, and everything in between—she also commented that she is a sum of many things, and that is okay.
“I've had extraordinary people put in my life that have taught me good lessons and hard lessons. You know, I'm a sum of all the parts of my life. This is not an individual endeavor,” she said, noting that she is an accumulation of many life experiences.
What Does Julia Roberts’ Quote Mean?
The quote addresses the common habit of changing ourselves for others. It speaks to the instinct to shrink our personality, give up opinions, or change preferences simply because of someone else. However, Roberts says she has learned not to do that and instead stays true to who she is, including her flaws, skills, habits, and everything else that defines her.
She does not deny that this is one of the hardest lessons in life, calling it her “hardest lesson.” She adds that censoring yourself or removing parts of yourself is not beneficial in any way. In the same interview, she remarked that she is an outcome of all the people and circumstances in her life—good and bad—and has learned to accept every part of herself, which has helped her become more accepting and proud.
She concluded by expressing gratitude for everyone and everything in her life, inspiring others to step back and remember where they came from and what they endured to become who they are today. “I now am so thankful for. And really getting to the place where you can have a wonderful life and a wonderful relationship and simultaneously know it. That's the hat trick of all time,” she said.
She emphasizes that prioritizing authenticity over approval of others is crucial for well-being, as people come and go, but you must live with yourself and your personality for the rest of your life.
Who Is Julia Roberts?
Julia Roberts is a renowned American actress who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s for her romantic comedy roles. Over the years, she took on roles featuring strong-headed, quirky women who were unafraid to express their desires, which became her trademark. Born on October 28, 1967, she has appeared in more than 100 films and earned numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, British Academy Film Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. Her most famous works include ‘Notting Hill’, ‘Mystic Pizza’, ‘Steel Magnolias’, ‘Erin Brockovich’, ‘Ticket to Paradise’, ‘The Normal Heart’, and ‘Ocean's Twelve’, among many others.
