144 Shame Quotes to Help You Break the Shame Cycle

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Famous Shame Quotes

Shame derives its power from being unspeakable. — Brené Brown

Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit. — Seneca The Elder

Shame was an emotion he had abandoned years earlier. Addicts know no shame. You disgrace yourself so many times you become immune to it. — John Grisham

Shaming is one of the deepest tools of imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy because shame produces trauma and trauma often produces paralysis. — Bell Hooks

There's a lust in man, no charm can tame, of loudly publishing our neighbor's shame. — Juvenal

Unless you're ashamed of yourself now and then, you're not honest — William Faulkner

If you put shame in a Petri dish, it needs three things to grow exponentially: secrecy, silence and judgment. — Brene Brown

I regard that man as lost, who has lost his sense of shame. — Plautus

The only shame in masturbation is the shame of not doing it well. — Sigmund Freud

Tell the truth and shame the devil. — Francois Rabelais

Modern society will shame you for existing. — Naval Ravikant

There is nothing worse than being ashamed of parsimony or poverty. — Livy

Dishonor waits on perfidy. A man should blush to think a falsehood; it is the crime of cowards. — Samuel Johnson

Speak the truth and shame the devil. — Proverbs

It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it. — Pliny The Elder

Short Shame Quotes

  • The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness. — Marcus Garvey
  • I never learned hate at home, or shame. I had to go to school for that. — Dick Gregory
  • Her smile put the sunflower to shame. — Jerry Spinelli
  • Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy. — Robert Half
  • One cannot be spiritual as long as one has shame, hatred, or fear. — Ramakrishna
  • Just thinking that my dog loves me more than I love him, I feel shame. — Konrad Lorenz
  • Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. — English Proverbs
  • Survival is your strength not your shame. — T. S. Eliot
  • It is a matter of shame that in the morning the birds should be awake earlier than you. — Abu Bakr
  • One useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three is a Congress. — John Adams

Shame Image Quotes

Shame quote Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.
Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.
All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand! Oh, oh, oh! - William Shakespeare quote

All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand! Oh, oh, oh! — William Shakespeare

Ira Gershwin, shame on him. I mean, some of the writing. - Joni Mitchell quote

Ira Gershwin, shame on him. I mean, some of the writing. — Joni Mitchell

The vanished lives of all are filled with many shames. Therefore do not judge. - Sri Yukteswar Giri quote

The vanished lives of all are filled with many shames. Therefore do not judge. — Sri Yukteswar Giri

Shame quote Never be ashamed of a scar, It simply means you are stronger than whatever tried yo hurt you
Never be ashamed of a scar, It simply means you are stronger than whatever tried yo hurt you

Fat Shame Quotes

(Referring to the piano's natural shape) Isn't it a shame when those big fat opera singers lean against the pianos and bend them? — Victor Borge

We're always too skinny, or too fat. Too tall, or too short. We're shaming each other, and we're shaming ourselves, and it sucks. — Emma Stone

I want to show people as they are, not glorified, no shame - fat, bulges, wrinkles and all. I want the work to be disturbing, unsettling, provocative, challenging, and thought provoking. — Judy Dater

Shame quote We need never be ashamed of our tears.
We need never be ashamed of our tears.

Worry, shame, and fear can't be the energy with which we deal with food and weight. It only spurs us to eat more food and produce more glucose/sugar which gets stored as fat. — Bill Crawford

Its A Shame Quotes

We live in a world where most people still subscribe to the belief that shame is a good tool for keeping people in line. Not only is this wrong, but it’s dangerous. Shame is highly correlated with addiction, violence, aggression, depression, eating disorders, and bullying. — Brené Brown

When secularization has had its full sway, it will leave a generation devoid of shame. And if you show me a generation that lacks shame, I will show you a generation that is monstrous in its appetite... never satisfied. — Ravi Zacharias

Corporal punishment is as humiliating for him who gives it as for him who receives it; it is ineffective besides. Neither shame nor physical pain have any other effect than a hardening one. — Ellen Key

Shame quote No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to
No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.

Must we be put to shame by much smaller and poorer countries, by Ireland, France, Austria or Sweden, who have understood that a nation's support of its arts is a matter of both national pride and cultural survival? — Theodore Bikel

There is probably a smell of roasted chestnuts and other good comfortable things all the time, for we are telling Winter Stories - Ghost Stories, or more shame for us - round the Christmas fire; and we have never stirred, except to draw a little nearer to it. — Charles Dickens

I would never be the first to bring up whitening, because just by bringing it up, you're shaming the patient a little bit. You're talking about their self-image. As long as there's no structural defect in the tooth, I would never bring up whitening. — Mark Burhenne

Shame quote Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.
Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.

I think on-stage nudity is disgusting, shameful and damaging to all things American. But if I were 22 with a great body, it would be artistic, tasteful, patriotic, and a progressive religious experience. — Shelley Winters

Guys would sleep with a bicycle if it had the right color lip gloss on. They have no shame. They're like bull elks in a field. — Tori Amos

If it is a shame to be the second man on Mount Everest, then I will have to live with this shame. — Tenzing Norgay

I still am a geek, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I see no shame in having an unhealthy obsession with something. — David Tennant

No Shame Quotes

There's no shame in having to fight every day, but fighting every day, and presumably, if you're still alive to hear these words or read this interview, then you are winning your war. You're here. — Jared Padalecki

Do good to another man, even when they do not do you good; another will certainly do you good. if there is still shame and fear in one's heart to do good, there will certainly be no progress at all. — Sukarno

Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition, there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes. — George Soros

Shame quote Be proud of who you are, not ashamed of how someone else sees you.
Be proud of who you are, not ashamed of how someone else sees you.

Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human condition there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct our mistakes. — George Soros

Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace — Kofi Annan

There is no shame in falling down but there is pride in getting back up. - Lilly Singh

There is no shame in falling down but there is pride in getting back up. — Lilly Singh

There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people. - Howard Zinn

There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people. — Howard Zinn

If you're out there and need help, please seek it. Be proud of your valiant day-to-day struggle. There is no shame in needing support. — Jared Padalecki

There's no shame in failing. The only shame is not giving things your best shot. — Robin Williams

Truth is the daughter of time, and I feel no shame in being her midwife. — Johannes Kepler

Feeling Shame Quotes

The basis of shame is not some personal mistake of ours, but the ignominy, the humiliation we feel that we must be what we are without any choice in the matter, and that this humiliation is seen by everyone. — Milan Kundera

A minister of state is excusable for the harm he does when the helm of government has forced his hand in a storm; but in the calm he is guilty of all the good he does not do. — Voltaire

Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind. — William Shakespeare

Shame quote The difference between shame and guilt is the difference between "I am bad' and "I did something bad
The difference between shame and guilt is the difference between "I am bad' and "I did something bad".

When a mad man walks naked, it is his kinsmen who feel shame, not himself. — Chinua Achebe

I’m in a band. I don’t go to church every Sunday. I love punk rock music. Sometimes I use swear words a lot. I respect and admire gay men and women. I’m obsessed with horror films. I know what shame feels like. And guess what old man? Jesus is still my Savior. — Hayley Williams

Perfectionism is a self destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame. — Brené Brown

Shame quote Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.
Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.

Some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths are so painful that only shame can help you live with them. Some things are so sad that only your soul can do the crying for them. — Gregory David Roberts

I have yet to see a serious act of violence that was not provoked by the experience of feeling shamed and humiliated, disrespected and ridiculed, and that did not represent the attempt to prevent or undo this ‘loss of face’—no matter how severe the punishment, even if it includes death. — James Gilligan

It didn't happen, but I feel fortunate for the two chances we had and it's just a shame we didn't go to a World Series for Cub fans. — Ryne Sandberg

I don't feel any shame I won't apologize if there ain't nowhere you can go running away from pain when you've been victimized tales from another broken home. — Billie Joe Armstrong

Shame On You Quotes

Fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again. — George W. Bush

Shame on you for staying the same. — Jhene Aiko

Fooled once, shame on you; fooled twice, shame on me. — American Proverbs

Shame quote When you can't solve and address and issue or opportunity, there is no harm or shame in reaching out
When you can't solve and address and issue or opportunity, there is no harm or shame in reaching out for people who can.

If you deceive me once shame on you because I have trusted you once and you have deceived me, if you deceive me twice shame on me because I have learnt my lessons and you have deceive me and if you deceive me for the third time shame on me because am a compound fool. — Olusegun Obasanjo

As the adage goes, 'fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me'... It's time for patriots everywhere to rally together again and take back America. — Chuck Norris

There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again. — George W. Bush

You're an investigator - can't nobody find stuff out like a woman. Y'all put the police to shame, make the little investigative tricks they show on CSI and Law & Order: SVU look like counting lessons on Sesame Street. — Steve Harvey

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you. — Virginia Foxx

You cannot simply read the Quran,not if you take it seriously.You either have surrendered to it already or you fight it. It attacks tenaciously,directly,personally; it debates,criticizes,shames and challenges. From the outset it draws the line of battle, and I was on other side. — Jeffrey Lang

Have the courage to be exactly who you are without apology. Admit your mistakes without beating yourself up. Release all shame! Release all guilt! You cannot live if you are hiding behind what was. Focus on what is, right now, and that is you! — Iyanla Vanzant

Shame On Me Quotes

If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me. - Italian Proverbs

If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me. — Italian Proverbs

If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me. - Edgar Allan Poe

If a man deceives me once, shame on him; if he deceives me twice, shame on me. — Edgar Allan Poe

Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame, When once it is within thee; but before Mayst rule it, as thou list: and pour the shame, Which it would pour on thee, upon the floor. It is most just to throw that on the ground, Which would throw me there, if I keep the round. — George Herbert

In the middle of the night, things well up from the past that are not always cause for rejoicing--the unsolved, the painful encounters, the mistakes, the reasons for shame or woe. But all, good or bad, give me food for thought, food to grow on. — May Sarton

My fellow players are sometimes occupying the spaces I want to play in. That forces me to adjust my runs, based on the position of my fellow players. Unfortunately, they're often playing in my zones. I think that's a shame — Robin van Persie

You know what, rip me off once, shame on me. But twice? I'm coming after you and taking back what's mine. — Billy Mays

The blame is on me...I knew you were trouble when you walked in. — Taylor Swift

I got a simple rule about everybody. If you don't treat me right -- shame on you! — Louis Armstrong

If there's friends around, I'll cook. Or if I have a girlfriend. But on my own I kind of fell out of the habit of it, and it's a shame really because I know it's good for me. It's something quite therapeutic. — Michael Fassbender

Stupid cupid you're a real mean guy, I'd like to pick your wings so you can't fly, I am in love and it's a crying shame, and I know that you're the one to blame, hey, hey set me free, stupid cupid, stop picking on me. — Mandy Moore

Shame And Guilt Quotes

Watch out for each other. Love everyone and forgive everyone, including yourself. Forgive your anger. Forgive your guilt. Your shame. Your sadness. Embrace and open up your love, your joy, your truth, and most especially your heart. — Jim Henson

From the perspective of the one committing suicide, his or her act can be one of the most perverse forms of moral manipulation, as it abandons those left behind to their shame, guilt, and grief. Suicide is something like a metaphysical "I gotcha!" It is often an attempt to kill or wound others. — Stanley Hauerwas

Being natural and matter-of-fact about nudity prevents your children from developing an attitude of shame and guilt about the human body. — Lee Salk

Glory, built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt. — William Cowper

It is not the criminal things which are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and shameful. — Henri Rousseau

There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have. — George Carlin

Child abuse is one of those issues that's very difficult to talk about because it's surrounded by guilt and shame and so on, but us avoiding that issue doesn't help those kids in need out there who need support. — Chris Hemsworth

The distinction between shame and guilt is very important, since these two emotions may tear a person in opposite directions. The wish to relieve guilt may motivate a confession, but the wish to avoid the humiliation of shame may prevent it. — Paul Ekman

When we wallow in guilt, remorse, and shame over real or imagined sins of the past, we are disdaining God's gift of grace. — Brennan Manning

Guilt is just as powerful, but its influence is positive, while shame's is destructive. Shame erodes our courage and fuels disengagement. — Brene Brown

Guilt And Shame Quotes

Emotions like guilt and shame cut you off from web of existence and that causes inflammation in the body. I would recommend that you go to a level of awareness where you can be an observer of your thoughts and emotions and use mindfulness. — Deepak Chopra

Guilt is just as powerful, but its influence is positive, while shame's is destructive. Shame erodes our courage and fuels disengagement. — Brené Brown

Shame and guilt are noble emotions essential in the maintenance of civilized society, and vital for the development of some of the most refined and elegant qualities of human potential. — Willard Gaylen

Shame and guilt are noble emotions essential in the maintenance of civilized society, and vital for the development of some of the most refined and elegant qualities of human potential. — Willard Gaylin

Life...as God intended it enables us to live above the drag of fear, superstition, shame, pessimism, guilt, anxiety, worry, and all the negativity that keeps people from seizing each day as a gift from Him. — Charles R. Swindoll

When guilt is in its blush of infancy, it trembles in a tenderness of shame; and the first eye that pierces through the veil that hides the secret brings it to the face — Thomas Southerne

Guilt has always its horrors and solicitudes; and, to make it yet more shameful and detestable, it is doomed often to stand in awe of those to whom nothing could give influence or weight but their power of betraying. — Samuel Johnson

Men the most infamous are fond of fame, And those who fear not guilt yet start at shame. — Charles Churchill

A tranquil conscience invites freedom from anguish, sorrow, guilt, shame, and self-condemnation. It provides a foundation for happiness. It is a condition of immense worth. — Richard G. Scott

Nothing more unqualified the man to act with prudence than a misfortune that is attended with shame and guilt. — Jonathan Swift

People Writing About Shame

Name Quotes Likes
Read quotes by Brené Brown

Brené Brown

310 2754
Read quotes by Seneca The Elder

Seneca The Elder
quotes on death, education and leadership

246 2313
Read quotes by John Grisham

John Grisham
quotes on writing

101 555
Read quotes by Bell Hooks

Bell Hooks
quotes on love, community and education

347 4449
Read quotes by Juvenal

Juvenal

300 1355
Read quotes by William Faulkner

William Faulkner
quotes on writing, love and death

373 5506

More Shame Quotes

To admonish your brother in private is to advise him and improve him. But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace and shame him. — Al-Shafi‘i

Only those who have learned well to be earnestly dissatisfied with themselves, and to be confounded with shame at their wretchedness truly understand the Christian gospel. — John Calvin

The one who admonishes his brother secretly, he has advised sincerely and has honored him. If he does it outwardly (among others) then he has dishonored and shamed him. — Al-Shafi‘i

We kill at every step, not only in wars, riots and executions. We kill when we close our eyes to poverty, suffering and shame.In the same way all disrespect for life, all hard-heartedness,all indifference, all contempt is nothing else than killing. — Hermann Hesse

The real test is not whether you avoid failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it. . . — Barack Obama

Instead of friends, I see in Washington only mortal enemies. Instead of loving the old flag of the stars and stripes, I see in it only the symbol of murder, plunder, oppression, and shame. — Rose O'Neal Greenhow

I got two choices, both require pain One’s the pain of change and the pain of staying the same One of ‘em leads to joy, other one leads to shame One of ‘em leads to freedom, the other keeps me in chains. — Andy Mineo

Ain't that a shame how they f-ck up ya name. — Lil Boosie

My life is simple, my food is plain, and my quarters are uncluttered. In all things, I have sought clarity. I face the troubles and problems of life and death willingly. Virtue, integrity and courage are my priorities. I can be approached, but never pushed; befriended but never coerced; killed but never shamed. — Yi Sun-sin

Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame. — Benjamin Franklin

The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame. — Oscar Wilde

I am a trans woman. My sisters are trans women. We are not secrets. We are not shameful. We are worthy of respect, desire, and love. As there are many kinds of women, there are many kinds of men, and many men desire many kinds of women, trans women are amongst these women. And let’s be clear: Trans women are women. — Janet Mock

We've got a great percentage of our population that, to our great shame, either cannot or, equally unfortunate, will not read. And that portion of our public is growing. Those people are suckers for the demagogue. — Walter Cronkite

My message to the international community is that our silence and complicity especially on the situation in Gaza shames us all. It is almost like the behaviour of the military junta in Burma — Desmond Tutu

In Conclusion

These quotes also highlight the detrimental effects of shame, showing how it can hinder personal growth and relationships. They remind us that shame is not a productive or healthy emotion to hold onto for prolonged periods. Instead, they encourage individuals to acknowledge their shame, process it, and then let it go. Quotes about shame provide a reminder that everyone makes mistakes, and it is how we handle and learn from them that truly matters.

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