Never forget that once upon a time in Meaning Factcheck Usage

Context

This isn’t just a pretty sentence plucked from thin air. It lands at the very end of the “Love” section in Bali. After a year of seeking everything outside of herself—pleasure, devotion, balance—she realizes the most crucial relationship, the one with herself, has been quietly healing all along. This quote is the final, hard-won epiphany of her entire journey.

Usage Examples

Honestly, I use this as a kind of mental anchor. I’ve seen it work wonders for a few key groups:

• For the perpetual self-doubter: When they’re spiraling, I remind them, “Remember that time you aced that presentation and felt genuinely capable? That was you recognizing yourself as a friend. That’s the real you.”
• In coaching or mentorship: It’s a fantastic tool to reframe a client’s self-perception. You can ask, “Can you identify a recent ‘unguarded moment’ where you were kind to yourself?” It shifts the focus from failure to fleeting success.
• As a personal mantra: Seriously, write it on a sticky note. It’s a call to actively collect and cherish those small moments of self-solidarity instead of letting them slip away.

To whom it appeals?

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FAQ

Question: What does “unguarded moment” really mean?
Answer: It’s a moment when your usual defenses are down. When you’re not performing or criticizing, you’re just being. And in that authenticity, your true, friendly self can emerge.

Question: Is this just about self-esteem?
Answer: It’s deeper. Self-esteem can be about achievement. This is about relationship. It’s about shifting from seeing yourself as a problem to be fixed to a person to be understood and supported.

Question: How can I have more of these moments?
Answer: You can’t force them. But you can create the conditions by practicing self-compassion and, most importantly, by paying attention. When a good feeling about yourself arises, don’t dismiss it. Pause and acknowledge it. That’s how you “never forget.”

Question: What if I’ve never had a moment like this?
Answer: I’d gently challenge that. It might have been very small—a moment you laughed at your own joke, or chose rest over pushing yourself. Look for the tiny, quiet instances of self-kindness. They count.