Fred Rogers Quotes

One of the basic needs of every human being is the need to be loved, to have our wishes and feelings taken seriously, to be validated as people who matter.

Every human being can relate to wanting their thoughts and their feelings to be accepted and rewarded and validated. So in that way, a stand-up is similar to almost any profession. It's very simply just someone who wants to be heard and live authentically and express themselves.

The world of dance is where I felt accepted as a human being.

People just want to know that they matter.

All any of us wanted, really, was to know that we counted. That someone else's life would not have been as rich without us here.

At our core, we just want to know that we matter.

It's nice when people love you....for you.

The one thing that keeps us out of connection is our fear that we're not worthy of connection.

If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

Acting became my best friend. When I auditioned to get into college, the teacher said you belong here, Mr. Klugman, and to hear that word belong - I never belonged anywhere before - and suddenly I belonged in acting and it was so comfortable and I loved it.

I want to be liked... No, I want to be more than just liked... I want people to say, "that Charlie Brown is a great guy!" And when people are at parties, I want them to look for me, and when I finally arrive, I want them to say, "here comes good ol' Charlie Brown... Now everything will be all right!" I want to be a special person... I want to be needed... It's kind of hard to explain... Do you understand? I mean, do you know what I'm talking about?" "Sure, I understand perfectly..." "Well?" "Forget it! Five cents, please!

Everyone wants to feel that they matter.

I'm not okay, you're not okay, and that's okay.

Nothing destroys self-worth, self-acceptance and self-love faster than denying what you feel. Without feelings, you would not know where you are in life. Nor would you know what areas you need to work on. Honor your feelings. Allow yourself to feel them.

Those who have a strong sense of love and belonging have the courage to be imperfect.

It is enough that I am of value to somebody today.

I walk through doors. If I'm not wanted in a place, there's something wrong with the place, not with me.

If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging.

The only place you will be accepted is the place you make for yourself.

Finally I want to say this: If you are a kid and you are out there and you are chubby and not so cute and nerdy and shy and invisible and in pain, whatever your race, whatever your gender, whatever your sexual orientation, I’m standing here to tell you: You are not alone. Your tribe of people, they are out there in the world. Waiting for you.

The trance of unworthiness keeps the sweetness of belonging out of reach. The path to "the sweetness of belonging," is acceptance - acceptance of ourselves and acceptance of others without judgment.

I'm just trying to matter.

A place to go - that's what my mother always instilled in me. You need a place to go. And you're worthless unless you have a place to go.

Being needed was a handy trick. It could fill you up so full you never even noticed all the places that were empty.

It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own existence.