‘I Feel Myself’: Definition, Meaning, and Examples

By Sophia Merton, updated on December 16, 2022

Did you hear someone say the phrase ‘I feel myself,’ and you’re not sure what it means? In this article, we’ll explore the meaning of this idiom as well as example sentences.

In a nutshell, ‘I feel myself’ has an idiomatic meaning, a literal meaning, and a slang meaning. Idiomatically, it means “to be in one’s usual mood or state of health; to feel normal.” The slang definition of the phrase is “feeling one’s best or excelling in a specific area.” It also has a literal and euphemistic meaning that means “to touch oneself.”

What Does 'I Feel Myself' Mean?

There is an idiomatic, slang, and literal definition of the phrase ‘I feel myself’ or ‘i feel like myself.’

Idiomatically, the phrase ‘feel oneself’ or ‘feel like oneself’ means “to feel normal or comfortable, to be in one’s usual state of health or mood.” For example, someone might say, “that cold was so terrible I was worried I would never recover. I’m so happy to finally ‘feel like myself’ again.” As an example of using the phrase ‘feel oneself’ vs. ‘feel like oneself,’ someone might say, “I’m not sure what’s wrong with me, but I certainly don’t ‘feel myself.’”

The slang phrase ‘I feel myself’ means that the speaker is feeling their best or feels like they are excelling at something. For example, someone that is on a winning streak playing basketball might say, “man, ‘I’m really feeling myself’ right now.” If you saw someone that seemed to be in the zone and doing a great job at something, you might say, “it seems like he’s feeling himself right now.”

Literally, ‘feel oneself’ means “to touch oneself.” This can have a euphemistic meaning as well, so you’ll want to be aware of that when using it in writing and speech.

Finally, ‘I feel myself’ could also be a phrase as a part of a larger point. For example, someone could say something along the lines of ‘I feel myself improving at my job’ or ‘I feel myself changing since I got in this relationship.

For all of these different definitions, you can change the pronoun you use in order to fit the scenario you are talking about. For instance, you would say ‘I feel myself’ when talking about yourself, ‘you feel yourself’ when talking directly to another person about them, or ‘he/she feels himself/herself’ when talking about another person.

Examples of 'I Feel Myself' In Sentences

Now, let’s look at some example sentences of how to use the phrase ‘I feel myself’ and ‘to feel oneself’ in all of their different meanings.

In terms of the idiomatic meaning of ‘to feel oneself’ or ‘to feel like oneself,’ some sentence examples include:

  • “That relationship was really unhealthy for me, and I’m so glad it’s over. I’m finally starting to feel like myself again.”
  • “There has been something off about Robert recently. You can tell he doesn’t feel himself anymore.”
  • “I’m so glad to hear that you feel yourself again after that terrible illness.”
  • “I need to sit in a chair for a moment, and I’m not feeling myself all of a sudden.”

Next, let’s take a look at how to use the slang version of this phrase in sentences:

  • “She’s usually so depressed and down on herself, but tonight you can tell she’s feeling herself.
  • “I’m not going to lie; I feel myself right now.”
  • “I’ve been looking at your stats, and it seems like you’re feeling yourself these days.”
  • Of course, I want to play in the game today, but if I’m being honest, I’m really not feeling myself.”

Here are some example sentences of the phrase when used as a part of a larger point:

  • “Everyone is pressuring me to go to college, but I’m not sure it’s the right choice for me. I feel myself swaying away my instincts because I’m so inundated with opinions.”
  • “I may quit my job soon and try to find work I find more meaningful. I feel myself going through the motions rather than being fully engaged.”
  • “I know you wanted to go to the movies tonight, but maybe we should play it by ear. It’s way past my bedtime, and I feel myself getting sleepy already.”

Whether you’re learning English or perfecting your skills as a native speaker, learning idioms can be a great way to expand your vocabulary. Be sure to check out our idioms blog for more in-depth articles about idioms and phrases.

We encourage you to share this article on Twitter and Facebook. Just click those two links - you'll see why.

It's important to share the news to spread the truth. Most people won't.

Written By:
Sophia Merton
Sophia Merton is one of the lead freelance writers for WritingTips.org. Sophia received her BA from Vassar College. She is passionate about reading, writing, and the written word. Her goal is to help everyone, whether native English speaker or not, learn how to write and speak with perfect English.

Add new comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

WritingTips.org Newsletter
Receive information on
new articles posted, important topics, and tips.
Join Now
We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
magnifier