--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may like to pretend otherwise, but we…" description: "\"We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts we don't want anyone else to know, things we've done that would change the way people feel a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg" --- # We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts… ![“We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts we don't want anyone else to know, things we've done that would change the way people feel about us, or parts of our lives that we would rather forget.” quote by Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg) > “We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts we don't want anyone else to know, things we've done that would change the way people feel about us, or parts of our lives that we would rather forget.” [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People hide thoughts and past actions out of fear of judgment, creating inner conflict and a desire to forget. **In simple terms:** We conceal secrets to avoid judgment. Key Takeaway Accept vulnerability to reduce inner conflict. Themes privacy secrecy self acceptance psychology Mood introspective empathetic Type personal psychological When to use this quote - therapy sessions - confessional writing - personal relationships - social media Key Concepts self-disclosure social anxiety identity memory Questions to Reflect On - What are you hiding from yourself? - How does secrecy affect your relationships? A Different Perspective Denial can prevent growth and healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) ## Related quotes > [“Pretend, through your thoughts and feelings, you are doing the activities you love. Revel in the excitement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mina-faraway/pretend-through-your-thoughts-and-feelings-you-are-doing-the/) [Mina Faraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mina-faraway/) > [“You will experience a lot of imaginings as usually is for humans although we tend to pretend that all our thoughts are septic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-d-gonsalves/you-will-experience-a-lot-of-imaginings-as-usually-is-for-humans/) [Gloria D. Gonsalves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-d-gonsalves/) > [I like to pretend that I'm okay because I don't want to annoy people with my problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-pretend-that-i-m-okay-because-i-don-t-want-to-annoy-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A true friend will like you for who you are, not who you pretend to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-will-like-you-for-who-you-are-not-who-you-pretend-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to pretend everything's alright, because when everybody else thinks you're fine, sometimes you forget for a while that you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-pretend-everything-s-alright-because-when-everybody-else/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Like I have to pretend like I'm a male rapper, that I got stacks and we're in the club, and what do I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/like-i-have-to-pretend-like-i-m-a-male-rapper-that-i-got-stacks-and/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Don't be ashamed if you don't like what others pretend to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/don-t-be-ashamed-if-you-don-t-like-what-others-pretend-to-love/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [“That’s why we forget some of the craziest or most painful parts of our lives. We have to forget them, because it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/that-s-why-we-forget-some-of-the-craziest-or-most-painful-parts-of/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) > [You play games with people's lives.(...) You forget that they are fragile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/you-play-games-with-people-s-lives-you-forget-that-they-are-fragile/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“So much is buried in our lives that we forget what we have learned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/so-much-is-buried-in-our-lives-that-we-forget-what-we-have-learned/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“What a sad thing I thought -- to live in a world so concerned with the lives of others, we forget to live our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annonymous/what-a-sad-thing-i-thought-to-live-in-a-world-so-concerned-with-the/) Annonymous > [“People die every day. That was the most comforting thought Brás had while all the obituaries he wrote at the newspaper flashed before him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-ba/people-die-every-day-that-was-the-most-comforting-thought-br-s-had/) [Gabriel Bá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-ba/) > [There's so much fear running our lives that we forget to be human when it really counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-yee/there-s-so-much-fear-running-our-lives-that-we-forget-to-be-human/) [Rodney Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-yee/) > [If we are unduly absorbed in improving our lives we may forget altogether to live them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-we-are-unduly-absorbed-in-improving-our-lives-we-may-forget/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [We live our lives from A-Z, but forget the other 24 letters in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/we-live-our-lives-from-a-z-but-forget-the-other-24-letters-in-between/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) ## More by Fiona Barton > [The emotions, responsibilities - and the pain - of motherhood are unique to each of us with children. Ask any woman, and she will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-emotions-responsibilities-and-the-pain-of-motherhood-are-unique/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [When you start writing fiction, you have to learn to invent, and it's very hard at the beginning to stop relying on facts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/when-you-start-writing-fiction-you-have-to-learn-to-invent-and-it-s/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [For most of us, our protective lies or omissions are so insignificant that being found out would be only mildly embarrassing. But for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/for-most-of-us-our-protective-lies-or-omissions-are-so-insignificant/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [As a journalist, your words are regularly read by lots of people, but they're not your words: they're someone else's. You're quoting people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/as-a-journalist-your-words-are-regularly-read-by-lots-of-people-but/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [When you are a journalist, you are always looking for the next story. It might come from a phone call from a contact or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/when-you-are-a-journalist-you-are-always-looking-for-the-next-story/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Garrison Keillor's 'Lake Wobegon' books create a world I can immerse myself in over and over. I love the deadpan humour, the warmth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/garrison-keillor-s-lake-wobegon-books-create-a-world-i-can-immerse/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [The success of 'The Widow' meant there were expectations for the second book from the first word, and it has created a completely different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-success-of-the-widow-meant-there-were-expectations-for-the-second/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [I know I love a novel with an unreliable narrator, and I think many readers do as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/i-know-i-love-a-novel-with-an-unreliable-narrator-and-i-think-many/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Over the years, I've interviewed the victims, the guilty, the famous, the important, and the ordinary people affected by tragedy or good fortune. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/over-the-years-i-ve-interviewed-the-victims-the-guilty-the-famous-the/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Yes, there are bad apples, but I do feel journalists do a good job, often in very difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/yes-there-are-bad-apples-but-i-do-feel-journalists-do-a-good-job/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Mental health is something that I'm very interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/mental-health-is-something-that-i-m-very-interested-in/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [I like my villains clever, deep, and driven by pure evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/i-like-my-villains-clever-deep-and-driven-by-pure-evil/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then suddenly, it all goes upside-down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-reading-a-story-and-think-you-ve/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [A lot of people think journalists are criminals, and there are some who haven't helped us. But the media is essential for democratic society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/a-lot-of-people-think-journalists-are-criminals-and-there-are-some/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [The righting of historic wrongs has chimed with something fundamental in me since I was a young reader. I love the forensic skills, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-righting-of-historic-wrongs-has-chimed-with-something-fundamental/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) [Explore all 45 Fiona Barton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts we don't want anyone else to know, things we've done that would change the way people feel about us, or parts of our lives that we would rather forget.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fiona Barton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we-all-have-thoughts-we-don-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we-all-have-thoughts-we-don-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/fiona-barton-14833_change_we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we_909384.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We may like to pretend otherwise, but we all have thoughts we don't want anyone else to know, things we've…” — Fiona Barton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fiona Barton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We may like to pretend otherwise,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we-all-have-thoughts-we-don-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/we-may-like-to-pretend-otherwise-but-we-all-have-thoughts-we-don-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```