--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was terrified to be my true self…" description: "\"I was terrified to be my true self because I felt that it wasn't enough. But I allowed myself to break down those walls.\" — Hannah Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/hannah-brown-6534_enough_i-was-terrified-to-be-my-true-self-becau_3207320.jpg" --- # I was terrified to be my true self because I felt that it… ![“I was terrified to be my true self because I felt that it wasn't enough. But I allowed myself to break down those walls.” quote by Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/hannah-brown-6534_enough_i-was-terrified-to-be-my-true-self-becau_3207320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/hannah-brown-6534_enough_i-was-terrified-to-be-my-true-self-becau_3207320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/hannah-brown-6534_enough_i-was-terrified-to-be-my-true-self-becau_3207320.jpg) > “I was terrified to be my true self because I felt that it wasn't enough. But I allowed myself to break down those walls.” [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes overcoming fear of authenticity by confronting self‑doubt and dismantling mental barriers. **In simple terms:** Break down self‑doubt to be authentic. Key Takeaway Embrace your true self. Themes self‑acceptance vulnerability growth Mood courageous hopeful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - public speaking - new relationships - career changes - creative expression Key Concepts psychology self‑esteem resilience Questions to Reflect On - What inner walls still limit you? - How can you maintain confidence after opening up? A Different Perspective Fear of rejection can persist even after breaking walls. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) [True self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-self/) ## Related quotes > [“Have men always been terrified of their true nature? Is all history a record of their denials of themselves?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-broughton/have-men-always-been-terrified-of-their-true-nature-is-all-history-a/) [James Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-broughton/) > [As a teen, I had no idea what the self was. Changing skin like a chameleon came naturally to me, but the self felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-carmen/as-a-teen-i-had-no-idea-what-the-self-was-changing-skin-like-a/) Julie Carmen > [Once I was able to be my more authentic self, I felt like that's when my career really took off. I was just my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-johnson/once-i-was-able-to-be-my-more-authentic-self-i-felt-like-that-s-when/) [Peggy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-johnson/) > [I foresaw my life unfolding as an interminable stretch of nothingness and so I spent my years on Tinos floundering, feeling like a stand-in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-foresaw-my-life-unfolding-as-an-interminable-stretch-of-nothingness/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I can hardly find the words to describe the peace I felt when I was acting. My dysfunctional self could actually plug in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thandie-newton/i-can-hardly-find-the-words-to-describe-the-peace-i-felt-when-i-was/) [Thandie Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thandie-newton/) > [What's it like to figure out you're gay and then begin the process of coming out? Well, for most of my life, I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/what-s-it-like-to-figure-out-you-re-gay-and-then-begin-the-process-of/) [Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/) > [“Let me break down these walls you keep hiding behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexi-ryan/let-me-break-down-these-walls-you-keep-hiding-behind/) [Lexi Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lexi-ryan/) > [We all build up walls, not to keep others out but to see who cares for you enough that will break down those walls,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa/we-all-build-up-walls-not-to-keep-others-out-but-to-see-who-cares-for/) [Roopa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa/) > [There are walls that can't be broken by power alone. 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I can’t promise you that I’ll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandi-steiner/corbin-i-don-t-know-if-i-ll-ever-be-able-to-break-down-all-the-walls/) [Kandi Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandi-steiner/) > [The organic laws of construction tangled me in my desires, and only with great pain, effort, and struggle did I break through these 'walls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wassily-kandinsky/the-organic-laws-of-construction-tangled-me-in-my-desires-and-only/) [Wassily Kandinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wassily-kandinsky/) > [Welcome to our fortress tall. Take some time to show you around, impossible to break these walls. For you see the steel is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megadeth/welcome-to-our-fortress-tall-take-some-time-to-show-you-around/) [Megadeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megadeth/) > [All I wanted was to break your walls, all you wanted was to break me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/all-i-wanted-was-to-break-your-walls-all-you-wanted-was-to-break-me/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [“Don't give up on him." she whispered. "If anyone can get through to him and break those walls, it's you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/don-t-give-up-on-him-she-whispered-if-anyone-can-get-through-to-him/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) ## More by Hannah Brown > [Physical intimacy is emotionally binding. But there are lots of different sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/physical-intimacy-is-emotionally-binding-but-there-are-lots-of/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [Going from 'The Bachelorette' to being on 'Dancing with the Stars,' I'm having to work through some things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/going-from-the-bachelorette-to-being-on-dancing-with-the-stars-i-m/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I will never pretend like I did not come from Bachelor Nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-will-never-pretend-like-i-did-not-come-from-bachelor-nation/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I believe the foundation of love is based on honesty and truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-believe-the-foundation-of-love-is-based-on-honesty-and-truth/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [Ultimately i am really thankful people want to say hello to me and want to let me know they support me, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/ultimately-i-am-really-thankful-people-want-to-say-hello-to-me-and/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I never would have thought that I would be dancing at Radio City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-never-would-have-thought-that-i-would-be-dancing-at-radio-city/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I realized I deserve to be happy and have all the things I want in life. It might be scary and outside the norm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-realized-i-deserve-to-be-happy-and-have-all-the-things-i-want-in/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I have an audience of one, and that's the Lord. And we've had plenty of talks, let me tell you. And I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-have-an-audience-of-one-and-that-s-the-lord-and-we-ve-had-plenty-of/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [What makes me feel most beautiful is feeling confident and sure of myself and knowing that I am worthy and enough and powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/what-makes-me-feel-most-beautiful-is-feeling-confident-and-sure-of/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [Everything that I said that I feel like I want, deserve, the type of respect that I want from a man, I still believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/everything-that-i-said-that-i-feel-like-i-want-deserve-the-type-of/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I'm getting to use my platform as the Bachelorette - on my season - to really make change through my experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-m-getting-to-use-my-platform-as-the-bachelorette-on-my-season-to/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [Somebody has said something - or not just somebody, hundreds, thousands of people have something negative to say about me. I have learned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/somebody-has-said-something-or-not-just-somebody-hundreds-thousands/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I have been told that I misrepresent being a Christian. And that has been soul-crushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-have-been-told-that-i-misrepresent-being-a-christian-and-that-has/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I have realized that I don't need a husband. I want a husband, but I don't need one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-have-realized-that-i-don-t-need-a-husband-i-want-a-husband-but-i/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) > [I have been in love with somebody in my past who lied to me, who cheated on me, and I tried to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-brown/i-have-been-in-love-with-somebody-in-my-past-who-lied-to-me-who/) [Hannah Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) [Explore all 98 Hannah Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-brown/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. 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