--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The barriers we face in life are so often…" description: "\"“The barriers we face in life are so often the ones we create in our minds. As a child I couldn’t open that wooden gate because my body prevented me fr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/leanne-waters-54147_bulimia_the-barriers-we-face-in-life-are-so-ofte_2003979.jpg" --- # The barriers we face in life are so often the ones we… ![“The barriers we face in life are so often the ones we create in our minds. As a child I couldn’t open that wooden gate because my body prevented me from doing so. As a teenager it seemed I couldn’t open that door because my mind held me hostage. The world that waited beyond it now was no longer…” quote by Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/leanne-waters-54147_bulimia_the-barriers-we-face-in-life-are-so-ofte_2003979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/leanne-waters-54147_bulimia_the-barriers-we-face-in-life-are-so-ofte_2003979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/leanne-waters-54147_bulimia_the-barriers-we-face-in-life-are-so-ofte_2003979.jpg) > ““The barriers we face in life are so often the ones we create in our minds. As a child I couldn’t open that wooden gate because my body prevented me from doing so. As a teenager it seemed I couldn’t open that door because my mind held me hostage. The world that waited beyond it now was no longer one of safety or escape. Instead, I knew every time that I opened that door, it would be to a life of psychological insecurity and emotional entrapment. She - that cerebral leech who clung to all my thoughts - convinced me of this fact. Only with her could I find and maintain an asylum of mental armour”” [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes how self‑imposed mental barriers, formed by fear and negative self‑talk, trap us in insecurity and prevent growth. **In simple terms:** Mind creates limits that block progress. Key Takeaway Recognize and dismantle mental barriers. Themes self‑limiting beliefs psychological safety personal growth Mood anxious reflective Type advice psychological motivational When to use this quote - overcoming fear - self‑reflection - therapy - coaching - mindfulness Key Concepts cognitive distortion mental armor self‑sabotage Questions to Reflect On - What mental barriers are you maintaining? - How can you replace self‑sabotage with self‑care? A Different Perspective These barriers may be rooted in deeper trauma, making them hard to overcome without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barriers Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers-face-2654568/) [Bulimia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulimia/) [Door Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door-mind-2565151/) [Eating disorder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-disorder/) [Emotional Entrapment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-entrapment-2794409/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mental Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-armour-3541431/) [Mind Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-held-3541432/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let your fears overwhelm your desire. Let the barriers you face-and there will be barriers-be external, not internal. Fortune does favor the bold,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/don-t-let-your-fears-overwhelm-your-desire-let-the-barriers-you-face/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Once you create a self-justifying storyline, your emotional entrapment within it quadruples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/once-you-create-a-self-justifying-storyline-your-emotional-entrapment/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“My body had never felt so small or so fragile. In one sense, it was a moment of ecstasy and I was comforted with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/my-body-had-never-felt-so-small-or-so-fragile-in-one-sense-it-was-a/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“You see, a binge is almost always inevitable when one goes withut eating for such a long period of time. It doesn't just satisfy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/you-see-a-binge-is-almost-always-inevitable-when-one-goes-withut/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“If I had the capacity to withstand instantaneous physical pain, I think I would have even considered taking a razor to my leg. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/if-i-had-the-capacity-to-withstand-instantaneous-physical-pain-i/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“The loneliness I endured during that time of my life is something I hope never to experience again. It's more than just the feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/the-loneliness-i-endured-during-that-time-of-my-life-is-something-i/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [When you close the door of your mind to negative thoughts, the door of opportunity opens to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/when-you-close-the-door-of-your-mind-to-negative-thoughts-the-door-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [There is much to be gained from opening the door to your mind and letting new ideas and beliefs come in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/there-is-much-to-be-gained-from-opening-the-door-to-your-mind-and/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [“If at some point in your life you adopt an idea or a perception as the absolute truth, you close the door of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/if-at-some-point-in-your-life-you-adopt-an-idea-or-a-perception-as/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [Stand guard at the door of your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/stand-guard-at-the-door-of-your-mind/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [Imagine your mind as a door and make sure never open that door to any low feelings or sad thoughts. You have control over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-your-mind-as-a-door-and-make-sure-never-open-that-door-to-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My teacher Jim Rohn taught me a simple principle: every day, stand guard at the door of your mind, and you alone decide what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/my-teacher-jim-rohn-taught-me-a-simple-principle-every-day-stand/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“My dad told me, "Son, there are three words that will open any door: the door of a building, the door of the mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-little/my-dad-told-me-son-there-are-three-words-that-will-open-any-door-the/) [Jimmy Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-little/) > [The problem with any philosophical consideration is that once you open a door in your mind, you can never close it. Once you learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/the-problem-with-any-philosophical-consideration-is-that-once-you/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [You must stand as guard at the door of your own mind and choose to be positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kelly/you-must-stand-as-guard-at-the-door-of-your-own-mind-and-choose-to-be/) [Gail Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kelly/) ## More by Leanne Waters > [“You see, a binge is almost always inevitable when one goes withut eating for such a long period of time. It doesn't just satisfy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/you-see-a-binge-is-almost-always-inevitable-when-one-goes-withut/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“If I had the capacity to withstand instantaneous physical pain, I think I would have even considered taking a razor to my leg. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/if-i-had-the-capacity-to-withstand-instantaneous-physical-pain-i/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“My body had never felt so small or so fragile. In one sense, it was a moment of ecstasy and I was comforted with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/my-body-had-never-felt-so-small-or-so-fragile-in-one-sense-it-was-a/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“The loneliness I endured during that time of my life is something I hope never to experience again. It's more than just the feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/the-loneliness-i-endured-during-that-time-of-my-life-is-something-i/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) > [“Life is a funny thing. We claim it to be our own; but the truth is, it's not. It belongs to something much bigger.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leanne-waters/life-is-a-funny-thing-we-claim-it-to-be-our-own-but-the-truth-is-it-s/) [Leanne Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) [Explore all 6 Leanne Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leanne-waters/) ## More Bulimia quotes > [ “Emma cites the structure of the \[Eating Disorder\] Unit as being important to her decision to disengage from her illness, and the fact that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-lee/emma-cites-the-structure-of-the-eating-disorder-unit-as-being/) [Carol Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-lee/) > [Becoming the new feminine ideal requires just the right combination of insecurity, exercise, bulimia and surgery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/becoming-the-new-feminine-ideal-requires-just-the-right-combination/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Especially as a chef, I didn't really want to talk about it because I felt like it kind of undermined my entire career. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whaite/especially-as-a-chef-i-didn-t-really-want-to-talk-about-it-because-i/) [John Whaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whaite/) > [In the '80s, I did two hours of cardio every day, split between running and the stationary bike. It was a trap - afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-bayless/in-the-80s-i-did-two-hours-of-cardio-every-day-split-between-running/) [Skip Bayless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skip-bayless/) > [“So there you have it--my sorry tale. That's how something I though I controlled ended up controlling me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-darer-littman/so-there-you-have-it-my-sorry-tale-that-s-how-something-i-though-i/) [Sarah Darer Littman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-darer-littman/) > [We think of bulimia and anorexia as either a bizarre psychosis, or as a quirky little habit, a phase, or as a thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/we-think-of-bulimia-and-anorexia-as-either-a-bizarre-psychosis-or-as/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [I had a very unhealthy relationship with food that turned into bulimia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-cameron-bure/i-had-a-very-unhealthy-relationship-with-food-that-turned-into-bulimia/) [Candace Cameron Bure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-cameron-bure/) > [Dear Anorexia, You are my best friend, and my worst enemy at the same time You are my greatest achievement, and yet my most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-blue-cicilline/dear-anorexia-you-are-my-best-friend-and-my-worst-enemy-at-the-same/) [Dakota Blue Cicilline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-blue-cicilline/) > [If I'm going through a particular period at work or where I feel that I'm out of control and everything's sort of spiralling, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whaite/if-i-m-going-through-a-particular-period-at-work-or-where-i-feel-that/) [John Whaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whaite/) > [If you are going to recover you HAVE to want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-going-to-recover-you-have-to-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I struggled with restricting and purging. It is not really anorexia or bulimia. It is more anorexia than bulimia, but it doesnt fit super…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malika-andrews/i-struggled-with-restricting-and-purging-it-is-not-really-anorexia-or/) [Malika Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malika-andrews/) > [“I can honestly say, with complete disappointment, that I have never purged in my life, because I have what I call a barfing disorder.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-can-honestly-say-with-complete-disappointment-that-i-have-never/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [“A bulimic person's shame may lead her to try to hide not only her eating-disorder behaviors but also her basic needs and yearnings. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-m-reindl/a-bulimic-person-s-shame-may-lead-her-to-try-to-hide-not-only-her/) [Sheila M. Reindl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-m-reindl/) > [My bulimia was my addiction. Hurting myself was my addiction... The music is what saved me. That's the only thing I can trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-scherzinger/my-bulimia-was-my-addiction-hurting-myself-was-my-addiction-the-music/) [Nicole Scherzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-scherzinger/) > [“I promise no food will ever hurt you as much as a negative mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-burgunder/i-promise-no-food-will-ever-hurt-you-as-much-as-a-negative-mind/) [Brittany Burgunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-burgunder/) [Browse all 79 Bulimia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulimia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The barriers we face in life are so often the ones we create in our minds. As a child I couldn’t open that wooden gate because my body prevented me from doing so. As a teenager it seemed I couldn’t open that door because my mind held me hostage. 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