--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But there are only so many times you can…" description: "\"But there are only so many times you can handle heartbreak with someone before you have to start protecting yourself.\" — Molly McAdams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/molly-mcadams-8898_handle_but-there-are-only-so-many-times-you-can_2793990.jpg" --- # But there are only so many times you can handle heartbreak… ![“But there are only so many times you can handle heartbreak with someone before you have to start protecting yourself.” quote by Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/molly-mcadams-8898_handle_but-there-are-only-so-many-times-you-can_2793990.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/molly-mcadams-8898_handle_but-there-are-only-so-many-times-you-can_2793990.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/molly-mcadams-8898_handle_but-there-are-only-so-many-times-you-can_2793990.jpg) > “But there are only so many times you can handle heartbreak with someone before you have to start protecting yourself.” [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. There’s a limit to how many heartbreaks you can endure before you must protect yourself. **In simple terms:** Know your emotional limits. Key Takeaway Set personal boundaries. Themes relationships self‑care boundaries Mood thoughtful empathetic Type advice personal When to use this quote - dating - friendships - family conflicts - online interactions Key Concepts emotional health resilience Questions to Reflect On - When did you realize you needed self‑protection? - What boundaries help you stay healthy? A Different Perspective Protecting oneself may lead to emotional isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“I’m a coward, January. I’m not sure if I can handle another heartbreak and I know if I fell for you, I’d fall so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/i-m-a-coward-january-i-m-not-sure-if-i-can-handle-another-heartbreak/) [Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/) > [“Stop using him, and start protecting him. I know he thinks he doesn't need it, but sometimes he does. Sometimes we all do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/stop-using-him-and-start-protecting-him-i-know-he-thinks-he-doesn-t/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Let's start with protecting taxpayers and making sure we have more fairness in the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-start-with-protecting-taxpayers-and-making-sure-we-have-more/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [America spends billions of dollars protecting the borders of other countries around the world. It's high time we start protecting our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/america-spends-billions-of-dollars-protecting-the-borders-of-other/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [Before computers, telephone lines and television connect us, we all share the same air, the same oceans, the same mountains and rivers. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-louis-dreyfus/before-computers-telephone-lines-and-television-connect-us-we-all/) [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-louis-dreyfus/) > [We will remain vigilant, and we will not forget that protecting America means that we will defend the principles on which it was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-will-remain-vigilant-and-we-will-not-forget-that-protecting/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [The Affordable Care Act has been designed to provide health security by driving competition, lowering premiums, and protecting families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/the-affordable-care-act-has-been-designed-to-provide-health-security/) [Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/) > [We should be working for protecting unity and integrity of the country... We should all strive to maintain a conducive atmosphere among the different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnath-singh/we-should-be-working-for-protecting-unity-and-integrity-of-the/) [Rajnath Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnath-singh/) > [I care about the people saying they're protecting us not protecting us. That's a big zero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boosie/i-care-about-the-people-saying-they-re-protecting-us-not-protecting/) [Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boosie/) > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Protecting our planet is a moral imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-rockstrom/protecting-our-planet-is-a-moral-imperative/) [Johan Rockstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-rockstrom/) > [The one person my heart needs protecting from is the only person trying to protect it. Who's going to stop YOU from hurting me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/universalclockwork/the-one-person-my-heart-needs-protecting-from-is-the-only-person/) [UniversalClockwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/universalclockwork/) > [The thing about gay people is that until we come out of the closet, we're always protecting other people: 'I can't do this, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/the-thing-about-gay-people-is-that-until-we-come-out-of-the-closet-we/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [Be ruthless about protecting writing days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/be-ruthless-about-protecting-writing-days/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I've said before, the number one thing that we have to work on is protecting the gay community from sharia law. Now, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/i-ve-said-before-the-number-one-thing-that-we-have-to-work-on-is/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) ## More by Molly McAdams > [“Any you really need to work on faking it. You sound pathetic even from my bed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/any-you-really-need-to-work-on-faking-it-you-sound-pathetic-even-from/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“Then give me your days and nights. Give me your forever.” “They’re yours if you’ll wait for me to light up the after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/then-give-me-your-days-and-nights-give-me-your-forever-they-re-yours/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“I can’t be with you. I love Brandon; I’m sorry.” No! “Baby, don’t say that. I will fight for you, I will. Please just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/i-can-t-be-with-you-i-love-brandon-i-m-sorry-no-baby-don-t-say-that-i/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“Because you need me and if this is my last hour with you, I'm not going to waste another second of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/because-you-need-me-and-if-this-is-my-last-hour-with-you-i-m-not/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“He isn't a - well...eh." She made a face. "Well, yeah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/he-isn-t-a-well-eh-she-made-a-face-well-yeah/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“No. If I'm being honest, I love knowing that your firsts will all be with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/no-if-i-m-being-honest-i-love-knowing-that-your-firsts-will-all-be/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“I loved my family, and I loved our life. Kash and I had gone through rough times at the beginning, but life was good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/i-loved-my-family-and-i-loved-our-life-kash-and-i-had-gone-through/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“Chase.” He cleared his throat and shook his head once. “That girl means everything to me. Which means her baby does, too. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/chase-he-cleared-his-throat-and-shook-his-head-once-that-girl-means/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“A part of me will probably always love you too, but I can't take chances with you Chase. You'll leave me one day, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/a-part-of-me-will-probably-always-love-you-too-but-i-can-t-take/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“Deceiving people was natural... It had been my job for so long that lying to protect myself, or those I loved, was as easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/deceiving-people-was-natural-it-had-been-my-job-for-so-long-that/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“Crap. I forgod it was Thursday." "Oh, you forgod, did you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/crap-i-forgod-it-was-thursday-oh-you-forgod-did-you/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“I hate not talking to you, I hate not bickering like we're an old married couple and I hate not spending every day right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/i-hate-not-talking-to-you-i-hate-not-bickering-like-we-re-an-old/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“He should be making you pancakes." I paused with my hand on the pancake mix and thought back over everything Kash had done for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/he-should-be-making-you-pancakes-i-paused-with-my-hand-on-the-pancake/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“You know he told me he'd rather be your friend for the rest of his life than risk not being able to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/you-know-he-told-me-he-d-rather-be-your-friend-for-the-rest-of-his/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) > [“I’ve been sick too.” I faked a pathetic-sounding cough. “Must be something I caught last time I was here. Bastard Plague?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcadams/i-ve-been-sick-too-i-faked-a-pathetic-sounding-cough-must-be/) [Molly McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) [Explore all 74 Molly McAdams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcadams/) ## More Handle quotes > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. 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