At a therapy group last night, people talked about their experience of breaking barriers, including:
- fear,
- self-consciousness,
- rejection,
- perfectionism,
- distrust,
- insecurity,
- differences,
- shame,
- guilt,
- doubt,
- miscommunication,
- hopelessness,
- old habits,
- misunderstandings,
- pain,
- assumptions,
- toxic/difficult/mean/uncaring people, and
- internalized negative messages.
My imperfect memory is definitely a barrier to including all the barriers discussed during that interesting group session. I do remember one of the group members recommending this, as a way to break barriers:
Just jump!
As you’re reading this post about breaking barriers, what are the barriers in your life? How might you begin breaking them?
Am I breaking barriers with any photos I took yesterday?
Any barriers to believing that all they sell there is the greatest feeling on earth, during those hours?
Please, just jump into the conversation below, breaking any barriers along the way.
Thanks to all those who break barriers as best they can and to you — of course! — no matter what barriers you’ve broken to be here, now.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
Hurrah for the porta potty, highway-side savior
of cloth and decorum!
Some break-throughs unsavored,
at least that’s the rumor!
Hurrah for ye olde foole, WordPress savior!
You are so Ann 🙂 You break barriers everyday with your beautiful posts 🙂
The way you break things down is very beautiful, too! ❤
Have Porta Potty – will travel.
I think one of the biggest barriers I have to being happy is spending all my time making sure everyone else is happy and comfortable. I wish I could spend an entire weekend doing just what I wanted to do and not worrying about everyone else in my family (and be guilt-free). I could write in my book, putter in my garden, watch a movie with subtitles, or just sit and think, or maybe just sit (but that would probably end up as a nap).
Have a indubitably wonderful day Ann!!!!!
Why not break those barriers and spend an indubitably wonderful weekend that way, SD? Thanks for breaking barriers here. ❤
Those two smiling faces are so welcoming – breaking down any barriers that might be put in their way!
Your smile breaks down barriers, too, Lisa!
I like her!
Hi, my name is Kitty Angelica! Breaking the barriers of fear!
Why would a cute kitty like her be having to break any barriers Oscar?
for the love of Captain Jack Sparrow
Look at all the fashion and musical barriers these cats are breaking!
It’s just like you to be breaking barriers Ann! ❤
Diana xo
It’s just like you to notice, Diana! ❤ xxoo
The greatest barrier for me to break through is….
the fear of breaking through fear!
🙂
Though, my blog today (which I have yet to write) is about something I said to someone earlier this week which is — I’m getting really ticked off at people not respecting the boundaries I don’t set! 🙂
I love the barriers you break, Louise, in your own good time!
The toughest barrier for me…perfectionism. It was self-imposed and goes back to my earliest memories. Ugh. Your blog is perfect for me, Ann. Thanks always. ❤️
Your comments are perfect for me, Van. Eternal thanks back at you. ❤ ❤
The subject of barriers makes me think of Robert Frost’s remark that free verse is like playing tennis without a net. Do we see the net as something in our way or something that, in overcoming it, makes us better?
And sometimes it’s okay to drop the net. Getting rid of the net creates a whole new way to play.
Nothing but net, Chris. Thanks for playing here.
Two quick thoughts from a retired psychotherapist….
“In your life, you will come to a chasm between you and your future. Jump. It’s not as far as you think.” — Native American Proverb
Second, or, more accurately, first, when the barrier of fear is removed, all the others seem to disappear with it….
gigoid, the dubious
😎
I’m not dubious about this: that was a great comment. Many thanks.
😉
I’m only dubious about Reality; of course, that IS a lot… but, I find it to be more savory that way in the long run….
Since most of Reality is consensual (once we learn to blend in with everyone else’s… not a simple trick to learn…), thus not always within our ken, or control, it seems prudent to at least examine it closely before accepting it as truth… Our human perceptions just aren’t quite up to the task of understanding the whole Universe; there is simply more than our perceptive abilities are capable of ingesting and processing, all at once, or even over time…. Then, we make it hard on ourselves, by forgetting, since we are part of the Universe, all the answers we really need aren’t out there to find… They are right there inside us; when we remove fear, of the unknown, of thinking for ourselves, of not fitting in, trusting in our imagination and courage to resist illusion, it becomes much easier to remember we already know all we need to know. We only need the courage to face our fear, and let it pass… by learning about what we fear.
Sorry for the mini-rant; something clicked over in my head, so I went with it…. What works for me may, or may not, work for others, but, it works for me, so, it may be worth at least considering as an alternative to what we are taught from the cradle….most of which is dead wrong….
gigoid, the dubious, for good reasons….
😎
Thanks for breaking more barriers with this comment.
My toughest barrier? Silence. Not speaking out when I have something to contribute–especially if it’s about things I don’t like to talk about. Which points to fear–and hiding. I guess they’re my ‘supporting’ barriers! Sort of like The Throne Depot that’s being supported by a strong strap keeping its door closed, whether The Throne Depot wants it to or not. Great post, Ann!
Elouise
Great comment, Elouise. Love love love when you speak out and contribute here.
I agree with vanbythe river, above. Striving to be perfect in the things I do is a hard thing to break away from. I think those internalized negative messages play a part with me, too. I’ve just followed your link and can identify with some of your listed pointers.
Such an interesting and thought-provoking post, Ann, and I enjoyed reading it very much.
I enjoy reading your interesting thoughts, Millie, very very much.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
NO GLASS WALLS NEEDED!
Thanks for breaking barriers with this reblog, Jonathan.
Love this. My biggest barrier is fear of failure, always. I’m learning though, modifying, adapting. I will win.
I love all the ways you broke barriers here, Kate.
‘Just jump’ is attractive, but maybe for athletes. Most of us have to dismantle them with care
Your care breaks barriers, Derrick.
I know you don’t like posting photos of yourself so that beautiful smiling photo of you and a friend is breaking a personal barrier for you. Thanks for sharing. Carol
I’ve been breaking that barrier more, thanks to encouraging comments like yours, Carol. Thank you, as always. ❤
It looks like you are breaking barriers by sharing more lesson from your sessions,and sharing your lovely face with us Ann!
I’m pondering what barriers for me to go break. I’m feeling somewhat barrierless today … Or is that a barrier in itself … 😉
I’m glad you broke through any barriers that might get in the way of you commenting today, Val.
Me too Ann! 💛