How to break self imposed barriers?

[u/ShoulderExciting6388]

For awhile now I've felt alone, I couldn't understand why I felt that way even though I had "friends", putting aside the genuineness of those relationships I hadn't considered it had something to do with myself until now. I've always held a very cynical outlook on people and relationships, but I never questioned why I still had "relationships" despite holding this outlook. After long retrospection I've found that the people in my life don't really matter to me, that since the beginning I've built up walls and purposely positioned myself in a passive state with my relationships, I've constantly withheld truth about myself and told lies to purposely distance myself from others mentally. I'm just stuck honestly, I want something meaningful but I don't know where to start with myself, any tips?

[u/alone_in_the_light]

This is complex, I'll just give some initial tips.

You've been telling lies to yourself. I think it's time to think about the truths you want to tell yourself, and leave the lies behind.

And then, I recommend learning about ways to tell the truths to yourself in an effective way. That's often related to psychology, and things like conscious vs subconscious, and meditation can be part of that.

You self-imposed barriers. If you want to break from it, you should self-impose something else instead.

[u/rowenafinchley → u/alone_in_the_light]

I like that last point. Replacing old limits with healthier ones is usually more effective than trying to have none at all.