Are you walled up?

Is it hard for you to be vulnerable? Is it difficult to pit down this persona of strength and settle into closeness with your spouse, your partner, your friends?

What is this shield, this armor you carry?

Does it wall you up?

Does it serve you—or harm you?

We all have personas, or have “hats” we wear in life. Often they are given to us, or we accept them, because they serve an important purpose. This purpose can keep us from real or perceived harm, and keep us safe and comfortable and create a sense of control. This can have real and definite benefits, especially when we are in a situation where we do not have choice, such as in childhood.

What is unfortunate is that these coping strategies become ineffective later in life, when we have choice and self-efficacy, and thus become toxic habits of being. We fall asleep to our behaviors and our relationships, our careers—our true, authentic selves—can suffer. When we habitually wall ourselves up from the world, we miss out—on learning, on discovery, on potential, on joy.

Our shields prevent us from joy and love.

Do you want to look back in 10, 20, 30 years, woth regret, that you did not live the life you meant to? That you did not cherish and fully feel the embrace of love and self-acceptance?

Putting down these shields can be the most courageous act of power we ever do. It means knowing you can cope with discomfort, with what is thrown at you—you trust yourself to be vulnerable.

And when we trust ourselves to be vulnerable, people will automatically respond. They will sense you are authentic, someone whose worthiness is not dependent on external factors.

Are you ready to move into authenticity?

I’m here for it.

In strength,

allie