Ever heard one of the phrases below:
“It was like talking a brick wall.”
“He was REALLY guarded…he definitely had the walls up.”
“She walled off parts of herself to protect herself…it’s how she survived.”
If so, you aren’t alone.
Of course, we aren’t talking about physical, brick-and-mortar walls, but rather the mental and emotional “walls” that often get created when we experience an overwhelming event or experience.
And to be clear: Our mental and emotional walls do have a very legitimate place, purpose, and function.
But…
They can also be a double-edged sword.
How so?
Well, in theory, our walls keep any unwanted (or unsafe) people, places, situations or experiences away, right?. And, ultimately, this protects and prevents us from being hurt again, right?
You can almost “hear” the question mark at the end of that last sentence, nudging us to dig deeper…to explore, investigate—and even interrogate—that belief just a little more.
In thinking about this idea of walls, several questions come to mind:
What “walls” do you currently have up in your own life?
What happened, or what did you experience, that created the need for those walls?
How old were you when you “built” them? And how did they help to protect you or keep you safe?
When we look inside ourselves—with total grace and compassion—we often find that our walls carry a deep wisdom and provide insight into which parts of ourselves we nurtured…and which parts we cut ourselves off from in order to survive.
And when we are able to be still and get curious, that same wisdom can help us discover:
Which walls are still up?
Which walls are serving your greatest good? And which ones aren't?
Which walls are linked to protecting your core sense of…self? safety? trust?
Finally, consider the following:
How much energy are you using, spending or exerting to constantly keep your walls up?
What would it be like if you could actually let at least one of those walls down?
What would it be like if—in your own time and your own way—you were able to transform that wall into a bridge?
And, lastly, where would that bridge lead to?
Take a moment to simply pause & take one deep, truly nourishing breath…and think about it.
May your walls become bridges to new opportunities and the “new you” that is finally ready to emerge, and as always…
Wishing you and yours true peace.
Warm regards,
Nasir
True Peace Counseling & Wellness