How Laying Down My Armour Saved Me From Myself

Photo by Ahmed Radwan on Unsplash

I find taking off my armour is one of the scariest, difficult as well as most rewarding things I can do for myself. I struggle with it often and don’t always succeed, but when I do … Oh boy, when I do!

When I laid down what I thought was my entire armour, I finally dared to admit to myself at first, but then to the world at large, I no longer wanted to continue in my career in project management. No longer did I want to do what was expected of me.

[bctt tweet=”Taking off my armour: one of the scariest, difficult AND most rewarding things I can do” ]

It was such a relief to finally allow myself to say that.

It was amazing how much strength it had taken to be able to carry the weight of all that armour. My body immediately started to let go off an incredible amount of stress and tension I hadn’t even been aware was there.

I don’t think I would have been able to go on much longer!

Turns out my armour has been multi-layered and I still discover pieces of armour on me. Laying down those pieces is as scary, difficult and hopefully as rewarding as taking off that first major piece was.

Brené Brown is right on the money:

I’m not screwing around. It’s time. All of this pretending and performing – these coping mechanisms that you’ve developed to protect yourself from feeling inadequate and getting hurt – has to go.

Your armour is preventing you from growing into your gifts. I understand that you needed these protections when you were small. I understand that you believed your armour could help you secure all of the things you needed to feel worthy of love and belonging, but you’re still searching and you’re more lost than ever.

Time is growing short. There are unexplored adventures ahead of you. You can’t live the rest of your life worried about what other people think. You were born worthy of love and belonging. Courage and daring are coursing through you. 

Ever since I laid down that first piece of armour I’ve been on an adventurous exploration of life.

So far it has led me to the Austrian Alps, where I’ve been working in one of my dream jobs as a mountain hiking guide. It had me working briefly as a taxi driver (not a dream job by the way). After which I got to work in another dream job as a ski instructor.

All of those experiences – my corporate career, carrying my heavy armour, the adventurous exploration of life – have been teaching me the lessons I needed to learn to be ready and able to become a coach. To be able to bring the wisdom in those lessons to my coaching practice

I’m sure there are many unexplored adventures ahead of me.

There are still pieces of armour to be laid down.

There are many more lessons I need to be taught.

I’m looking forward to it!

HOW ABOUT YOU? Where are you pretending and performing in your life? What will happen when you start peeling of the armour that has been protecting you? 

Share your thoughts below and let me know what you think. Be as specific as you can when you share your thoughts. Other people, Trailblazers like you, will be inspired by your ideas and actions.

As always…

Go dare greatly!