Have you ever created armour in response to a trauma in your life? In other words been extremely stressed and upset in a way that temporarily overwhelmed you to the extent that you adopted a new way of thinking, feeling or behaving in order to cope?
This coping strategy or armour once established, serves to ‘protect’ you from re-experiencing the pain and fear of the initial incident and thus a subconscious pattern is created.
Although the armour appears to provide multiple benefits, including survival, there comes a time when it is no longer required. Not always apparent it can become a limitation and barrier to your growth and development. The shield that you subconsciously choose as a defence mechanism can take various forms including fearful thoughts, irrational feelings, destructive behaviours or a combination which are reinforced or triggered during stressful situations.
My own personal armour manifested physically after a number of trauma’s in succession. Subsequently, I visibly wore my armour for all to see – my size, shape and weight increased beyond recognition. I then tried to hide myself from the world by wearing an XXL grey fleece which symbolically served as my comfort blanket and hiding place.
Despite eating healthily and exercising in an organised attempt to reduce my weight and body fat, my body held on with stubborn determination. I am not really surprised as I remember referring to my body weight as my armour; in fact I described it as my ‘michellin suit’ (a suit made out of car tyres from the neck downwards). I was reinforcing my state with every word, thought and action.
In choosing to grow and develop it is essential to consciously face yourself and your armour, to find the ‘chink’ and move forward. Once I recognised my armour and its role in my life I created and followed the process below to finally let it go:
1. Recognise your Armour: Take time to reflect and write down where you are today and what armour influences your daily life.
2. Establish why you created your Armour: Identify the trauma that triggered your armour.
3. Identify how your Armour has served you: Describe how your armour has manifest and how it has supported you until this point.
4. Release your armour: Identify why you want to release your armour and how your life would be different without it, how you would like to think, feel and behave. Write a letter to your ‘armoured’ self and give thanks for all that she/he has done for you and explain why you want to move on. Write a poem, story, draw a picture or create a dance to express the ‘new’ you! Create a positive affirmation and repeat it for a minimum of 21 days. If necessary find a coach who can support you through the process.
Completion of the four steps above will enable you to re-establish your personal power, support the release of your armour and promote healing from the inside out!
The Conscious Living Practitioner can support you on this unique journey having experienced it first-hand. She will work in partnership with you to create a personal plan that inspires you to reach your true potential! The overall outcome will positively impact yourself and your life!
Love, light and blessings
Michèle x
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