This picture came up on my memories today, it always makes me smile. It is a reminder of how having the right support around you can allow you to do things that you didn’t think were possible. Using power tools is not in my comfort zone, in fact it’s something I never do, but when some friends were knocking down a wall I decided I wanted to help and they let me play. They didn’t make me feel bad for not knowing what to do, they weren’t patronising, they simply supported me to have fun knocking out bricks while they tidied up the mess around me.
I often talk to my clients about finding their tribe, the people and the places where they are accepted for who they are and supported to be the best version of themselves. This picture is a reminder of what we can achieve when we have that. I now know that one of the reasons it took me a while to find mine is because I wasn’t completely accepting of myself, this created a barrier which made connection with other people difficult. Through work in my own therapy and as part of my training I learnt to be ok with who I was and that allowed me to knock down that wall. It meant that when I began to find my own tribe, I was able to let them in so they could see me for who I really was.
Occasionally I will notice that the wall is starting to build up again, but now I know what I need to do to keep my connections and how important they are to me. This could be anything from some journaling or creative work to dipping back into my own therapy, the important thing is that I now know the signs and I am quick to make the changes that will help.
Where did you find your tribe and which walls have they helped you knock down?
