Breaking Down The Walls

Building walls create distance between you and others. It conceals who you really are and prevents you from your truth and your growth opportunities.

Recently I had a very candid conversation with a friend about "Breaking down the walls". I prompted to understand why they are always so guarded? They explained- they are guarded because of the lack of trust they have with others, how they feel others perceived them and a lack of confidence they feel others have in them. This all stems from feeling the disappointment of their parents, colleagues and simple just being put down too many times. They further explained that it was easier to put up a wall so others can't see their hurt, their weakness or their failures.

Yes, it's understandable why my friend built these walls. They believed they were protecting themselves. On the contrary, building these walls were supported by their fears which was hurting them. Their fears of being let down and their emotional intelligence challenged. In the end, it resulted in them isolating themselves and shutting people out. Emotional Intelligence challenged? Yes, here's what I mean. When you are placed in a situation where people challenge your very being, your reactions to this is based on your thought process. How you react to it is the beginning of the walls you start building.

Below are some tips on how to break down these walls

Let go of things you don't have any control over
Practice open-mindedness
Develop a thick skin so that you are less affected by the behaviors of those around you
Trust others
Be vulnerable
Ask for help as this is a sign of strength

Breaking down these walls will assist you in stepping out of your comfort zone, be more confident and help you discover more about yourself and others.

So...break down those walls and start building bridges and remember...“You are confined only by the walls you build yourself” – Andrew Murphy

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