It’s different when you have to be in environments as protected, boundaried, intentional, mindful, mature, aware, and wise; Places where you have to be buttoned up and in high self-control.
The spaces where you can’t just be you, but you have to be the evolved you; the "professional" you; the you that can't just...relax.
Evolving is not the concern, but it does take energy to carry that armor. There's a weight to growth. There's a weight to the titles you have. There's a weight to the roles you fulfill.
Imagine as a football player putting on your cleats, helmet, pads, mouth guard, chin strap, face shield, and any other piece of protection to prevent you from getting too hurt from hits, tackles, and barriers. Imagine wearing all of your equipment...
everywhere you go...
ALL day.
Sometimes, we just want to play and show up without all the armor on. My corner team get to see a side of me that people, who know me otherwise, may not get to see. It’s the part of me where I can experience lightness and ease, and not have to be present with assertiveness or show up with my intent and mind on my boundaries. I can just be...me.
We need a good balance of both. Balance doesn’t always mean equal. We need to go to certain places with armor on, and we need to have space spaces without it on, and still have peace and still have ourselves; To be in a space where we don’t have to communicate or be so mindful about the honoring of our boundaries, where lines are respected without effort...so we don’t have to walk around with armor on all day.