The heavy rains of late here in California have caused some worry in my household.
After a particularly strong storm my sister swore she heard dripping in the attic and was worried the strong winds and heavy rain had caused a leak.
I grabbed a ladder and made my way to the attic towards the area of the feared leaked. When I got up there all I saw was insulation. Everywhere. Nothing looked wet and as I searched with a flashlight I couldn’t see any signs of a leak.
Crisis averted.
But my mind started making connections. It was all sparked by the thought, “There’s no way anyone could hear a leak with all this insulation up here. It’s everywhere.”
The next morning, I had a call with my life coach. I was dying to talk to her about all my insulation. The thought had sparked a rigorous debate in my head about how insulated my life had become, and how far it has taken me from vulnerability and living in the moment.
You know when you focus in on something and it seems the whole world helps you stay with it and push through it? Well, this was one of those things for me.
Every phone call, chat with a friend, experience of the week, had me considering how I insulate my life from what’s real, from what’s important—from vulnerability.
So I’ve begun to strip down. I’ve began to reconsider my daily habits and decisions, all based on whether it insulates me or if it causes me to be more authentic and present.
It hasn’t been a fun process. Understanding our motivations and intentions can be jarring. We might not like what we discover. This is where I think I’ve battled doubling down on the amount of insulation. Why not numb and distract more so I can live as I was before?
I find the space I am in now a lot more raw. The elements can get to me. I’m exposed.
But I’m also learning so much more. I can tell quicker when I’ve got my back towards life. When I’m trying to ignore the leaks, you might say.
But there’s a capability that comes when you live life a bit less insulated. You get to see where you are really at. I can’t hide behind anything. When I am mad, I am mad. When I am hurt, I am hurt. When I am happy, I embrace it.
So where are you putting your insulation? Could you even notice if you had a leak?
Just some food for thought.
Josh Brazier is a Certified Professional Coach, an Arbinger Trained Coach, and founder of the Kaiizen Foundation, dedicated to improving the lives of the world’s orphaned and vulnerable children population through mentoring and education.
His mentoring company, Kaiizen Mentors, is helping youth and families in the States live better lives.
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