I have a very good friend whose father-in-law is a regular visitor to area thrift stores. He loves to search for great bargains and has a particular affection for cast iron skillets. (After finding this out I put in my order with him for one). As I was learning more about all that one can do with a pan of this kind, I came across this on Wikipedia:
“Cast iron cookware has excellent heat retention properties, and can be produced and formed with a relatively low level of technology. Seasoning is used to protect bare cast iron from rust and to create a non-stick surface.”
This was just what I was looking for!
Lately I have been talking with several of my coaching clients about the value of growing a figurative sheen of teflon on their skin in order to keep certain negative narratives or experiences from sticking to them. A nagging concern that I was having with that though was it may also prevent the good stuff from connecting to and staying with them. Then – this metaphor drops into my lap!
Imagine if we could appreciate that we already embody all of the useful characteristics of a cast iron skillet:
- excellent love retention properties
- ability to reshape and redefine who we are in ways that serve us, and others, better
- opportunities to ‘season’ ourselves in the manner of our choosing, and thus minimize rust AND develop a non-stick surface!!
You already have all that you need to be the self you want to be AND to let stuff that is apt to gunk up the works slide off you.
Now go channel your inner skillet!
