“How The Courage To Be Vulnerable Transforms The Way We Live, Love, Parent, And Lead: Daring Greatly” — Part One
THE INTRO:
I read New York Times bestselling author Brene Brown’s book, “Daring Greatly — How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”. I selected three important quotes from it to share with you in this post. Be sure to check out Brown’s other books if you like what you read. Also, please comment below any opinions, feedback, thoughts, ideas, or questions for me if you have anything to share in return.
l.a. socol
THE QUOTE:
“Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the neccesity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.” (Brown, 2012).
It’s so easy to live through decades of life without ever really stopping to consider “vulnerability” and the role that it plays or doesn’t play in yours. With that, many of us don’t have a real definition of vulnerability or know what it truly means. Brown offers a simple, but thorough definition of the term. She suggests that it is not about the wins or the losses that we face, but rather, knowing that both must exist. This balance is key. She sheds further light on the term, referring to vulnerability as something that engages us, and she reminds us about the importance of being committed to this. For me, the first step to vulnerability is accepting and acknowledging the presence of that balance. From there, I can work towards further engagement and commitment to the process.
THE QUOTE:
“Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional.” (Brown, 2012).
Vulnerability carries mostly negative connotations. We do not typically perceive vulnerability as desirable or as a positive position to be in. For many of us, the term even brings about feelings of fear and concern. Brown redefines vulnerability in a more positive light, reminding us that it is not synonymous with weakness. She goes on to say that that different kinds of vulnerability, such as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure are not optional experiences. It is so important that we engage in them and endure them, because these kinds of experiences are what serve to change us for the better and help us to progress and further our own development. Rather than dodging experiences and situations which require us to engage in vulnerability, we need to invite these experiences as they arise. Take them for what they are, in short. The easiest way to go about this is to start by viewing vulnerability in a more positive regard. Reminding ourselves to not fear it is a great beginning, which will help us to engage more frequently, further aiding in our own personal growth.
THE QUOTE:
“Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose; the level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable is a measure of our fear and disconnection.” (Brown, 2012).
We do not have any say in the existence of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure in our lives. None of us do. In other words, they are inevitable. The human life is simply filled with these kinds of vulnerabilities. We do however have the choice to engage. And when we are willing to do so, and fully engage with vulnerability, we decide the degree of our courage and find clarity in our purpose. This is incredibly powerful. Similarly, when we shield ourselves from vulnerability, in an effort to self-protect, we actually determine our own fear and move further away from courageousness. This deters us from our path to growth and progression. Choose to engage as often as possible, and know that the more often we engage, the easier it becomes and therefore, the more we can grow.
RECOMMENDATION:
If you liked this, be sure to check out one of my recent pieces, “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward” — A Review.
l.a. socol
