Vulnerability: A Love-Hate Relationship
Being vulnerable is a tough pill to swallow, but I’ve found myself obsessed with the concept over the last few weeks. Maybe I’m just more conscious of it now, but it seems like my opportunity to be vulnerable pops up everywhere I look.
I was scared when I went public with my story, and I’m sure I’ll be scared again when my book is actually published and the world has access to my very personal past. However, now that it’s too late to bail out, the only thing I’m thinking is “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” I kept it bottled up because I thought I needed to “move on and grow,” when, in fact, it was the exact opposite. I was just putting on a show for everyone when the truth was eating inside of me. I wasn’t being me.
I needed to tell my story, open my heart to others, become VULNERABLE.
I feel like I’m finally being honest with myself. I’m being honest with everyone for the first time in years. It’s liberating.
Because of this, I’ve learned that vulnerability, the very thing that most of us are afraid of, is actually the thing that will lead us to a fulfilling life.
I’m not saying I open up to everyone. I still put on a show a lot of the time because I worry about what people think of me. It’s a constant battle it seems, but I hope to break it one of these days.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.” — Brené Brown
I recently watched the video below and it really hit me at home.
Brené talks about how we need to be vulnerable in order to connect with others. We need to let go of our shame and embrace our differences. We live in a vulnerable world and we must accept that. We have to open ourselves to others in order to have a real friendship, have a healthy marriage, get help from therapists, whatever. It’s what makes us connect. It’s what makes us human.
One of the most significant things she says in her speech, I think, is that we can’t single out certain emotions and ignore them. When we’re sad or angry we try to push it away with a few beers and a greasy cheeseburger and move on. But when we do that, we’re actually ignoring all of our emotions. We ignorehappiness, joy, and love.
Putting on a show for everyone and ignoring the bad stuff is easy, but it’s not the truth. We all struggle. We all have weaknesses. We are all weird. By becoming vulnerable you understand that you’re worthy the way you are. And when you know you’re worthy, you will follow your passions not have to worry “What if…” or “What will people think of me?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o
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