VULNERABILITY

This is something I've been thinking about personally for some time, but up UNTIL THIS PAST WEEKEND && finishing the audiobook Daring Greatly, I WASN'T COMPLETELY CLEAR on what vulnerability meant to me. (Seriously, as shocking as it may sound, I use to read SO MUCH! Like, not exaggerating, 200 books a year. Life happened and I ventured off to other endeavors but I have recently picked up audiobooks. Totally convenient).

VULNERABLE MEANS SHARING EVERY PART OF YOU - && not just the pretty + polished pieces, but the imperfect ones as well. I THOUGHT being vulnerable looked A LOT like me saying how I really felt when someone asked "How are you?" (&& not always "I'm good!") letting myself sob in front of my therapist, family && friends.

&& MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, VULNERABILITY FELT PAINFUL. Like exposing a wound, airing out dirty laundry, or blindly trusting someone when you shouldn't have.

But that is not it…

In fact, in Daring Greatly vulnerability is the “birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, && creativity.

VULNERABILITY IS ESSENTIALLY DEFINED AS UNCERTAINTY, RISK, && EMOTIONAL EXPOSURE.

ONLY YOU CHOOSE TO ASSESS WHEN TO BE VULNERABLE.

When sharing something personal, raw, or something real it can be the stimulant for deepening a relationship or a moment of enlightenment. && sometimes that same share can be where someone gets in && hurts you, where you feel betrayed or embarrassed.

With vulnerability, there is always the risk of being hurt. There is going to be an uncertainty of the outcome. && almost always you are exposing yourself emotionally, for better/for worse.

YOUR DAMAGE, FEARS, && YOUR FEELINGS - THAT IS WHAT MAKES YOU HUMAN. && ultimately as humans, we want to feel like we are not in this alone. The things we feel && fear are not just in our heads - we experience these things && so do others.

If we were perfect, whole && without "flaws" we wouldn't be human… you get the idea.

PERFECTION SOUNDS BORING. IT MAY BE SAFE, BUT BORING. TWISTS && TURNS && COMPLEXITIES MAKE US DYNAMIC, INTERESTING && HUMAN, && ALLOW US TO CONNECT ON A REAL LEVEL.

So… vulnerability - YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHO YOU ARE VULNERABLE WITH. CHOOSE WISELY! You don't need to share with everyone.

But at the same time, remember all of that good that may come from being vulnerable. The connection, The empathy, && The love.