"Vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage." according to Dr. Brene Brown. I have been interested in vulnerability for some time and how allowing it can change our lives for the better.
Why is vulnerability so important and why is it so scary to show our vulnerability to other people?
Vulnerability is a vital part of experiencing feelings of connection and a feeling of connection is one of the deepest human needs. If we keep ourselves protected by not opening up and sharing our inner experiences, we cannot get to know someone truly, deeply and intimately. Good things can only happen when we take down our walls. Sure, bad things can happen as well and there is the risk of disappointment or rejection.
But the thought that if you don't open up, you cannot get hurt is wrong. Why? You are hurting yourself by not allowing yourself to live and experience life to its full extent. Vulnerability researcher Dr. Brene Brown says that you cannot selectively numb emotions. We would like to avoid or numb out the "bad" emotions like shame, grief and fear, but we cannot do so without also numbing ourselves to emotions like joy and happiness and connection. This means we have to feel and experience the scary ones in order to fully experience the good ones.
If you want to learn more about "The Power of Vulnerability" I can highly recommend to watch Dr. Brown's TED Talk. You might want to practice showing your inner self by sharing something that makes you feel vulnerable today....
