Vulnerable
Vulnerable. A word that I rarely ever used, especially to describe my state of mind or being, prior to my current job. One of the main things we do is teach and help leaders develop the eight characteristics of greatness, and vulnerability is one.
In years prior, I had periodically seen and characterized myself as "a sensitive soul". Nonetheless, I would hide it behind the jokes and the laughter. It was really only when I watched sad scenes in movies or shows that I showed my sensitive side. Or when I would occasionally get upset about something that someone said about me.
But in the past year of learning about the world and learning about myself (not mutually exclusive), I've realized that it's okay to be vulnerable and to show vulnerability. It's hard, especially when we grow up being told to not show vulnerability, which is a sign of weakness, and that we might be stepped on by doing so...among other things. I don't know how it works for our clients or for anyone else, but for me, learning to be vulnerable and actually letting myself exhibit it has been an imperative step toward my personal development.
I once wrote a post about wearing my heart on my sleeve. And I still do that. I don't think I yearn for the reciprocation as strongly anymore, because I've realized that everybody has their stories, and they share them differently, to varying extents and with varying details, and that's nothing to be taken personally on the listener's part. Admittedly, I used to worry that if I put myself too far out there, I'd be opening myself up to a world of (potential) hurt. And who wants that?
Although it isn't the easiest or most pleasant thing to put myself out there--whether to my own sister or to a complete stranger--I ultimately feel better putting it all on the table. I let everything be seen, and I open myself up to questioning and critique, for better or worse. If they accept what I've shown and shared, then great. We've opened the doors for a deeper, more meaningful relationship. Otherwise, we know where we stand on the depth or status of our relationship.
More on this topic in future post(s). Meanwhile, see quote and listen to song. (The song lyrics may not directly correlate to the content of this post, but the title certainly is relevant.)
In years prior, I had periodically seen and characterized myself as "a sensitive soul". Nonetheless, I would hide it behind the jokes and the laughter. It was really only when I watched sad scenes in movies or shows that I showed my sensitive side. Or when I would occasionally get upset about something that someone said about me.
But in the past year of learning about the world and learning about myself (not mutually exclusive), I've realized that it's okay to be vulnerable and to show vulnerability. It's hard, especially when we grow up being told to not show vulnerability, which is a sign of weakness, and that we might be stepped on by doing so...among other things. I don't know how it works for our clients or for anyone else, but for me, learning to be vulnerable and actually letting myself exhibit it has been an imperative step toward my personal development.
I once wrote a post about wearing my heart on my sleeve. And I still do that. I don't think I yearn for the reciprocation as strongly anymore, because I've realized that everybody has their stories, and they share them differently, to varying extents and with varying details, and that's nothing to be taken personally on the listener's part. Admittedly, I used to worry that if I put myself too far out there, I'd be opening myself up to a world of (potential) hurt. And who wants that?
Although it isn't the easiest or most pleasant thing to put myself out there--whether to my own sister or to a complete stranger--I ultimately feel better putting it all on the table. I let everything be seen, and I open myself up to questioning and critique, for better or worse. If they accept what I've shown and shared, then great. We've opened the doors for a deeper, more meaningful relationship. Otherwise, we know where we stand on the depth or status of our relationship.
More on this topic in future post(s). Meanwhile, see quote and listen to song. (The song lyrics may not directly correlate to the content of this post, but the title certainly is relevant.)
Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.-Brené Brown
Comments