Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage… truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they are never a weakness – Brené Brown
It was a strange moment when i came to this stark realisation. One that provided me with one of those ‘AH-HA’ moments followed by a complete wave of contentment. The realisation that being vulnerable is our only true authentic state… It states in the english dictionary that the definition of Vulnerability is to be exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally… but what it fails to add is that it also is a state in which we expose ourselves to not only wounding but healing, to strengthening.
However, we all know it’s not as simple as just opening up… If you have had any type of intimate relationship (intimate meaning close and revealing not just in a sexual term), at some point you are going to feel violated. When you allow yourself to be exposed emotionally to another – of course you are putting yourself at risk of being hurt. So what do you do when you’ve made yourself vulnerable to someone or something, only to have it backfire?
There’s one word for it, the most important word we can learn as far as i’m concerned & the only way we will ever be able to experience true happiness & contentment.. the word is *DRUM ROLL PLEASE* ACCEPTANCE. Learn to accept what is and move on.
Anyone thats followed me for a while is fully aware that I strongly believe that negative emotion is no bad thing, if used and reflected upon correctly. However bad pain may feel? Pain itself is not bad. It is useful and it is necessary. It’s a signal to protect ourselves and tells us that we may well need to change an aspect of our lives going forward. It provides us with the opportunity to learn, to heal and to grow. Look at your perspective like a muscle being torn pushing weights in a gym, what happens after? it grows back, bigger and stronger than before.
Okay, heres another analogy (you know i love them!) … When an athlete sprains his ankle, part of their rehabilitation will be to exercise. They will have to protect the ankle but also continue to work it – stretching and strengthening. If not done, it would get stiff and sore, taking much longer to heal.
Emotional pain is no different. After we’ve been hurt or burnt, we often make withdrawing to protect our feelings our go to method… but after a while we will only find it more difficult to not only experience emotion, but to open up and express it as well.
FACT IS: Everyone gets hurt at some time in their life.
Emotional pain happens to us all and is impossible to prevent – it doesn’t matter how hard you try to avoid it.
So allow yourself to make peace with the past, learn from the hurt, and own the beautiful gift you have of “vulnerability”; allow it to be your greatest asset.
Be open, let it give you chills, let it unsettle you and make you uncomfortable. Then, watch yourself be able to truly absorb the experiences, the gratitude, the love. Be that in the form or people, situations or things – things that can only come to you when you allow yourself to become vulnerable.
T.x
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