Vulnerability & Strength

The one thing I don’t want you to know about me right now…..How’s that for an opening sentence? I recently heard an amazing talk about vulnerability where the speaker honed in on this idea that we often hide those parts of ourselves that we feel are not fit for human consumption. I have been toying with this idea of vulnerability for quite some time and even asking myself what is the one thing in this moment that I don’t want people to know? Wow, this brought to light so many layers that I had tucked neatly away in the back of my proverbial closet. So I decided that the closet had become too full…we are talking open the door and all the stuff comes cascading down and pegs me on the head, full. It was time to take a closer look at those areas that I have been too ashamed, too afraid, or just too “anything” to bring out into the light. This is the magic of vulnerability…now I am not talking about emotionally ambushing folx with all of our stuff, but instead I am speaking to the transformational effect of being willing to show up just as we are, stuff and all. This is vulnerability, this is strength, this is courage. When we make a conscious decision to move within, but not to move the way fear or shame makes us move. When we make the conscious choice to step powerfully into our authenticity, then the prize….ohhh…I bet you didn’t know there was a prize….the prize is falling in love with the truth of who we are. This is not a love that overlooks those parts of us that we would rather keep hidden, but instead this is a love that leans deep into those experiences and the truth they reveal. So, we don’t love ourselves and each other in spite of those things….but because of them.