Vulnerability

Vulnerability. That is a word that many of us don’t want to talk about. It is viewed as a weakness by those looking in, but if we dig deeper, we find it’s just the opposite.

I recently heard Brené Brown talk about vulnerability as ‘when you enter in without controlling the outcome’. She defines vulnerability as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. Scary, right?

To step into such circumstances outside of our control is something many women don’t want to do. We work so hard to control the outcome, that we lose sight in the power of letting go and seeing what happens. This is true in our careers, our relationships, and most importantly, in how we view ourselves. To be vulnerable is to allow our true self to be seen – no matter the outcome.

Without vulnerability, there can be no intimacy, no true joy, no deep connection. I’d argue that life is void of meaning or purpose without it. So what choice does that leave us? To live a meaningless, mundane, isolated, yet safe existence? Sounds like walking dead to me. No thanks!

Or do we take a leap of faith?

Choose vulnerability. My personal preference is to go on a risky, faith-required adventure that deeply and profoundly touches the souls and lives of others. It’s worth the risk to see what we are truly made of. We owe it to the world to step out and share what we have.