Be Brave
One of the most rewarding things about being a therapist is seeing the incredible courage that people have when they share their stories. Men, women, teens, children, and marriages all willing to face the hard stuff; most with no idea where to start. By showing up and being honest, they find that there’s more to their story than what happened to them, how they’re coping, or what they did to contribute to the problems they have.
I believe it takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable in a day and age when everyone seemingly has their crap together. It’s just not true though. None of us do.
Dr. Brene Brown has done extensive research on the elements of shame and vulnerability. She says that, “vulnerability is the most accurate measure of courage.”
I believe it too.
People that are appropriately vulnerable are the ones I trust and admire the most.
They have the most courage.
What does vulnerability look like?
Admitting when we’re wrong.
Doing something hard or different even if we can’t be sure of the outcome.
Asking hard questions.
Being willing to change things about ourselves that need to be changed.
Asking for help or prayer.
Allowing others to hear and understand our pain.
Asking for affection or touch.
Accepting love and help.
Avoiding vulnerability can sometimes feel easier in the moment, but in my experience, this often leads to . . .
Bottled up emotions and dissociation.
Irritability and disconnection.
Lack of intimacy.
Feeling stuck.
Losing hope.
Anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Shallow friendships and relationships.
Shame and hiding.
Lean into developing or deepening the relationships with people that allow you to be fully known.
You deserve that.
If you haven’t already seen Dr. Brown’s incredibly popular TED Talk on vulnerability, I would recommend watching below!
