Vulnerability can be defined as the state of becoming physically or emotionally wounded. Some people may look at this and choose to not be vulnerable to the fear that they will get hurt. However, not all moments of vulnerability have to be negative.
The Millennial generation today has encapsulated the idea that vulnerability is bad and to not participate in the action. Wrong. We have lost the ability to be real, to show true feelings and to participate in life fully. Our parents and grandparents understand what it feels like to be vulnerable; the part that hurts and the part that becomes rewarding.
Think about it. Our parents did not have the capability to text their crush and ask them on a date or tell them the three words, actually tell them any sort of feelings without having to say it in person. Our parents either had to look one another in the eyes and ask them out or call their home phone with the possibility of the father answering instead of the daughter.
They had no choice but to take chances and put themselves out there. Their mindset was what do I have to lose? Unlike now, where we are vulnerable over a screen and text, and have the fear of waiting hours for a response. They were given an answer right then.
I am talking about emotional vulnerability. Brene Brown, a researcher studied vulnerability for 12 years. She discovered that people categorize vulnerability two ways, one being fear, the other being wholeheartedness.
She says that “to let ourselves be seen, be deeply seen, vulnerably seen; to love with our whole hearts, even though there's no guarantee — and that's really hard when we're wondering, “Can I love you this much? Can I believe in this, this passionately? Can I be this fierce about this?" just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say, “I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive." And the last thing [to remember] is to believe that we're enough. Because when we work from a place, I believe that says, “I'm enough," then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves."
It is moments in life where we need to embrace vulnerability. When we have to take the leap forward and just try. You can't fear being hurt when you can't promise that will be the end result. You can't be afraid to get in a relationship if you don't know that you will break up. And you can't fear being vulnerable because you don't know how the other person feels. Without vulnerability and those who embrace the opportunity to be vulnerable we all would know nothing. We would all be lost, numb and hopeless. Being vulnerable is a lifeline to happiness, it is what our heart and mind needs to overcome to truly know what it means to live.
So for those of you reading this, that find vulnerability terrifying. Look back at the times where someone chose to be vulnerable with you. Look back at the times you too should have been vulnerable and what might have happened if you would have just dropped the fear card and embraced it.
It's time to conquer your own vulnerability.
“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they are never weakness."—Brene Brown
