"Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage." I don't know about you but I hate feeling vulnerable and breakable and letting someone else know something so personal about me, even someone I trust.

A really good friend of mine gave me a book called "Daring Greatly" by Brene Brown. The whole concept of the book is vulnerability and how to be real and vulnerable with the people closest to you- the people that have earned the right to know who you are inside and out. It's not talking about letting everyone who has ever known you know everything about you because if that was the case I'm sure I would have burned the book by now.

Knowing when you're vulnerable is so important for self-growth, telling truth, and even knowing the truth about yourself. I say this to myself also because I'm really bad at admitting when I need to go to my best friend or mentor and say "I feel vulnerable and I need you to listen to me." It honestly takes so much guts to go to someone-- even someone you trust completely and say that you're in a vulnerable place. Like I said before, me and emotions don't really get along but the journey to dealing with past hurts and present pains is to be real and talk through your vulnerability, whether that's to a significant other, sibling, parent, or friend it's good to talk about your vulnerabilities.

Another thing Brene Brown mentions is how so many people put masks on in different situations. Now, I don't know about you but when I read this I had to literally set the book down and go outside for a walk because what she said was so right. And I was angry. I was angry because the friend that gave me this book was right about my feelings before I even ever admitted them and I was angry because the author knew more about me than I was willing to admit. See, I realize that I'm not the only one who covers up my true self when I'm feeling vulnerable. There are so many people who do that because they think being vulnerable is a weakness. Well, I'm here to tell you that it's not a weakness. It takes bravery to open up about your emotions to people and I'll say it again, even when it's someone you trust.

It's so freeing and liberating to be vulnerable with someone you trust. Now you're never going to catch me talking about my emotions in front of a crowd or anyone I'm not close to but this article is specifically for the purpose of letting someone in the world who is reading this know that I also have trouble with being vulnerable too and there's a good chance that the person sitting next to you in the library or on the bus or in class has trouble with it too. It's a struggle that everyone has to deal with because our society says we should cut off our emotions and keep them inside, but that's not healthy. You're not alone and it's not a weakness.

Read the book. It'll give you a new perspective and although there may be a time or two when you need to set it down and step away because the words hit home, I'm begging you to pick it up and keep on reading because it has things that we all need to hear to get through some stuff and be... well, vulnerable.