I’ll start with a vulnerable share. At times when I start to write a post or a blog I feel very vulnerable, especially if it is my true inner thoughts and beliefs…I can hold back my voice for fear of being rejected! There I said! It is my biggest fear and the one I have had to confront the most. I don’t have a fear of failure, or being wrong… for me, that’s simply learning and I’m the eternal student. No, it is rejection. Perhaps this revelation is not something some people would associate with me. I hold back and listen to the voice that tells me what I write isn’t good enough, that it doesn’t make sense or that it is not what people want to hear. It is too much, it’s oversharing, it’s not practical and you’ll definitely have typos…. Today I’m writing anyway.
Why? Because I want us to think about vulnerability and another aspect of it that I’m sitting with today. It has so many aspects. You will hear it spoken of as a strength and I totally think it SO is….To quote Brene Brown https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability
“Vulnerability of the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy and creativity. It the source of hope, empathy, accountability and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.
We want this right? I know I do… but hold up there, it may be easy to say and not so easy to become or receive. There 2 sides to the coin….learning to give /be vulnerable and also learning to receive someone’s vulnerability. We need to learn to do both. I want to talk about learning to receive it. When someone is vulnerable with us and we respond with an eye movement, a judgement, advice, a “you shouldn’t feel like this”, “you need to do this”, we can actually do more harm than good. The person who was courageous enough to share can feel: Judged, Shamed, Not enough, Too much, Betrayed, Angry, Hurt, Not seen.
So it is important for us to have a deep appreciation of what courage it takes for someone to be vulnerable with us, to show or own their story, their shadow, to speak the previously unspeakable. Get skilled in recognising vulnerability, it can mask itself too. A person may say something about themselves in a way that sounds like they are so ok with being like that…..but saying it and truly being at peace with it, accepting it with their mind, body and soul, can still be the work in progress. It is also a privilege if someone shows their heart, their inner world to you and there truly is a way to witness and honour this. We must hold it with such tender, gentle, loving care. In doing so, in time, a person can learn to truly and fully accept all of themselves, especially the parts of themselves they hid as a way to fit in.
“ Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage”
When you can accept you are ok exactly as you are in your:Not enoughness;Enoughness;Too muchness;Your Silence;Your Noise;Your Pain;Your Joy;Your Struggles. That’s truly learning to come home to yourself and reclaim yourself fully. Imagine what is possible from that place – possible to go after what you truly desire and want from your life. I believe by being vulnerable we show a way of leading others into the safety of themselves and give others permission to be imperfectly perfect human beings that we all are.I commit to continuing to be vulnerable with those who earn my vulnerability and to witnessing another’s vulnerability with gentle grace.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on being and receiving vulnerability.
I feel very honoured that in our Grit and Grace women’s circle we embody vulnerability. We open up our hearts and share our truth. Not only is this accepted but it is also welcomed and encouraged. We witness the bond of love,compassion and acceptance as we heal, transform and come home to oursleves fully. If you are seeking a safe supportive space to share, heal and reconnect with your deep inner feminine wisdom, please sign up to my newsletter via www.inshineout.com or email me to find out more about online and inperson circles.
#divinefeminine #vulnerabiltiy #homecoming #spiritualgrowth #sisterhood #wmenscircel #gritandgracewomen