Vulnerable - part IV (the last)

Being Vulnerable

https://www.bustle.com/articles/150219-7-ways-to-let-yourself-become-more-vulnerable

Day four of being vulnerable!!  (Okay, I thought one day would work for this topic, then two and yesterday I decided I needed to go farther and deeper!!!)

Back to the article - starting at point 3 of 7

-3 Be open to being vulnerable

You may find yourself in a position where you can ‘run and hide’ or be ‘open and vulnerable.  Obviously, you want to weigh in on the position. Is this a place and a time to be open? Can you trust the people you are with?  If this is a casual conversation, you don’t need to be too open and too vulnerable; but if you have a rapport with the people around you, you can open up.

The article suggests that one needs to face such situations early on.  Running and hiding just won’t work in the long run. The article says “accept that you'll have to eventually get used to those kinds of emotions, so today might as well be the day.”

-4 Trust That You Can Deal With The Outcome, No Matter What

You have to go into the situation knowing that even in a negative outcome, you can hold your head up.  

The article says “You might have to lick a couple of wounds, but you're strong. You have enough in you to handle the worst.”

-5 Share your hurts with others

From the article, “If you open up about your feelings, failures, and thoughts to someone you trust, you not only get help on the soothing forefront, but you get another shot at practicing vulnerability. It's important to keep in mind that depending on others to soothe us can actually increase feelings of vulnerability." You're opening yourself up to another person, which is great practice” in becoming more transparent and authentic.

-6  By Not Being Vulnerable, You're Giving Away The Power To Hurt You

The author of the article quotes Jennifer Kass, “"It's only when we close our hearts and put up protective barriers that we are at the mercy of everyone and everything around us — from this place we become victims of our circumstances and give away our power by letting external things and other people control how we feel." 

You can come off as having those barriers, of being a rock or an island.  You might even just fade into the background as faded wallpaper!!!

-7 Realize You're Already Hurting Yourself With Inaction & That You Can Only Go Up From Here

Don’t be a spectator in your own life!!!  Take part, be open - to both success and failure in terms of human relations.  Going back to the turtle, he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

*****

Aside and personal.  Earlier this week, I took a comment too deeply.  I allowed it to fester - it boiled over in my thoughts.  I circled around it and found the speaker was shoveling dirt into my path and I didn’t need to take that  Even back to scripture - Psalm 139:14 says “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”.

So, how about you?  Can you be authentic in your life?  Are you open to being vulnerable? For me, let’s face it, I don’t have all the answers (and most of the time, I don’t even have the questions!!!  I want to be ME!!! (After all, who can do a better job of that?)

Hugs!!!

Karen