Being Vulnerable Is Powerful

True vulnerability gives you strength, helps you make meaningful connections in life and promotes self growth. Do you want to know how? 

Let us take a look at the concept of vulnerability and how it inculcates self confidence and strength.

Vulnerability is allowing people to see you in your truest form, without the added masks and layers of self protection. And let me tell you that it's probably the scariest thing ever! 

Especially in a society that judges so much, the moment you want to be vulnerable the voices inside your head tell you to don’t take the risk, don’t let others know that you are not good enough.

Vulnerability through the lens of Thought Work

So far at ILCS, you have learned that other people’s opinions and actions are mere circumstances. And circumstances are always neutral. It’s your thoughts that make you feel good or bad about them.

For instance, if you were to tell someone about your hair color, would you feel vulnerable?

Probably not. Even if someone said that they don’t find brunettes attractive, you’d think about it for a while and then brush it off. Life would go on as usual.

But what if it’s about your hormonal acne? What if you think it makes you look ugly and it undermines your self confidence. Imagine opening up to someone about your deepest insecurities and then hear them reject you for them.

Would you be able to get over the emotional turmoil just as easily? What changed?

Your thoughts are the deciding factor here. What you think is what you actually end up feeling. Why would you feel vulnerable about your acne but not your hair color? It’s because deep down you feel anxiety, shame and distress because of it. Hence, you only feel vulnerable about things you already have negative thoughts about.

Vulnerability and Rejection

Vulnerability stems from the fear that someone is going to confirm your negative thoughts about yourself. And if they do, then it feels doubly worse because then you end up bolstering your negative thoughts with this new and fresh evidence.

In reality, when you worry about being rejected, you are really fearing your own rejection of yourself. That’s why it’s so scary. As an adult you are only emotionally vulnerable to yourself. When you share yourself with someone, you mostly feel scared of yourself and not others.

Turning Vulnerability into Strength

When you are truly vulnerable, you break free from the fear of being unmasked and exposed. And that’s how you turn your vulnerability into your strength. You shed off those false layers of protection and show up as your authentic self. You become comfortable in your own skin without passing the responsibility for your emotional experience onto somebody else by expecting them to validate or reject you.

Vulnerability leads to self acceptance. It allows you the freedom to be your true, naked self and share your thoughts and feelings with others while being aware that they can not fix them or hurt them. It’s about being uncomfortable, being afraid of the experience and showing up for it anyway.

I urge to take the first step. It might seem daunting and difficult. But trust me, vulnerability is powerful. It creates a safe space for you to explore and accept the deeper and scariest things within yourself and the others. And that will make all the difference!