It’s been said that our eyes are the windows to our souls and the majority of people have kept their shades tightly drawn so that none can see in or that we won’t be wounded.
It’s a deeply embedded fear of exposing oneself that’s hardwired into our psyche. We fear revealing too much, not being enough, doing the wrong thing, not being liked, and the shame of our history, who we are, or what we think.
In order to keep us physically and emotionally safe from harm, the uncertainty, fear, or potential death that could come from revealing our tender underbelly has been ingrained into our DNA. Our thoughts have conditioned us to believe the only way to navigate such risks is by striving for perfection, numbing out, or planning for tragedy.
Vulnerability has the power to offer gifts, blessings, and opportunities unavailable without it.  Yet it also has the power, in the wrong hands, to destroy you.
We feel powerful and in control when we guard ourselves against the threats that have not yet materialized, but in the process we also diminish our capacity for experiencing joy, connection, creativity, and love.
In the process of trying to protect ourselves from vulnerability, our views and our experiences in the world are stunted.
You must be diligent with whom you are vulnerable; not everyone is deserving of you. Exposing yourself to others who do not value or appreciate you can inflict untold damage upon you if they are careless or negligent and you have given them the power to do so.
Yet that same vulnerability can also be the most magnificent gift you offer to another when it deepens your connection with them and allows them to understand who you are on a deeper level.
Even more so when you allow yourself to embrace your own raw and unfiltered fears and beliefs without judgment so you can understand yourself more completely.  Those deeper truths and heightened awareness about yourself, your situation, and your desires can be transformative.
Vulnerability allows you to
- Deepen your understanding of who you are, what you believe in, and what matters most to you. Allowing yourself to connect with your authentic unguarded truth will increase your awareness of where you are in relation to what you desire so you can become clear on how to best move forward to achieve them.
- Strengthen your relationships so you can be the partner, parent, or person you wish to be in all your interactions with others. The levels of empathy, compassion, and intimacy you can experience with another are directly correlated to how open and truthful you are.
- Experience creativity, success, and expansion on a far grander scale than what’s possible if fear of rejection, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome are allowed to take root. When you risk and trust yourself enough to put yourself out there, your rewards come in opportunities and experiences that would have been closed to you had you remained shielded.
Vulnerability, as exhilarating or anxiety-producing as it may be, has the potential to transform itself into joy. By becoming wholehearted and fully engaged in who you are, you live with greater authenticity, courage, and love… and your vulnerability becomes your superpower.  Your life then becomes filled with more purpose and meaning.
And you deserve nothing less than that in your life.
Lots of love,
Krysti
P.S. I would love to hear more about your situation in life or in business (after all, entrepreneurship is truly a personal journey into various levels of vulnerability)… let’s talk about what’s challenging you now, what you envision for your joy and fulfillment, and how I could help you grow.  Book a call here, at no charge, so we can get to know each other and make a plan for you.
