Vulnerability
One of the most debilitating emotions anyone can ever experience. It feels mortifying to walk into a room and because of looks, experience or lack thereof, dress, voice or anything else to do with your personal identity, you feel less than. You want to run, hide and never walk into that room again.
But when we make a space where all voices are heard, valued and speaking to learn, listen and grow, then, those moments of being vulnerable, of opening yourself up so all can see your scars, your bleeding wounds, your faults and misfortunes, you realise, everyone else has one or all of those to.
Those who stride around seeing themselves as the best and the greatest, may say that confidence and pride is the key to a successful life, but really, the key lies in connecting with others, in building relationships, in showing you are human, you are growing, changing and always willing to listen and learn.
That is vulnerability. To say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong,” or “I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening,” or “I’m sorry, I need more practice.”
That is confidence, that is pride in yourself as a human being who is imperfect and within that imperfection, is a part of the flowing tide of the universe.
I challenge you all to be vulnerable just once this week. Admit a mistake, admit a lack of knowledge, admit a fear. You’ll realise more than one person in the world probably feels exactly as you do.
You are not alone.
In the Quiet Places
Laughter runs after us. Giddy and quick. Never quaint
as the shop at the corner. It tries the shine of new
yellow paint. Sunflowers of plastic and one orange chair. Wobbly.
This laughter sits high on judgement. Reads the newspaper of relationships.
Dripped and fried in ghee. A butter so rich, it’s the newest fad on the shelf.
Even if it’s more ancient than most elves. The tall sort, reeds who walked
through fantasies. Until laughter followed our limp and our lisp.
Broke our glasses. Until a wizard made those cool too.
Laughter stalks us in the night, as we toss and turn. Wondering might
we have said the wrong thing. When we whispered in the lull.
When we spoke to the sky and said,
I am vulnerable. Aren’t you?
This week I’ve started my journey to learn more about marketing, branding and turning my creative talents into a business of creativity, built to inspire others, be it through word or visuals. I’m terrified this is the wrong choice and that I don’t actually have anything to offer. There are a billion, million other writers, photographers and artists out there after all.
But I keep learning, listening and most of all, connecting.
When all things end, what will matter the most, after all, is not the pillars of accomplishments, but the people you walked the roads with on the way to those pillars.
ARR ~ Moony
PS: If you haven’t seen it. Brene Brown did probably my favourite TED talk ever (and it’s hard to choose!), some years about the power of vulnerability which you can watch here.
