Vulnerability has been coming up in some many spaces I've been in: in my therapy spaces, in my yoga spaces, in my book club spaces, and in my friendship spaces. There are so many complexities to being vulnerable, but when we shift through those complexities, and get to the heart and purpose of vulnerability, we find ourselves experiencing freedom, vitality, and aliveness.
"Living the life that cries to be lived from the depth of our being frees up a lot of energy and vitality. On the other hand, suppressing that life takes a lot of our life energy just in the managing and pretending. -Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
I recently had a conversation about how we can give ourselves permission to just be, to release the expectations of who we think we should be, to release a need to be right to perfect, and to just show up as whoever we are, however we are in this moment. To be human. We talked about how so much of the world does not have space for us to just show up as ourselves. As the fullest, most authentic, and truthful version of ourselves. We talked about spaces that have been intentionally created and designed to give us this space, and how we can more space for ourselves to be human and whole.
"I had to figure out how to manage the boundary of being authentic with an environment that did not always welcome variant truths. People do not like to be made to feel uncomfortable." -Jessica J. Williams, Black Surrender Within the Ivory Tower, You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience
Being anything less than our whole self is like an upstream battle, a violent inner turmoil. It feels exhausting and confining. It makes us ignore our needs and leads to burnout. It keeps us from experiencing the fullest expression of our lives. Our inner Self will always let us know when we are out alignment with our truth. When we are out of alignment it feels uncomfortable and we may try to avoid listening to ourselves. What would it mean to stop fighting with our inner selves? To listen to our true inner voice? To stop swimming upstream and simply flow with the current? To show up as who we are in the moment and just be?
"I am surrendering to the flow... to the way the tides rise and fall... the way the stream just drifts... the way the still waters know when to be still... I'm surrendering to just beeing seen." -Cristine Beee, Founder of Just Beee Well
It might feel scary and uncomfortable... to be seen by others in our fullness. We may feel naked or exposed. We may feel sensitive to criticism. It may feel risky. Sometimes it may not feel safe. Whatever the feelings that emerge, there is a cost. The choices we make in life come with costs and benefits. We get to decide what costs are worth the benefits. Sometimes sharing our truth, standing in our absolute knowing, and embodying who we are will costs us our comfort. And while it may feel scary and uncomfortable... it might also feel like freedom. It might feel like the deep connection to ourselves and the world around us that we have want and need.
“You are only free when you realize you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great.” -Brené Brown, Braving the Wilderness
Resources:
Experience by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown
◦ Just Beee Well - Curated Spiritual Wellness Experiences
◦ The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele
Stand Alone by Brené Brown
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