In a humane level vulnerability can be defined as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. From childhood we are programmed to be strong, hide our weaknesses, pretend to show everything is perfect in our lives. But what I have learned in these years is vulnerability is not for the faint hearted ones. It takes a courage to express how you feel, share your thoughts and not to be afraid of being judged for who you are. Its like befriending your own self. It can be really and scary and uncomfortable to show your emotional situations but after you have done that you will feel more comfortable and grounded in yourself.
Let us take some examples to see what vulnerability may look like:
- Telling someone about something personal about yourself like, some mistakes you have made and you are guilty for that
- Sharing pride or shame for something
- Reconnecting with someone you haven’t connected for a long time
- Not being afraid of rejection.
- Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone
- Letting others see who as a whole person you are
- Sharing how much you love and appreciate the person in your life
So generally speaking being vulnerable means to accept that we are not superhuman but mortal and destructible but yet beautiful. Some of the benefits of being vulnerable are : - Trust in a relationship
- Increase self worth
- Reduce stress
- Helps in team work
- Builds empathy
- It helps us open up for growth
Vulnerability is like a muscle, so in order to make it stronger you have to practice it more and more, be it in your personal life or professional life.
