Show some skin and you get everyone’s attention.

Show some depth and everyone’s afraid of heights

AstroTwins

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Today, I want to talk about vulnerability 🙂

I think vulnerability tends to feel uncomfortable and scary because we live in a society that prizes surface appearance, accomplishment, and status; a society that believes showing your true emotions or humanity makes one inferior; a society that positively reinforces shame and secrecy instead of openness and honesty.

As humans we are hardwired to avoid pain and seek pleasure. The possibility of feeling pain when we show someone who we really are instead of wearing the mask we’ve been conditioned to wear is higher than many of us are willing to risk. The ego fears and runs with the “what ifs” and doesn’t believe it would survive so it tries to avoid the trigger in order to protect you. Because it IS scary. It is uncomfortable. No denying that. And whatever traumas or personal inner child wounds we have could make it feel like literal death to take off our mask and rest our survival sword to let someone see the real us. In fact, taking our defenses down IS an ego death and it’s as liberating as it is disorienting.

It’s also the only way to feel connected to someone and allow your heart to feel true pleasure. I believe we are here to love each other and experience life to the fullest. We are also hardwired for true connection so we suffer when we don’t fulfill that cue *addictions, depression, anxiety, etc.

Next time you notice yourself wanting to back down and close off and guard your heart, take an extra moment and just witness and observe your thoughts. Lean in to the discomfort one breath at a time as your breath will slow your mind down and help you drop back into spirit and then say what you need to say even if your voice shakes, cause it probably will. Show people the real you. Stay in ‘the room’. I promise they will love you underneath your mask. And if they don’t, you are building the belief that you can handle that and whatever happens because you are learning to trust yourself, love yourself, and be there for yourself no matter what.

Vulnerability asks you to soften your ego so we can see your soul.

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If you’ve never looked into Brene Brown’s work on vulnerability, you might visit her tedtalk “the power of vulnerability.”

Also her ‘Call to Courage’ documentary on Netflix is excellent.

Until next time friends

Much love,

T