If you work with me in therapy, it’s incredibly rare that you won’t hear me mention the word vulnerability at some point.
It’s a word so often associated with weakness, yet this couldn’t be further from the truth. Vulnerability is a strength. It’s a gift. It’s a choice to be made over and over again. And it’s essential for living a healthy and meaningful life.
Vulnerability is the brave and courageous choice to be who you are. To open up, to be authentic. To allow yourself to seen.
Vulnerability is choice, and it’s a scary one. It’s at the root of so much pain, including rejection, judgment, heartbreak, and disappointment. But vulnerability is also at the root of all the good stuff in life. Joy, connection, creativity, love, empathy, and friendship. They’re only possible when we choose to be vulnerable.
It’s not easy to be vulnerable, but I promise, it’s worth it. And in case you need some reminding, here are 7 quotes to remind you to be brave and allow yourself to be seen.
1. “Being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure.” Bob Marley
2. “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they are never weakness.” Brene Brown
3. “We want someone that we can be at our weakest with, and not feel so. That our vulnerability isn’t taken advantage of, but taken care of.” Dae D. Lee
4. “There is nothing, no thing, so brave as to allow yourself complete vulnerability. When we are stripped bare of all the armor we thought we needed to carry, how high we can finally climb.” Tyler Knott Gregson
5. “Out of your vulnerabilities will come strength.” Sigmund Freud
6. “Vulnerability is the key to happiness. Vulnerable people are powerful people. Opening your heart and sharing it means that you’re going to get so much love in your life.” Amy Poehler
7. “I found that the more truthful and vulnerable I was, the more empowering it was for me.” Alanis Morissette
And if you’re not quite sure about this whole vulnerability thing? Check out this TED talk. It’ll rock your world.
PS: Need some extra motivation to be brave? Check out what happened when I dedicated an entire year to it.
