Anyone else have that immediate reaction or is it just me? It's not that I don't see the value of vulnerability, I do... it's just sometimes I would rather... not. Choosing to show up vulnerable, to bring our whole heart to a situation, and to be willing to be hurt in the name of staying open can be exhausting, and yet the benefits greatly outweigh the cons. Yes, it is more work, yes, it can be tiring, yes, it takes great courage. But when we show up vulnerable to a situation, we are automatically allowing others to show up with authenticity and creating brave and safe spaces for connection and whole-hearted living. Isn't that what life is all about?
Brené Brown says vulnerability is a paradox; “It's the first thing I look for in you and the last thing I want you to see in me.” We often spend so much time armoring ourselves against the difficult parts of life and yet we feel honor and compassion when someone else shows us their vulnerability. I see it a lot in New Thought. We have somehow decided that these teachings mean that we can force our lives to always be good, avoiding any heartbreak, challenges, or hurt with the power of our thoughts. But it doesn't work that way. Life happens, good, bad, and everything in between, and our job isn't to always be positive and avoid the messy parts, but rather to show up to all of it with courage, perspective, and love.
It is impossible to only experience one side of life. It is a sine wave, not a straight line, and if we refuse the dips, we simultaneously refuse the swell. We can only go as high as we are willing to go low. Ernest Holmes tells us, "Water cannot run uphill! Two and two always make four! The Laws of Nature are certain!" Therefore this must be true of the laws of physics, which includes an equal and opposite reaction in waves.
Vulnerability allows us to go with the flow, allow the ups and downs, feel all of the feelings, and show up to life, no matter what it brings us. Rather than fighting against life, we realize that life simply happens, and it is less about forcing our will upon God and more about shifting our perspective so that we can see the God in all life. The more we do that, the more we give permission to others to do the same and the more we can find the deep underlying peace and joy that comes with riding the waves of life.
Remember, if you aren't experiencing waves, that means you aren't alive, and the whole point of living is life.
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