Vulnerability

“When we work from a place.. that says, “I’m enough” … then we stop screaming and start listening, we’re kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we’re kinder and gentler to ourselves” – Brene Brown

This has to be one of the most powerful TED talks I have seen and I’d like to share it here (I recognise it may be familiar to some of you and perhaps a welcome reminder!) As you watch, it might be useful to consider the following questions:

What does vulnerability mean for you?

How does vulnerability show up in your day-to-day?

From where do you draw courage to ‘be seen’?

How do you recognise the love and belonging in your life?

As a social worker and researcher, Brene Brown dug deep into what it is to be vulnerable and what vulnerability brings in terms of connection and our sense of being ‘enough.

In her talk, she describes shame as a fear of disconnection and asserts that for us to fully connect with others, we need to have the courage to “allow ourselves to be really seen”. And that means sharing our vulnerability.

Those she interviewed gave examples of vulnerability being ‘saying I love you first’ or the willingness to do something where there are no guarantees or the willingness to invest in a relationship that may or may not work out.

Brown identifies from her research the variable that separates people who have a strong sense of love and belonging and the people who really struggle for it – they believe they’re worthy of that love and belonging. That’s it.