The Power of Vulnerability: Why It Starts With You
Vulnerability. It’s a buzzword we hear often, but how many of us truly understand what it takes to be vulnerable, not just with others—but with ourselves?
For years, I thought vulnerability was all about sharing your truths with others. I thought it was about letting people in, showing them the parts of you that were raw and real. But as I dug deeper into what it truly means to be vulnerable, I realized: Vulnerability begins with you.
How can we expect to be vulnerable with others if we aren’t even vulnerable with ourselves?
So often, we go through life hiding from the truth of our own pain. We suppress our deepest heartbreaks, embarrassments, and traumas, burying them so deep that they start to fester. And yet, we expect others to support us, help us heal, and truly see us for who we are. But how can we expect them to do that when we haven’t fully admitted to ourselves that these wounds exist?
The truth is, when we refuse to face our own pain, we don’t just ignore it—we give it power. We allow old scars to recreate new wounds, and we stop ourselves from truly healing. In doing so, we stop ourselves from fully embracing vulnerability—not only with others, but with ourselves.
Vulnerability isn’t just about opening up to others. It’s about being willing to open up to yourself first.
Unless we take the time to process our emotions, accept our imperfections, and heal from our past, we will never be able to share our true selves with the people around us. This is why vulnerability can be so difficult—it’s not a surface-level concept. It requires deep internal work.
When we think about vulnerability, we often think it’s about what we share outwardly. But the first and most important step is the internal work: confronting our pain, accepting it, and moving through it. Only once we’ve done this internal work can we truly open up with others in an authentic way.
Vulnerability is hard, but it’s the path to deeper connection, growth, and healing.
It takes immense courage to be honest with ourselves about our struggles and scars. But when we do, we create a space for deeper, more meaningful relationships with others. We allow people to truly see us—not the perfect version we think we need to project, but the real, raw version that is capable of growth, transformation, and true connection.
The key to vulnerability is simple: face yourself first.
The next time you’re tempted to close off or hide parts of yourself, ask yourself this: Have I fully faced this pain within myself? Have I allowed myself the grace to heal before expecting others to offer me their support?
Vulnerability is about showing up for yourself first. And once you’ve done that, you’ll find that being vulnerable with others becomes a powerful, transformative experience.
P.S. What’s one thing you’ve avoided facing within yourself that could lead to deeper vulnerability and connection with others? I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’re willing to share - email me at kayla@kaylalogue.com.
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