Yesterday’s Super Soul Sunday was one of the best I've seen in a while. Daring Greatly with Brene Brown allowed me to reconnect with my vulnerabilities. To accept them as normal. To not resist them. To not fear them. Nor suppress them. Rather to accept that without them I would not have the strength to enter the arena and live my truth.
Without vulnerability, I would not be brave enough nor have the courage enough to grow and change and to accept myself for who I am. Brene opened with this very powerful quote by Teddy Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
And when she spoke those words, something deep within me stirred. Something deep within me awakened as if stoked again by the words of a man who did many great things speaking through Brene to remind me that in order to step out of life’s mediocrity, I have to be brave and afraid in the same second (words spoken by Brene). That in order to be in the arena, I have to be willing to stare in the face of the critic(s) and keep doing even when I am afraid. Even when they try to tear me down. Even when they try to hurt me on a deep level.
It is only then will I know my own strengths. Fully live my own story. And accept myself for who I am. When I shrink away from the arena because I am afraid of failure. Afraid of being exposed for who I am then I am not living my truth and I have no right to criticize anyone who is brave enough to take a stance. Brave enough to be who they are where they are. Powerful message.
I had so many Aha moments in Brene’s session with Oprah yesterday that I lost count. I felt my body tingling over and over again as cells were reignited from the words of this woman. Making me feel like Alicia Keys new song, “This girl is on fire. This girl is on fire.”
Knowing I was led to Brene and Oprah yesterday so I could have the courage to be vulnerable because vulnerability is the cornerstone for confidence. Brene reminded me that I can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability as it is the key to having meaningful human experiences. Vulnerability is the only door to openness. The only door to authenticity.
And that is why I start every day writing this blog. Exposing myself to whomever wants to journey with me as I journey with myself. As I navigate through my own fears, insecurities and vulnerabilities. I do so with courage which incidentally means to share all of yourself with your whole heart and that’s exactly what I do. I now know the reason I do is because deep down inside I have always known but was not consciously aware that vulnerability is the birthplace of everything. There is no innovation or creativity without failure.
And most of all I have always known but was not consciously aware that vulnerability is letting go of the need for certainty which ultimately opens me up to uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. Feelings I often express in my writing. Feelings I explore every single day with the publishing of my blog. Allowing myself and others to see into my core, my heart, my deepest fears and thoughts. Exposing who I truly am so I can heal and grow. So I can learn and teach.
Vulnerability allows me to know and understand and come back to faith on those days when all around me seems bleak and ugly. When I start to feel the need to hoard and protect, it is those days when I have to go back to my core. Back to vulnerability to know there is more than enough in this world to go around and there is no need to hoard. Rather it is better to share. To give so that I can move away from the scarcity so prevalent in our society. Expressing gratitude for everything, no matter how simple they may seem in my life. For it is those simple things that bring us the greatest joy and satisfaction and life.
And when I do only then will I be able to dare greatly. To have the courage to step into the arena armed with my own authenticity. Claiming me for who I am. Daring greatly. Namaste Brene Brown. Namaste Oprah for providing a platform for the arena to be re-erected. Amen.
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