Embracing The Power of Being Vulnerable
Let me guess, you’re thinking, “I don’t want to read this; vulnerability is the worst”. Am I right?
I agree. However, I also think that embracing the power of vulnerability allows us to build strong connections in all aspects of our lives, personally and professionally.
Author and Researcher, Brene Brown, spent over 6 years studying human connection and found something fascinating. During her research, when she asked people about love, they told her about heartbreak. When she asked them about belonging, they told her about painful experiences of exclusion. When she asked people about connection, they told her about times they felt disconnected. The theme she discovered that unraveled connection, was shame.
Courage, Compassion, Connection
People fear disconnection and the only people who don’t experience shame are those who have no capacity for human empathy or connection. Both of these feelings, shame and fear, are directly tied to vulnerability.
Exploring further, she found that people who have connection, believe they are worthy of having it. But where does this sense of “worthiness” come from? All of these people who felt they were worthy of connection, seemed to live whole-heartedly – a term that could be broken down into three key factors: courage, compassion, and connection. Living with the courage to be imperfect. Offering compassion by first being kind to themselves, so that they could in-turn be kind to others. Connecting as a result of authenticity.
Be Authentic
Too may times, we avoid vulnerable situations that are actually opportunities to be authentic and create connection because we are ashamed or afraid.
When we stop trying to be perfect, we embrace negative emotions, which in turn frees us to experience positive emotions, and we embrace uncertainty, we find the ability to be authentic and be who we are.
Building connections is an important part of our business. The things that our client’s care about are things that we care about. At Streamline, we are not perfect. But, we will do our absolute best to create experiences that exceed expectations and bring your vision to life, every time.
