The Power of Vulnerability Brene Brown | TED Talk | Video

Here is yet another TED Talk. If you haven't
seen any, you should check them out. Their
talks are incredibly insightful, and you
might just discover a gem, or two, for yourself.

The video is well worth watching, so if you can
take the time to watch, please do.

At the same time, I pulled out a few choice
pieces that stood out to me that might be
something you can take away even if you don't
make the time.

Brene has spent several years studying people and
their behaviors around vulnerability, and she
found that the more worthy a person feels, the
more likely they are to accept that vulnerability
"just is."

She explains that the original meaning of courage
is to: "Tell the story of who you are with your
whole heart."

Brene says that those who felt worthy "let go of who
they thought they should be so they could be who
they are," a quality she says is essential for
connection.

She extrapolates from her research that blame is
"a way to discharge pain and discomfort."

Those who had a sense of being worthy in the
research live in a "whole hearted" way which
includes:

*a willingness to say "I love you" first.

*a belief that what made them vulnerable -
made them beautiful.

*a willingness to do something with no guarantees.

*a willingness to invest in relationships that may
or may not work out.

She says that while vulnerability is the core
of things like shame and fear, it also seems
to the the "birthplace" of things like belonging
and love.

Brene points out that we live in a vulnerable world,
and that one coping mechanism comes in many numbing
forms: financial, weight, addictions. And while
we may be able to numb the negative (like fear), it
isn't selective so it isn't without a cost to the
positive (like love).

She talks about other methods that you will likely
recognize, and quite likely utilize in some degree,
and suggests an alternative way to be which includes
loving with our whole heart without a guarantee.

Brene is fun to watch, and quite real. What she talks
about isn't an easy thing to talk about, or to listen
to, especially if one struggles with the issues she
is addressing. However, she didn't always see things
as she does, and describes her process to get where
she has gotten.

For me personally, it was a validation for me of how
I am - how I have come to be in recent years. I
have extended myself on more than one occasion -
embracing the fear - and hoping for the best in an
unknown situation while embracing my vulnerability,
offering it up, holding my breath. Sadly, it often
has not ended the way I would prefer, however, the
process has brought me some incredible things that
would not have been possible had I not taken the steps
I did to "tell the story" of who I am with "my whole
heart."

Easy? Nope! And she doesn't believe it to be, either.

Worth it? Likely. Your mileage may vary.

In my case...it's an emphatic (if even in some cases a
slightly melancholy) YES.

If you watch, please let me know what you think!

PS A couple of other blogs about
vulnerability can be seen here.


If you can't view above, try viewing it here.