Mar 19, 2019
Have you ever put yourself out
there, or shared something really personal and then instantly felt
exposed, and regretful, and maybe even a little sick?
Yeah….that’s called a Vulnerability Hangover. And even though
I share my stories often….I still go through this nearly every time
I share.
The irony of being vulnerable, is that when YOU
are the one being vulnerable it makes you feel small, and
scared….but vulnerability serves a purpose. Brene Brown (if
you haven’t watched her Tedx talk yet go do it right now. Her work
changed my life in so many positive ways) says, “vulnerability
is our most accurate measure
of courage.”
I one time heard Roman Krznaric
say, “We live in a culture where making yourself vulnerable –
exposing your fears and uncertainties, taking emotional risks – is
considered a form of weakness, and something most of us want to run
away from. But Brené’s research reveals the hugely positive
outcomes that emerge from stepping into the arena of
vulnerability. It is precisely when we expose
ourselves – perhaps in a relationship or at work – that ‘we have
experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our
lives’.”
In
last week’s podcast about my mom, I shared a lot of things I
haven’t really talked about publicly before. I still kept
parts of the story out that I felt like weren’t necessarily my
story to tell, but I shared my experience of how I grew up through
my own lens. As soon as the podcast went live, I started
almost instantly feeling like I was standing naked on stage. Like
my story was out there for everyone to see and judge. I
handled some of it well, and some of it...not so well. I talk about
the aftermath of sharing in today’s podcast, and give a few tips
for how to handle a vulnerability hangover when you go through it
too.
At
the end of the day, I am glad I shared. Just like Brene Brown
says, “when you own your story, that story no longer has power over
you.” I’ll probably never quit sharing my stories. It’s just
a part of who I am. The less shame I have around my stories and my
past, the more I have been able to live wholeheartedly, and frankly
just be a happier person. xo - Natalie