People so often confuse vulnerability with weakness. They believe that being vulnerable is being naïve, is standing on a ledge, closing your eyes, and falling, blindly into people and relationships.
But what they don’t understand, is that being vulnerable is the strongest thing you can be.
Vulnerability is opening your eyes and being honest with yourself. It is seeing the weakest, most fragile parts of yourself and acknowledging them, owning them. It is realizing your imperfections, your fears, and your desires. It is staring your past in the face and deciding that despite what has happened to you, you will continue to be open to people and experiences. You won’t let the world make you hard.
Vulnerability is choosing love. Choosing love again and again. It is knowing that you may be hurt, you may get broken, but you are allowing yourself to experience the most wonderful parts of life. And that’s truly beautiful.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you. It is opening up to people. It is giving others the opportunity to know you, the real you. And letting go of the fear of what they might find. It is giving yourself the opportunity for real, authentic relationships. Relationships that matter, that mean something.
Vulnerability is doing things that terrify you so that you can grow, experience, and flourish. It is not backing away from things because they’re new or unknown or scary. But embracing what the world has to offer, without holding back.
Vulnerability is power, is second chances, is giving yourself the best life you can.
Vulnerability is what makes us human. So please, don’t be afraid of it.
Don’t be afraid to peel back your layers, to grab hold of what makes you nervous, to open yourself to love, even after the door’s been closed.
Don’t be afraid to forgive, to let go of your past, to bring in the new and to celebrate yourself, your life.
Vulnerability is strength. And you, honey, are resilient.
—Marisa Donnelly
seafoam*