On Living Authentically

On Being Vulnerable

If allowing others to see into my heart…
The heights of my joy, the depths of my grief, the things that bring me delight and make me laugh, the pits of my depression, my fear of rejection, my ache for love and security, the burning of my anger, my passion to write, my passion to ‘change the world’ and set people free…

If it enables others to see more clearly into their own hearts,
and better understand, love and accept themselves for who they are…

If it fosters a greater understanding of, empathy with, and compassion for, the people and the world around them…

Then sharing my heart has been worth it.

If allowing others to see into my mind…
The complex web of my thoughts, the beliefs and values which underpin who I am, my endless questioning and analyzing, the insights and wisdom gained from life’s experiences, the rational thinking of an Engineer, tempered by intuition, the negative self-talk borne of childhood hurts, and the obsessive repetitive thoughts borne of OCD…

If it enables others to see more clearly into their own minds,
and provides insight and deepens understanding, and motivation to assess their own beliefs and attitudes, helps them grow in freedom to be who they really are, to believe in themselves, find their potential, and live life more fully…

If it fosters a greater understanding of, empathy with, and compassion for, the people and the world around them…

Then revealing my mind has been worth it.

If allowing others to see into my spirit…
My wrestling with God, and faith, and the “answers” which don’t satisfy the integrity my spirit demands, the call to be authentic to my understanding of the truth (but what is true??), my ache for meaning and purpose, the years of unanswered cries from the deepest part of my being, the profound sense of my own value and worth, and the immeasurable value of others…

If it enables them to see more deeply into their own spirits,
and helps them to discern what is truly life-giving, and discard whatever enslaves, burdens or limits them, and to love themselves and others more fully, to embrace freedom from distorted thinking, and the baggage of life’s hurts, to see what really matters in life and discard what is trivial…

If it fosters a greater understanding of, empathy with, and compassion for, the people and the world around them, and helps them bring grace, healing and freedom to others…

Then providing even small glimpses into that most sacred part of me has been worth it.

I’m no better than you, or more special than you,
I simply believe an awesome universe lies within each of us,
Hearts, minds and spirits waiting to be explored and shared.

Vulnerability with trusted others is the birthplace of healing,
It allows the light of love and truth to shine in, and banish the dark places within our being,
And allows our own amazing light to shine out.
Vulnerability with one another is essential for true connection,
Authentic loving relationships are what we all need, and what we long for.

If I share ‘too much’ then I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe however the greater danger,
for all of us,
is that we share too little.

Inspired by Brene Brown’s TED Talk on “The Power of Vulnerability”
Highly recommended watching…
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

Ian James 8/5/2015