VULNERABILITY IS YOUR SUPERPOWER

Vulnerability is a funny thing. No one really wants to be vulnerable, but we wish everyone was. What does that mean? Well, we refrain from being vulnerable because we have had experiences that make us afraid, and lack of vulnerability keeps us safe, but life would be so much easier if pretention didn’t exist, and we could all be vulnerable and honest about what was really going on.

I know, that’s not very realistic, especially if you’ve experienced life situations where you’ve lost trust or were made to feel unsafe. I would say this applies to pretty much all of us unfortunately. Especially if you have a number of ACEs. ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences. A few of the following are considered ACE’s: losing a parent to divorce, separation, or death, having a parent who was incarcerated, experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect, and witnessing domestic violence in the home or community. These experiences are categorized as traumatic. There are a variety of other experiences that cause trauma.

Trauma effects the brain in a number of ways. One of which is one’s level of safety. Trauma can cause individuals to respond to situations differently based on experiences. When your brain tells you-you are unsafe, you may run, freeze, or fight to protect yourself from what you believe is coming next. It’s your body’s natural response to trauma. Maybe you’re tired of your life experiences making decisions for you. Maybe you’re ready to be honest with yourself. You definitely didn’t deserve what happened to you, and you definitely do deserve to be set free from the pain caused by the trauma. The first step in making the change is vulnerability. That can be very frightening. So, when you realize change has to happen, and the idea of change, or the idea of taking the first step in the right direction paralyzes you with fear, take a deep breath and remind yourself you are worth it. You deserve to live a life that pleases you. There is a safe person for you to share your story with. A person who will listen without judgement and gently share truths to help you get started on the path to freedom. Don’t let your fear hold you back for another minute. You are strong enough to take the first step. You can do it!