It Takes Strength to Show Weakness
Today I am grateful for the bike ride I took this morning. I felt a resentment starting to build and I was able to pedal it away. I am also grateful for our dog Oliver and how he reminds us to be playful and laugh at ourselves.
I mentioned Brene Brown in an early April post. She researches vulnerability and shame and has some truly thought-provoking writing. I finished her book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy and Power. She talks about the potential for growth (and more calm and serenity) when we expose and face our vulnerabilities. But in our society, that is a tall order. We have been socialized that showing weakness is just that; weakness. Yet, if we show our strengths, we risk being accused of arrogance and too much ego. Why does it have to be all or nothing? How about we show our humanness? Which of course includes both our strengths and our weaknesses.
We are doing a number on ourselves and one another with all of this perfectionism, comparing our insides to other people's outsides, judging others to help us feel better, and much more. I can't speak for anyone else, but the times of intense personal vulnerability in my life, and facing that vulnerability, have been major learning and growing experiences for me.
Brown uses the term "shame triggers" instead of "acknowledging vulnerability" but they are really the same thing. As long as I am willing to look at what mine are (shame triggers or vulnerabilities) I have a shot at confronting them and moving toward what Brown calls "shame resilience."
It takes strength to show both weakness and strength. Look for a wonderful quote tomorrow that really speaks to this dichotomy.
I mentioned Brene Brown in an early April post. She researches vulnerability and shame and has some truly thought-provoking writing. I finished her book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy and Power. She talks about the potential for growth (and more calm and serenity) when we expose and face our vulnerabilities. But in our society, that is a tall order. We have been socialized that showing weakness is just that; weakness. Yet, if we show our strengths, we risk being accused of arrogance and too much ego. Why does it have to be all or nothing? How about we show our humanness? Which of course includes both our strengths and our weaknesses.
We are doing a number on ourselves and one another with all of this perfectionism, comparing our insides to other people's outsides, judging others to help us feel better, and much more. I can't speak for anyone else, but the times of intense personal vulnerability in my life, and facing that vulnerability, have been major learning and growing experiences for me.
Brown uses the term "shame triggers" instead of "acknowledging vulnerability" but they are really the same thing. As long as I am willing to look at what mine are (shame triggers or vulnerabilities) I have a shot at confronting them and moving toward what Brown calls "shame resilience."
It takes strength to show both weakness and strength. Look for a wonderful quote tomorrow that really speaks to this dichotomy.
Comments
Post a Comment