#write31days | October 2

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I’m working through #write31days for October and this year is all about #doitagain.

Vulnerable.

I don’t know what that word makes you think, but most likely there’s a feeling of self-protection that comes to mind within a few seconds of hearing the word “vulnerable”.

If they knew _____________, they would never like me.

If I admitted _______________, I would be seen as weak.

If I asked for help with ______________, I look like I can’t take care of things.

If they saw __________, my cover is blown.

If I ________, then I look like a mess.

Sure, being vulnerable isn’t for every relationship you have in life. Vulnerability requires trust.  But, sometimes trust requires vulnerability.

But, it is hard.  

I’ve written before about the need to be needed/or being needy specifically to dating relationships, but need goes into all of our relationships. It’s also no secret that I don’t do surface level well, I want to know what is really going on and gain trust with my people by being vulnerable and working it out alongside one another.  I have learned the boundary of the people in my life are surface and how to manage that, but the ones who aren’t are the best gifts to my life.

Because I’m vulnerable.

And, so are they.

One of us had to go first, though.  We can’t always wait on someone else.

And, then we have to #doitagain.

Because I’ve been vulnerable with others, here’s a few things I’ve learned….

• Most people have similar needs. I’m not the “only one” like I might have thought.  (read: believed a lie from satan.)
• Someone reaches out and checks on me unprompted because they know what has been happening in my life.
• Wise counsel has been shared with me on how to solve, persevere, see from a different perspective and at times let it go because they’ve walked a similar road.
• Someone has prayed for me. And, said the words I didn’t even know how to say.

But, only because I was vulnerable.

And, not only once, but over and over again.

I also learned people who weren’t healthy in my life and to set them free.

Because my vulnerability wasn’t protected with them.

But, I still had to #doitagain.

At the end of the day, I know myself better, I have better relationships, I have learned A LOT, I have cried real tears of both joy and pain and most of all my faith has been increased because oftentimes someone simply believed for me in something that I couldn’t believe in for myself.

So, maybe for the first time, or maybe for the umpteenth time, #doitagain.

Promise you’ll learn something and your life will be better for being vulnerable.

I’ll never tell the stories behind each pair of these sunglasses on this day, because vulnerability is safe. But, if there’s 3 besties who know me really well, here they are and we’ve made it 20+ years all because we were vulnerable the first time in college and my life is better for it.

If you’re just joining in from #write31days, I’m so glad you’re here!
You can {click here} to find links for all posts in this series.