Is your life an open book? Isn’t it true that we fear others will discover, to our detriment, the broken parts of our lives? Keeping the book closed is safe but leads to missing out on the freedom that comes with vulnerability – your own freedom and the power to set others free.
The scars you share become lighthouses for other people who are headed to the same rocks you hit.
Your willingness to be vulnerable gives others the beautiful gift of going second.
14 Thoughts On Being Vulnerable
1. “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” C. S. Lewis
2. Hospitality is not about inviting people into our perfect homes; it is all about inviting people into our imperfect hearts.”
3. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” Brené Brown
4. “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” Helen Keller
5. “You were made to grow and growth only happens in the places where you stay fragile and brave enough to break – break free.” Anne Voskamp
6. “In the beginning, people think vulnerability will make you weak, but it does the opposite. It shows you’re strong enough to care.” Victoria Pratt
7. I spent a lot of years trying to outrun or outsmart vulnerability by making things certain and definite, black and white, good and bad. My inability to lean into the discomfort of vulnerability limited the fullness of those important experiences that are wrought with uncertainty: Love, belonging, trust, joy, and creativity to name a few.” Brene Brown
8. The Bible is an open book. People tend to rewrite the history of their heroes by cutting out the embarrassing parts. Not the Bible. The lineage of Jesus recorded in the book of Matthew exposes the sordid lives of his ancestors as though God was not embarrassed by their failures. A prostitute and an adulterer are on equal footing with the father of God’s chosen people.
9. “When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable.” Madeleine L’Engle
10. “Leaders are vulnerable not controlling.” Seth Godin
11. “We’re never so vulnerable than when we trust someone – but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy.” Frank Crane
12. “Faith minus vulnerability and mystery is extremism. Don’t call it faith if there’s no vulnerability or uncertainty.” Brene Brown
13. “What it means to be authentic:
– to be more concerned with truth than opinions
– to be sincere and not pretend
– to be free from hypocrisy: “walk your talk”
– to know who you are and to be that person
– to not fear others seeing your vulnerabilities
– being awake to your own feelings
– being free from others’ opinions of you
– accepting and loving yourself.”
Sue Fitzmaurice
14. “The scars you share become lighthouses for other pe0ple who are headed to the same rocks you hit.” Jon Acuff
APPLICATION: Which quote do you like the best? Be vulnerable. Leave a comment below.
STORIES OF VULNERABILITY
Jared Hope’s Story: Jared Hope was on a fast track to what most Canadians would call “The Canadian 
Dream.”
“I remember a counselor telling me I was experiencing a mid-life crisis. She said the depression was normal.” Jared didn’t feel normal. Read more here…
Amanda’s Story: Now Is My Time: Amanda’s story is what North Pointe’s invitation to “come as you
are” is all about.
“I was raised in an abusive home by an alcoholic father and suffered abuse for many years from him. My teenage years were a mess of crystal meth, crime, rape, abusive relationships and abortion. I was a young single mom, with an addiction to Oxycontin and dillatas. I was an escort/massage parlor worker for six years.
Most of my years have felt like I was selling my soul.” Read more here…
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All of these quotes are good ones. I like #1 Love…, #3 Owning our story…, 10 Trust…, # 11 Faith…, and #12 “What it is means to be authentic”, I would say is my favorite. I stopped at this one and really thought about the points of being authentic. I asked myself which of these am I doing and not doing. I need to work on some of these “to be”. I don’t like a lot of attention and keep to myself to much. I have to change this to become more authentic. That makes me feel vulnerable.
Thanks for sharing, Patricia. That’s authentic.
6 &7 don’t work for children who have had an abusive life.
11 can be painfully true.
13 is excellent.
14 is a startling statement.
Well done.