Embracing Vulnerability

When I was little I would dance on my bed like cat to the Aristocats sound track.

I vividly remember throwing my head side to side, swinging my hair and shaking my booty while singing (quiet loudly) to the lyrics.

I was such a care free child, I also very eccentric and perfectly content to be by myself with my imagination.

I would sing, dance and crack myself up. Sometimes I still do that. I love the morning when I am feeling extra energized and sing and dance in the shower, except that one time when I fell and knocked myself out...that was a whoopsie.

I was reading another book by Brene Brown and she said the three most important things in life are:
1: singing
2: dancing
3: laughing

I have already touched on the idea of laughing a few times in my blog but not singing and dancing!

She said these things, singing, dancing, and laughing are not done often enough when we grow up because it makes us look vulnerable.

And if you think about it belting it out or shaking your booty is a very vulnerable experience. At least for me it is. I don't have the best voice or the best rhythm (it is mediocre at best) and it can be embarrassing to do these things in front of people you are not 110% comfortable with.

You risk looking like the idiot and lets be honest who want to look like idiot?

But it turns out looking like the idiot is way more fun then being the stick in the mud that stands to the side. 

Unfortunately as I say this the word vulnerability pops into my head -- being vulnerable is scary, you put yourself out there to be crushed, bull dozed, obliterated. People's words can hurt.

They say stick and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me...

THAT IS SO WRONG! Whoever came up with that saying is either very tough skinned or lying. (I am going to go with lying!)

I do weird shit and say weird shit. I have had mean things said me. I have had people question what the hell I am doing and honestly it does shut me down and stop me from doing it again.

Positive reinforcement is great but negative reinforcement has the potential to actually get into someone's head.

You can tell me I am great at being a cat and dancing but that one person who tells me I look like the village idiot is going to have way more impact.

So how do we over come this? How can we be vulnerable and not allow people to drag us down?

I actually don't have an answer for this question, just posing it and hoping someone has an idea!

All I know is I am going to work on being vulnerable even if I look like a dumbass because I love dancing, I love singing and I love laughing at all the wrong times.

It's just the facts of my life.

"What makes you vulnerable, makes you beautiful" -Brene Brown