Overcoming Our Fear of Emotional Vulnerability  

The word “vulnerability” has been labeled as many things in recent years. For example, vulnerability has been expressed as being a necessary part of the human experience. It has been argued as being the driving force behind authentic human connection as well as being coined a necessary ingredient for lasting relationships.  Perhaps most notably, Dr. Brene Brown has coined vulnerability as, “…emotional risk and exposure to uncertainty that fuels our daily lives as the most accurate measurement of courage.”  However, this was not always the case. As recently as a couple decades ago a stigma surrounded the word vulnerability as one of emotional helplessness and something to be avoided. Vulnerability was associated with shame, triggering feelings of incompetence and weakness in men and fears of being seen as imperfect and flawed in women.  Nowadays, there is less of a stigma attached to the word in which being vulnerable is embraced as courageous and empowering. To be emotionally vulnerable is an incredibly powerful experience that shapes individuals for personal growth and can strengthen our bonds within intimate relationships.  For those who have a history of pushing away vulnerable experiences or emotions or only allowing ourselves to experience “feel-good” emotions, vulnerability can be challenging to understand and even more challenging to relate to. According to Dr. Brene Brown in a 2012 TED Talk titled, “Listening to Shame”, she points out how feeling...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Self-Help Source Type: blogs