If I asked you to walk into a room without your armor on, how would that make you feel—liberated or terrified? It’s a question that cuts right to the core of how we interact with the world. We are taught from a young age to be strong, to be composed, to have it all together. But today, I want to chew on the concept of vulnerability and the massive, often terrifying role it plays in our lives. Why is it that the very thing we crave in others—authenticity, openness, raw honesty—is the very thing we are most afraid to show in ourselves? It’s a fascinating double standard. We look at someone crying or admitting a mistake and we think, “Wow, they are brave.” But when we feel the urge to do the same, we think, “I am weak.”
Let’s dig a little deeper into this. What if vulnerability isn’t the opposite of strength, but the absolute measure of it? Think about the energy it takes to hold up a mask. It’s exhausting to constantly curate a version of yourself that is bulletproof. Now, imagine the energy you would save if you just put the shield down. But here is the tricky part, and I want you to really think about this: Is there such a thing as too much vulnerability? Can we overshare to the point where we burden others, or is that just another excuse to stay hidden? It’s a nuanced dance. There is a difference between being open and being an emotional firehose. But in a world of filters and curated feeds, maybe we need to err on the side of messiness.
Consider how embracing vulnerability might change your relationships. Think about the last time you had a fight with a partner or a friend. What would have happened if, instead of defending your ego, you simply said, “I’m feeling insecure right now” or “I’m scared of losing you”? It shifts the entire ground beneath the argument. It disarms the conflict because you can’t fight against someone who has already laid down their weapons. It invites the other person to step into that soft space with you. Of course, it’s a risk. You might get hurt. But isn’t the guarantee of loneliness worse than the risk of rejection? Maybe the walls we build to keep the bad stuff out are the same walls that keep the good stuff from getting in.
So, here is the question I want to leave you with, and I really want you to sit with it: What is one thing you are holding back from the people closest to you because you are afraid it will make you look weak, and what might happen if you let them see it? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
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