We all feel vulnerable at times. Some of us don’t like the feeling of vulnerability at all and allow it to stop us in our tracks; some don’t like the feeling of it, but push through and do “it” anyway; some have overcome the power vulnerability can have and don’t give it much thought any longer. Where do you stand? How does the feeling of vulnerability affect you and your decisions?

It used to stop me in my tracks when I was far too concerned with other people’s opinions. I don’t mean that in a rude way! I love people and thoroughly enjoy learning about other people’s perspectives and viewpoints, whether or not they are in alignment with mine. I’m referring to when I would allow what I imagined other people’s opinions of what I was doing to shake my confidence. Fortunately at a fairly young age I realized those other people really weren’t thinking of me nearly as much as I thought they were and at the same time I was becoming more confident in who I was. I also realized the larger my insecurities were, the more vulnerable I felt. I’ve done a lot of things in my life scared, with butterflies fluttering like crazy in my belly, but the more I pushed through and did them anyway, the easier it became and my confidence grew.

I’d love to say that I completely overcame feelings of vulnerability, although I haven’t. I have my first big vendor market coming up next week and it will be the first time I’ll be putting my art out there for a lot of people to see. It’s a little scary! Although I did have a smaller event in late summer and between that event and some online contacts, I’ve sold a number of my pieces, so that is helping my artistic confidence to grow! You know, maybe it’s good to feel a little vulnerable now and then as it allows others to offer comfort, to feel empathy and to share their own stories with us.

Whatever your take on vulnerability, I invite you to grow your confidence so that it is much larger than your insecurity. That practice empowers us to feel the fear and do it anyway, as Susan Jeffers stated in her book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.

Stay strong fellow joy warriors and choose to be authentically, uniquely, wonderful YOU!