In today’s inspiration video we’re going to talk about vulnerability, the pros and the cons.
When I was in high school and college, I was teased a lot for wearing my heart on my sleeve. Friends of mine would say, “Why do you have to be so sensitive?” and “Why do you need to share so much?” and “Are you just trying to get attention?”
So I tried to hold things back, but I felt like I was going against the grain. I felt bad about myself when I wasn’t being what we now call today “vulnerable”, as if I wasn’t being true to who I really was.
Maybe you’ve been told those same things by people, as a criticism?
I thankfully left those critical people behind, because they really made me question who I was in life.
And I can now say that being my authentic, vulnerable self has not only made me who I am today, but has also been vital to my success, as I share in today’s video. Watch this:
Yes, I look back now, with everything that’s happened to my career, the wild success that I would never have imagined and I realize that my sensitivity has gotten me to where I am now.
You see…
I need to be vulnerable. That’s who I am.
I need to wear my heart on my sleeve. I can’t help it.
And I need to acknowledge that this very sensitivity is what brought my business to its current status.
(This sounds like this is about me, sweet friend, but it’s actually about you. If you’ve ever felt like you were criticized for being highly sensitive, then please know that you can use it to your advantage.)
Sometimes I find myself on a stage or talking to a group of people and really being super vulnerable about my life and some things that haven’t gone well.
I share my ‘warts and all’ with the intention that, by putting myself on the line and really pushing the vulnerability line, other people can become vulnerable, too.
This is one of the ways that I create amazing communities of people who fall in love with each other.
This is what we do in our program. All of our members just absolutely adore each other because they get to be vulnerable and not be criticized for it.
And so often I get a question, “How vulnerable should you get? How vulnerable is too vulnerable?”
Well, different people will give you different answers. But I found my answer in this quote by Neil Gaiman. Here’s what he said…
“The moment that you feel, just possibly, you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself… That is the moment, you might be starting to get it right.”
Not everybody feels this way, but I can tell you the reason that 99% of the people who work with me say that they do is because of my vulnerability. They’ll say, “Fabienne, you’re so authentic… You’re so vulnerable… You’re the real deal.”
And I want to ask you this…
Is there a part of you in your life and in your work where you are holding your cards too close to your heart, for fear of exposing yourself too much?
What would happen if you allowed yourself to be just a little bit more vulnerable in your everyday dealings?
I believe that true vulnerability is powerful. It’s truly irresistible.
And it grows your business. And your life, if you let it.
So this is my inspiration for you for today…
How you could wear your heart on your sleeve just a little bit more than you are now?
How can you open up your heart and be more vulnerable?
What would happen in your life if you did?
Go for it.
With love,
Fabienne
