Victor’s Post #6 — Vulnerability

Four hours and sixteen minutes. En route from London, England to Edinburgh, Scotland. I could read an enthralling book on the evolution of political parties or listen to the latest NPR podcast. Instead, I reached for my computer and launched Brené Brown’s Netflix special, “The Call to Courage.”

Clicking on the special, I immediately hear, “She spent 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, and shame.”

I inhale and yawn.

However, after allowing the special play for another twenty seconds, Brown enthusiastically says, “We’re going to talk about some hard stuff and laugh a little bit.” Suddenly, my back straightened and my eyes widened. Primarily intrigued to find a genuine laugh heading to Edinburgh, little did I realize my perspective on approaching every facet of my life would be forever altered by Brown’s words.

Vulnerability is not weakness. Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity and courage. Daring greatly entails being brave, speaking out, and belonging to myself first. These sentiments that Brown kept reinforcing throughout her Netflix special are messages that have been etched into every crevice of my body as I watched the special quintessentially capture the power of vulnerability — whether one is saying “I love you for the first time” or speaking up about an issue that matters to them.