Key Takeaways:
- Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but in fact a sign of strength.
- Show your feelings openly to others and you will build deeper friendships.
Introduction:
Vulnerability is a personality trait that is often not talked about much - even swept under the carpet. However, it is an essential concept in human interaction and an extremely powerful one.
Vulnerable people are often referred to as people who are easily hurt. However, this definition is too narrow and not accurate enough in my opinion. Therefore, I would like to bring in a new perspective.
Questioning the Status Quo:
In this video, you can see Wentworth Miller, the actor from the famous series "Prison Break". Based on the series, it's easy to think that this is a person where everything is always going well. However, we neglect that even successful people have often gone through extremely difficult times and Wentworth Miller opens up about his mental challenges in this video. It is quite clear that he is showing weakness here by talking about his suicide attempt.
The New Understanding & Impact:
Based on the video, I would like to ask you a simple question: With which statement do you agree the most?
- I see a person who is easily hurt
- I see a person who is extremely courageous and who I feel closer to after watching the video
I agree with the second one. And that is why I would like to give a new definition of vulnerability.
"Vulnerability is not weakness. And that meth is profoundly dangerous. […] I define vulnerability as emotional risk, expositor, uncertainty – it fuels our daily lives." - Brené Brown
Brené Brown sums it up here and I hope you can agree after the example above. People who show vulnerability are not weak, but courageous. It takes a lot of strength to show this side to others - in Wentworth`s case, to millions. We should not belittle this quality but accept it for what it is. The positive influence of confidence on the life of individuals has also been demonstrated by scientific research. Vulnerability can have a positive influence on having a high quality of friendships and vulnerability can also lead to business success through innovation and creativity.
Take action:
Now that we have clarified that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but strength, we should use it as such.
- You should show how you are. Don't pretend, but be open and honest about your feelings.
- Show understanding for people who show vulnerability to you. It is a great sign of trust and you should also respond on that level.
- However, this does not mean that vulnerability is appropriate in every context. Feel the room and decide if you feel comfortable taking that step.
