Good April Fool’s Day, all. ‘Twas supposed to have been sunny, but ’tis rainin’ here.

“We numb vulnerability. One of the things we need to think about is how and why we numb. We make everything that is uncertain, certain. Religion has gone from a belief in faith and mystery to certainty. “I’m right, you’re wrong. Shut up.” That’s it. The more afraid we are, the more vulnerable we are, and the more afraid we become. We perfect. But it doesn’t work, because what we do is take fat from our butts and put it in our cheeks. I hope a hundred years from now people will look back and go….”Wow!” We pretend that what we do doesn’t have an effect on people. We need to let ourselves be seen, deeply seen. Vulnerably seen. To love with our whole hearts, even though there is no guarantee. To practice love with gratitude and joy. To believe that we are enough…then we stop screaming and start listening, and we’re kindler and gentler to the people around us, and we’re kinder and gentler to ourselves. That’s all I have.” – Brené Brown, TEDTalk, The Power of Vulnerability

Although it might not seem so from reading the above, Brené Brown’s talk on vulnerability is hilarious. Speaking personally, every “vulnerability alarm” in my body has been pushed these past three years – you know, those classical stress inducers of moving, job changes, death…things like that. It’s easy when this happens to station sentries along the walls surrounding our lives, call out our psychological dogs, circle the wagons and arm ourselves with arrows, daggers or grenades, or whichever particular armament suits you in times of danger.

The problem is that while self-protection is necessary to a degree, it can also stand between us and joy, happiness, fulfillment and deep connection to ourselves and others, which is what we all crave. Brené Brown has spent her entire career investigating the human need for connection. I agree with her claim that this is what we are here for, this is what we are about, this is what we need, this is what makes our lives worthwhile.

Almost 4,000,000 have watched this particular TEDTalk, so she has clearly struck a nerve. She struck mine, and if you’re in the mood for a few good laughs, watch this intriguing, gentle, warm…and vulnerable…talk on heading for the beer banana nut muffins in order to avoid being vulnerable, and taking fat out of our bums and putting it in our cheeks in order to be perfect!

Hope it’s not raining where you are, but if it is, enjoy your day.

Giselle

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2012-03-28&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email