Cracked open

The Healing Power of Vulnerability on the Road to Recovery

Introduction:

Many of us are afraid of what others think. We don’t want to be judged by our family, friends, or colleagues. Maybe we are afraid people won’t understand or we will be shamed. Society has conditioned us to believe that we have to show up perfectly in order to matter or have any authority in our lives so we pretend everything is ok when our whole world is falling apart. We choose not to talk about what is really on our minds or what keeps us up at night. I know because I’ve been there. I’m going to take you on my journey from wearing the many masks I wore to being completely cracked open to where I’m no longer afraid or embarrassed to share my story. Little did I know that shedding the masks and owning my truth would lead me to a place of profound connection and strength I never knew existed. Join me as I share the pivotal moments from the internal struggle to strength.

Myth about vulnerability: It’s a sign of weakness

Truth: Being vulnerable brings out an inner strength within us. It takes great strength and courage. Being open and owning your story creates space for genuine connections and a more fulfilling life journey.

Taking off the masks was like ripping off a band-aid:

Okay, I have to admit when I first started sharing my story on social media, it was really uncomfortable and very messy. I think I started sharing as a cry for help because I was so used to figuring things out on my own, but I got to a point that I didn’t know what to do. My normal coping mechanisms were no longer working for me. I had hit a different level of “rock bottom.” I was a spicy disaster and the only way out was working through it.

I remember walking and talking with a friend one day and she said to me, “I’m not sure I would talk about something so personal if I were you.” I remember thinking “damn, I’m already feeling kicked to the ground. I’m in pain physically and I am an emotional wreck and my friend is telling me not to talk about it.” It made me feel really alone in my suffering yet once again.

But her words triggered something in me that day. Many of us trauma survivors feel like we are “forced” into silence one way or another whether someone threatens us or because of the victim blame game people try to play. I told her that if I am going to share my story, I’m going to do it with purpose and my intention is to make a difference with my story and that is what I am out to do.

Since then, with several years of therapy to process the trauma I’ve experienced, I feel like I am on the other side and I can fulfill my declaration of sharing my story to make a difference. Therapy has played an integral role in my healing journey from talk therapy, journaling, and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) It has helped me reframe my thoughts of “I’m broken” or “God made a mistake creating me” to creating my purpose. A couple of insights I gained through therapy are: it wasn’t my fault, hurt people hurt people, and I did the best I could with the information I had at that time. I have shared different stages of my healing journey from working through the anger to having major breakthroughs and forgiving myself for how I treated myself throughout the years. I am now a recovering people pleaser and I am no longer afraid to show up as my true self. I have lost people along the way and that is ok. I surround myself with people who are supportive and who cheer me on. I have mentors who I turn to when I need extra support. This is why I have become a transformational life coach to help others on their personal growth journey because I know the power in the healing process by rewriting our stories. Afterall, we can’t change the past, but we have the paper and pen to write our future. I now have people reaching out to me thanking me for being vulnerable and sharing my story. They tell me that I help them overcome some of their obstacles. I am using my voice for those that can’t.

Conclusion:

There is a beautiful power behind being vulnerable. My hope is that more people stand in their power and break the silence. The more that we can share our stories and bring them up to the surface, the more we can help heal the world. Just like the saying goes, “hurt people hurt people,” I feel that healed people help heal people and that is beautiful, my friend.