Cultivating Purpose in Vulnerability !!

We all are born naked ,then covered with some piece of cloth being the first layer of protection. Most lucky of us are protected by the parents and before we are exposed to the world independently?, we are layered by some values , beliefs and labels. These layers keeps on growing as we grow in such a way that understanding about our true self becomes almost impossible. We want to cover many things from people as we dont have courage expose ourselves Physically, mentally and emotionally. I was watching this movie called?Pushpa?(I know this has become Cliché to tag this movie)?and the?last conversation?between Pushpa and police officer was very much about what I want to write. Pushpa says , When I go naked from here I will still be respected as people have known me like this but if you open your branded shirt and go naked even your dog will not recognize you. This is true for most of us where we are recognized with the Brands we wear and the layers which we want others to see. This is exactly what?Vulnerability?Means.?It is defined as?the permission and courage to truly be ourselves, and be open to uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure.?Dr Brene Brown?in her research found that the root of the Vulnerability is somewhere around the?emotion of shame?and?feeling of Unworthiness. We feel that it does not make us equal to others. For any of the connection to happen it is very important to be really seen by others or in other words showing vulnerability.?Authenticity?comes from the courage to express the real you removing all the layers and brands . When one gets to the real core, that’s when creativity is born and the real connection happen with other people.

The other one aspect unique to Human and which makes us different is the?Power of Curiosity?and this is only thing which will excel when compared with artificial intelligence at least in the recent future. When we were child we were curious about everything we saw and asked question to everyone around to understand our world, few were answered , few remained unanswered and in many cases we were shut. Gradually our curiosity died and we stopped asking question in most of the cases. It was found that most important reason is that we fear being stupid and main emotion lies here is also?Shame. As per Steven Kotler,?The starting point for Purpose is one’s curiosity?and listing down the curiosity helps to arrive at individual passion. Once the passion is identified then it draws other people for the cause which everyone is passionate about and thus becomes bigger Purpose for every one involved.

We all struggle with Vulnerability and keep on layering to make our selves comfortable to external world.?We numb Vulnerability with many things but eventually it is not possible to numb emotion. If we try to numb any emotion we tend to numb our happiness & joy as when we try to hide it, we actually accentuate it. This in turn blocks the creativity and curiosity to learn anything new. If one is not curious and inquisitive it is difficult to understand what you are passionate about. So what do we do ? Can we cultivate Purpose in vulnerability? I am listing down few steps which helps to get to the Purpose you want to stand for using Vulnerability.

1. Understanding your Vulnerability?– The very first step to aware about the Vulnerability we have which means what is that which we are hiding from others. We need to differentiate the core of ourselves with the layers of different beliefs and values we have and we are carrying just to be comfortable in the society. For example, Most of the people have fear of public speaking s why try to numb that emotion rather understand about it , work on it regulate that to be the biggest motivator
2. ?Courage?– Once you understand about the area of Vulnerability, have courage to remove your layers and show the deep you, the real YOU. You should have courage to tell your story with authenticity and accept that your are imperfect and on a journey with many people. Perfection if seen deeply is a simply a tool to protect ourselves and we keep on doing it throughout but having courage to expose the imperfection in you. Certainly it is not easy but the starting point could be start talking about it.?
3. Wear your Vulnerability?– This is the one most important step to use the area of your vulnerability to be the strength which is no longer needed to be hidden. In other words Wear you Vulnerability as an ornament which makes you look good if it is not hidden. Embracing the vulnerability makes you Unique and real YOU which many not be comfortable but does even excruciate. You will realize there are many other who wants to talk about it and thus connect naturally.
4. Deep Connection for a Purpose?– Once you wear your vulnerability and you become Real you , the connection happens at the core. When connection happens in that deep valley the journey becomes lot more easier and thus cultivating the Purpose naturally comes.?

There are many people having similar vulnerability but because of many extrinsic influence and environment we keep on covering ourselves to adjust. We numb everything and we show only what we want to show to others. People forget their own identity and thus the connection happens at a superficial level which does not last long and may not be used for a bigger Purpose. But if the Vulnerability are understood and used as an Ornament, the connection rather an?AUTHENTIC CONNECTION?happens for a Purpose which has potential to change the world.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”―?Theodore Roosevelt