(Dis)connection

Brene Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, has spend the last 10 years of her life studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She spent the first 5 years of this study focusing on shame and empathy and is no exploring the concept of wholeheartedness. She poses the question, "How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?"

So, I've been asked to answer the following four questions:
1) How would I answer, "Sometimes, I am afraid that I am not enough."
2) How do I define vulnerability?
3) Why do I struggle with vulnerability?
4) What did I tell myself when faced with something I thought was insurmountable?

1) I've been here with my relationship, and my answer normally consists of me saying, "No matter your shortcomings or struggles, I love you and I'm going to support you. You make me the happiest person in the world because I know I have exactly what I've always wanted (and then some) right in front of me. Trust me, you're always enough."

2) Vulnerability is a weakness that prevents you from standing up and defending yourself.

3) I struggle with vulnerability because I've always been put down. From an early age, I've been made fun of for liking trains, and it still happens every now and then. Because of constantly hearing that I was a weird person that could never fit in, I subconsciously took it for truth. Until I realized that the people who make fun of me probably aren't going to succeed as much as I already have, I struggled. Now, I just let it come in one ear and go out the other, and I laugh about it.

4) I told myself, "Get out of the Jeep. You won't know if you don't try." (I was scared that I'd driven an hour only to have to go back home a few minutes after my arrival, but I knew that I had to see what the situation was either way.)