Into the Deep [NEW BLOG SERIES]
I’ve always remembered being afraid of deep water. Even while learning to swim, I would be petrified of moving beyond the spot where my feet could safely feel something solid beneath them. It would leave me motionless with my heart palpitating- stuck in the shallow water, destined to forever be a kiddie pool swimmer.
Now that I look back- at the ripe old age of 26 going on 27- I can see that’s the way I’ve approached my life. I’ve been afraid to step out into the unknown. I’ve also always subconsciously and sometimes consciously buried my true feelings.
It’s as if I always knew that if I buried it way down, my fear of ‘the deep” would stop me from bringing them back up again.
But the new year has brought the knowledge that in order to grow, I’d have to venture into those places that scared me: to find and remember those painful feelings and experiences that I had never really dealt with.
It also brought the knowledge that doing so would probably leave me feeling exposed and most of all vulnerable. But I want to get to the point where I can say, “I will not drown” and know that that’s true.
We’re going in
I find that so often as women we numb ourselves to avoid the complicated or painful things that we feel or have experienced. We want to keep up the appearance that everything is fine and that we’re ok even when the opposite is true.
I was content to continue numbing myself until I saw this
TED talk by Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability. If you haven’t seen it, let me tell you it’s a must-see.
She talks about facing the emotions (like shame, guilt and disappointment) that we try to forget and accepting the vulnerablity of doing so. In her research, she's found that people who did that were leading lives that were fulfilling, nourished by self-love and filled with meaningful friendships. Namely the kind of life I want to live.
So, here I am: inspired to be more authentic and to get into deeper waters with the content on WomanofColour.
Every week, there’s going to be a blog post on Strength through Vulnerability. I won’t be going it alone. We’re starting something new in 2013 and inviting guest bloggers to the party. Our first guest, will be Michelle Kandasammy, a social activist who’s the founder of the Backpack Project. Her post will be on the blog on Wednesday, so look out for it.
We’re looking for more guest bloggers, so if you’re interested email us at [email protected]
What’s in it for you?
I hope that by going on this journey with us, that you’ll be inspired by the courage of the women who share their stories and know that you’re not alone if you’re going through the same things they are.
Hopefully, it motivates you to be more authentic everyday and to express the emotions you may have been burying. Burying them doesn’t mean they’ve disappeared, so better to face them before they drown you.
She talks about facing the emotions (like shame, guilt and disappointment) that we try to forget and accepting the vulnerablity of doing so. In her research, she's found that people who did that were leading lives that were fulfilling, nourished by self-love and filled with meaningful friendships. Namely the kind of life I want to live.
So, here I am: inspired to be more authentic and to get into deeper waters with the content on WomanofColour.
Every week, there’s going to be a blog post on Strength through Vulnerability. I won’t be going it alone. We’re starting something new in 2013 and inviting guest bloggers to the party. Our first guest, will be Michelle Kandasammy, a social activist who’s the founder of the Backpack Project. Her post will be on the blog on Wednesday, so look out for it.
We’re looking for more guest bloggers, so if you’re interested email us at [email protected]
What’s in it for you?
I hope that by going on this journey with us, that you’ll be inspired by the courage of the women who share their stories and know that you’re not alone if you’re going through the same things they are.
Hopefully, it motivates you to be more authentic everyday and to express the emotions you may have been burying. Burying them doesn’t mean they’ve disappeared, so better to face them before they drown you.
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