The caregiver book by Eleanor Gaccetta is one of the perfect examples of a person’s expression of vulnerability. Even with hundreds of people reading her story, this doesn’t make Gaccetta any less of herself. Instead, it made her stronger and a great source of inspiration to others.
Aside from death, pain, and perhaps ghosts, vulnerability is one of the things that scares people the most. There is something scary about letting loose and showing one’s most authentic self to the people around them. While vulnerability entails being truthful to oneself, most people would instead choose to hide behind their masks of fake bravery.
While life is undeniably easier having people around for support, it’s not easy for everyone to bare themselves for others to read. Most people refrain from opening up about the things that scare and hurt them.
Instead of letting others in for help, people consciously block them off. The willingness to openly share their lives shows their struggles; even their happiness takes time and effort to build. However, people restrain themselves from entirely building this bridge of genuine connection to others.
Why Vulnerability Matters
Author Brené states that vulnerability makes people brave through life, allowing them to be courageous, seen, and understood. While it may seem defeating and frightening, vulnerability promotes emotional and mental health. By allowing oneself to open up to others, they’re welcoming all possible relationships and connections, which can likewise help them grow.
However, when one warms up to letting others help them, this can help them be braver and more resilient. Accepting that needing help and support isn’t a sign of weakness. Instead, it’s a sign of courage and an openness of mind to recognize that nobody can survive life alone.
In time, people will need one another. Opening the self to this help will be the only way for them to grow and succeed through life’s challenges.
Overcoming This Fear and Grabbing These Benefits
Overcoming the fear of vulnerability is one of the stepping stones toward self-actualization and contentment in life. Still, these benefits are blurred by people’s fear of vulnerability.
It may seem like overcoming this fear is an impossible mountain to climb over. But remember, a successful mountain climber starts by taking their first step toward the goal. And while the road may be filled with failures, they pushed themselves through to gain victory.
First, track how you’re feeling.
Journaling may appear like a task for children, but it can be constructive and beneficial even for adults. People are more aware of their thoughts by noting the significant emotions people felt throughout the day and how they acted on these. Recognizing these processes help people realize what may be going wrong and needs to change.
For instance, an individual feels incredibly defeated or depressed because of a mistake at work. If they react to this emotion self-destructively, like excessively drinking or stress eating, taking note of this behavior can help them avoid this in the future.
Additionally, recognizing this behavior can help individuals choose better alternatives when they’re going through a similar situation.
Second, talk about vulnerability.
People shouldn’t shy away from talking about their emotions. Talking about what’s happening can help everyone involved understand the situation, thus fostering closeness and understanding.
There are also other various means and methods of letting “steam off.” Some may lean toward directly talking to those they’re closest with, and others may also use literature as a way out.
For instance, an author has written a book about her most vulnerable moment. This caregiver book by Eleanor Gaccetta took the author’s most vulnerable moment. It gave it power not to negatively influence her life but rather to help people learn more about her experiences.