Feeling vulnerable is an internal state, but doesn't imply you're actually unsafe or threatened.

Being vulnerable means you both feel exposed and believe you're at actual risk of harm.

Confusing vulnerability with danger limits growth, creativity, and emotional intimacy.

We’re often not clear about our relationship with vulnerability. Thanks to Brené Brown's work, vulnerability holds a more honored place in the human experience. She calls vulnerability “the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity.” However, when people confuse feeling vulnerable with being vulnerable, vulnerability loses some of its appeal. Let’s look more closely at these two different experiences of vulnerability.

Feeling vulnerable is an internal experience that may include tenderness, sweetness, fear, openheartedness, weakness, fragility, feeling lost or inadequate, feeling loving or kindhearted, and being touched and moved. The belief that accompanies feeling vulnerable is “I’m safe” or “There’s no reason to believe that I will be emotionally or physically harmed.” However, that doesn’t suggest we will feel secure and comfortable as we move from our many ideas into our hearts.

It’s quite a journey, this trip from head to heart. Our minds are a place........

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