Why Vulnerability is Always Worth the Risk of What it Will Cost You.

I’ve heard it said before that anything in life worth it’s weight comes at a great cost.

When it comes to the reckless abandon of authentic vulnerability, I have certainly learned this truth over and over. Sometimes the very hard way, but oh boy does being authentically vulnerable sure come at great cost.

And what are the things that this endeavor will cost me? I’m glad you asked.

In my experience so far on this Epic Quest and Tragic Privilege I have found myself upon, I have been told time and time again “Jamie, you probably shouldn’t share THAT part of your story.”

“Aren’t you worried about what people will think?”

“But what if this limits your career path and future employment?”

I’ve pretty much heard all the warnings and cautionary tails of being “too open” about my life, my past, or my current messy middle. And sure- I’ve thought about these warnings as well. What will people think? What if this does bring about judgement and limitations on my future and my career?

But then I share that part of my story- the icky part. The one that makes people “uncomfortable” and I am more often than not met with an unexpected direct message, a text, or a phone call. Another soul who has felt Lost at Sea- convinced they are alone in that ocean. And that no one one earth could possibly understand the Language their Pain speaks…

You see; pain has a language. And although the traumas, losses and experiences we go through indeed craft different dialects of that language our wounded souls speak, there is a similarity enough in the fabric of that pain that we often find a way to stumble upon another Hurting Human, and our Souls somehow understand each other.

So what will being authentically vulnerable cost me?

It may cost me my pride.

My ego.

The facade I hide behind. That seemingly perfect exterior you might see as strength- but really it’s just armor. It’s not courage.

It might cost me some wasted time, some misplaced energy, some missed out on moments to connect with another human who is suffering in broad daylight and feeling as if nobody on earth sees them; like really SEES them. And if they do- their pain makes others uncomfortable, so they hide it under layers of makeshift masks painted with brush strokes of perfectionism and hustling for worthiness…

It may cost me tragic privileges of walking alongside another soul who might just hear that one thing, in that one moment, that moves the needle ever so slightly on their compass- and changes the entire trajectory of their life. Like it did for mine.

So what will being authentically vulnerable actually cost me? And is it ever worth what I could lose out on if my Ego/Pride/Reputation become worth more to me?

I can emphatically say no. It’s not.

So today, I’ll risk the Armor I used to wear in desperate attempts to guard and cling to what I used to need to survive the unthinkable, and I will choose courage instead.

I will be Authentically vulnerable, I will lean into the uncomfortable. And I will know that the price in doing so- is always worth the cost.