There are a lot of things in life that I find easy, but the one thing that I have consistently found difficult is allowing myself to be vulnerable. I thought of it as a weakness until I met someone recently that was so pure with emotions, that I started to find beauty in it.

I recently met someone who had the type of energy that draws people in. The energy was so genuine and pure that I wanted more.

But why would I be drawn to someone that exudes such rawness if I view vulnerability as a character flaw? At first I didn’t understand it. But eventually I realized I was attracted to what I was lacking. I was lacking vulnerability and found comfort in this person’s energy that was intensely vulnerable.

In a world full of people that think it’s cool to not get attached or show emotion, I began to appreciate a person that poured out raw emotion. I knew I didn’t have to ever wonder if this person was lying about their feelings or hiding anything. I knew whatever this person said was from a genuine heart and I felt relieved.

I quickly learned that I was wrong all along…being vulnerable is not a weakness, it is a strength. It takes courage to speak our truths, admit feelings, make decisions that others don’t understand, or go for something that you might fail at. Whenever we put our ideas on the table at a job, school, or wherever, we open ourselves to judgement, criticism, and disapproval. It hurts when people don’t think our ideas are good enough.

Beyond professional aspirations, we take a huge risk when being vulnerable in our personal relationships. What if you tell someone you like them and they don’t feel the same? What if you care too much and look too needy? What if you get too attached because you put yourself out there and it doesn’t work? What if your heart gets broken?

These are all thoughts that used to run through my head. I thought they were protecting me, but they were actually limiting me from getting the things I wanted.

If you want to make changes in life, no matter what area it may be, you have to have courage. Making a big decision or taking a risk requires vulnerability. When you don’t have it, you hold yourself back.

I’m not saying I am a pro at being vulnerable because I met this person. I still have insecurities and struggle with showing emotions. However, I have taken the first step at changing because I was shown the strength of vulnerability. Once you start to embrace it, you find something liberating about it.