Sources of Strength, the lessons, the wheel and the community built around it has impacted my life in numerous ways. The main area of my life where I have seen the most change is in my willingness to be vulnerable. With the time I have spent in the Sources of Strength group I have come to realize that showing vulnerability and being open is not a sign of weakness but a display of courage and strength.
When you allow yourself to be vulnerable you invite others in, something I was scared to do. But when you let these people into your lives and you allow them to see every aspect of who you are, you create a deeper connection and build authentic relationships built on trust. Having people whom you can talk to about your struggles can also be very freeing, as you can express your emotions and with someone, which can feel like a weight being lifted off your shoulders. I used to keep everything to myself. I would force all my feelings down and lock them away because that was easier than trying to talk to someone, because that would entail that I would have to actually face what was going on, and that to me was terrifying. Suppressing my emotions also took a toll on my physical health, as I felt increasingly more stressed. But when I began embracing vulnerability, I began to release pent-up tension. This vulnerability has allowed me to let people in and walk through my struggles with them. They have made facing these things so much easier. I know there’s people who have my back and that care about me, and are willing to be with me on days with either rain or shine.
There are still days where I avoid people or struggle on my own, but vulnerability is a skill that improves with practice. The more one opens up, the easier it becomes, and life just feels better. We as a society need to break free from the belief that vulnerability is a sign of weakness. Rather we should work towards embracing vulnerability as a strength.