Brave enough to be Vulnerable…

Ever so recently,

I’ve decided to start the journey of writing out my story. It’s been something that has been on my heart for a long time now but I’ve never quite had the courage to start. During these past weeks I’ve become brave enough to take the leap to share and open up a part of me that often times I’d rather simply forget. The question that I seemed to struggle with is why is it so important about sharing one’s story?

First of all…I think it is one of the bravest things someone can do. To share your story with complete strangers unaware of how they would perceive who and what you really are….that right there is terrifying to me. It opens this opportunity to be judged from others that could just as easily be avoided by simply not opening up to start with. I’m also not talking about a sharing on a level of a front cover and title of a book kind of way but more like 10 chapters in, elaborate deep crushing, aired out details…how terrifying am I right?

So why do it?

I think there is a call for everyone to share their life lessons…not in a matter of an ego…hey world look at me or to seek some sort of fame or attention. Believe me when I say this…I’m one to want to steer as far away from being the center of attention of any scenario! I’m shy and mostly comfortable in my own tiny bubble. I’d rather go under the radar in the safety of my own 4 walls of my office or home.

However, this voice in me insists on wanting to be heard…this persistence of wanting to share in efforts to possible help others overcome similar life hardships. I’d like to think I have a few things in life that are solely unique to me. If I’m lucky enough maybe my story will have the ability to bring light and understanding to something someone would otherwise be completely unaware of or maybe give way to be able to truly empathize and connect with someone on a similar journey as one I have experienced first hand.

It’s taken me a long time to get where I am right now.

I am merely 40 years old and only now learning to know how to truly love myself…to genuinely trust myself before anyone else and to put myself first…not in a selfish idolized way but in a matter where I can put myself in front of others to know I am enough to be able to help make a difference where I can and when I choose to do so.

My story is a lot of what this personally means to me…and how not loving myself ultimately made way for a lot of my life lessons that potintially could have been advoided had I have only known what it meant to love myself first.

So I’ve started my book and in a world that feels that everyone nowadays has a book…know this…it’s not that everyone now has acquired the ability to become an accomplished author but more so that people are starting to become brave enough to share their lives and recognize the power of what it is to do so. Paired with the worldwide web it makes doing so ever so more possible.

For me, this is my chance and I’ve chosen to take that leap. I’ve decided to give myself permission and make myself vulnerable enough to do so. I only hope that bits and pieces of my life that I’ve had to endure and learn from are not done so in vain. My greatest wish from this venture is not to see any sort of attention or empathy but a genuine connection to someone that can see value in the lessons that I’ve made along the way. May it place something in them that would have otherwise been overlooked.

I believe that we all have a story…one to share with the world…in whatever form that looks like there is a piece of your life that someone else can gain great value in.

 

For me to think back onto my own journey it was not on my own accord that got me where I am today...to aspire me to want to push forward…it was the enlightenment of quotes, books, bible verses…words of people that striped through layers of pain to mean I could move forward, have hope, dream big and gave me the power to do so. If not for the help of others to speak truth into my life…who is to say I would be here right now to type these very word…I would still be in a world of darkness and pain if even still alive. For me it’s simple really….you share because you care for others…and not because you seek recognition or praise or judgment but from a heart that genuinely thinks someone else could benefit from knowing what you have experienced and learned from life.

Take this into perspective…

if inventors didn’t build upon each other we would still be at the level of inventing the wheel…reinventing the same thing over and over…all advancements of technology would be lost. Think about Steve Jobs, as he didn’t invent the computer…but he did invent a superior one as did Bill Gates. It was building upon what others had built before them.

In the same light…

why should one person start at ground zero when they have the ability to take from others that have already learned a great lot through their own life experiences…what if your story could help build that foundation, the walls, the roof…look at how much further they are because they don’t need to be stuck on how to create their foundation because you’ve already done it yourself…you can propel someone else through the difficult moments to help them along to get to the destination they were made for that much faster which in return gives them that much more time to do so much more with their own destiny.

I believe we are designed to share and grow from others.

I think fear and self-doubt is placed in front of us by the enemy himself to bind us from wanting to help others move forward. It tells us…who are you to share your story…who are you to think you are so important…no one will care…people will think you’re stupid and view you as vain and you are only opening yourself up to be judged and to be torn down…or better yet make you be the person to bash others brave enough to share theirs. Our story is powerful because it is created to be one of a kind and has never been replicated or duplicated. With that said it makes it even more important to share because even though your story isn’t for everyone…you can rest be sure it is for someone…and it is there to be placed in the hands of someone that genuinely needs it.

I am no writer…

as you may well be aware of now if you’ve taken the time to read this, as I write with little artistic flare and I am sure loads of grammer errors to drive any one a bit batty but I do know this much I have a story and the opportunity to share and have chosen to do so. I’ve shared this much with my Husband…and I am blessed to know he recognizes the fact I will have some rough days ahead knowing I’m going to have to revisit some very painful memories of my past. My prayer and hope is that this isn’t done in vain and that even if it is only one person…that this will all have been worth the effort, in that it made some sort of difference in someone’s life. I also pray that others find courage to be able to give a voice to their own story to help empower others.