Choosing authenticity means:
– Brene Brown, “The Gifts of Imperfection“
- cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable
Imperfect and vulnerable.
Which sixth grader wants to be seen as childish, awkward, or uncool?
Which husband wants to be seen as untrustworthy or not desirable?
Which father wants to be seen as incompetent?
Which employee wants to be seen as useless or part of the problem?
Which leader wants to be seen unsure?
Which middle-aged man wants to be seen as past their prime?
Imperfect and vulnerable.
Two things I’ve been fighting against across the arc of my life because I feel the gap between who I am and who I desire to be. And who in their right mind desires to be imperfect or vulnerable? Why would I even seek out the courage to be either?
But could it be that imperfect and vulnerable aren’t the targets of that gap, but the process by which I close it? Could I scratch and claw closer to authenticity through imperfection and vulnerability?
Once we understand the difference between results and process, we can begin to see a glimpse of our authentic selves.
And that process of publicly airing my imperfection and vulnerability will indeed require the cultivation of courage.
