self-love and vulnerability (new guided visualization exercise included!)

Maurits Bausenhart / Instagram: @mauri_0711

Sherlock Holmes. Nancy Drew. Jessica Fletcher. Benoit Blanc.

Like the greatest detectives, vulnerability has a knack for uncovering the truth through keen observation and insightful connections. It is intuitive, visceral, and wise -- shining a flashlight and holding a magnifying glass on what most needs our attention.

Vulnerability lets us know we are exposed or unsafe in some way, be it real or imagined. Vulnerability is part of the fear family (and fear is a survival response). It not only impacts our emotions but has an effect on our physiology and brain functioning. There are many things we can't control or know for certain. Sometimes, vulnerability shows us there is the threat of danger. When vulnerability surfaces, listen! Check in with yourself or a trusted other about the source of your vulnerable feelings. Are you unsafe? Thank vulnerability for showing up and getting your attention. Think about what actions you might take such as creating a boundary, asking for help, or removing yourself from a dangerous situation, to move toward safety.

However, vulnerability also shows up to get our attention even when we aren’t in physical or emotional danger.  When we are able to embrace vulnerability as an essential part of being human and living fully, we can welcome those unsteady feelings and sensations and take care of ourselves without being overprotective. Self-love can help us meet moments of vulnerability with an open heart and mind, can listen deeply to what they’re trying to tell us, and can support us in choosing our next steps. Vulnerability, much like a great detective, has a way of uncovering complex truths with remarkable insight. By cultivating self-love, we strengthen our ability to sit with the discomfort of vulnerability, allowing us to embrace its wisdom and grow from it.

Through the metaphor of a garden, this 14 minute guided exercise invites you to explore how you can stay connected with the parts of you that are strong, growing well, or even neutral, in moments of tenderness. When your imagined garden encounter vulnerability, you can practice ways to access those strong and resilient places with the guiding support of Self-Love.

This is a practice for staying connected to Self-Love, a sustaining resource, when vulnerability shows up.