Lately, I’ve been trying to figure out why being vulnerable is hard. And I think I might have found an answer.

Vulnerability plays on every one of our common fears as humans. It taps into our fear of rejection, fear of trusting too much, fear of being overlooked, and fear of being hurt in general. It requires you to be open, honest, and willing to show someone else your darkest and in most thoughts. It requires you to trust another person enough to handle your worst and best.

Because we choose into taking down our facade when being open, it often becomes synonymous with weakness. Vulnerability isn’t the absence of courage or boldness. Vulnerability takes courage and boldness. Both of which isn't easy. According to sociologist, Brene Brown, “Vulnerability is about having the courage to show up and be seen.”

I have a difficult time being vulnerable because I have to access the emotions that could cause me to get hurt or show my pain. It requires me to trust that I will be seen and heard. Recently, I wrote about grief: my thoughts and journey. The hardest part of writing about my grief was taking down my “I’m good” facade and letting people know that I’m hurting. By doing that, I was showing my pain and trusting that I would be seen and heard.

And for me, writing the article was worth it because I was seen and heard. Friends and acquaintances of mine thanked me for sharing and said, “I see you.”

When being vulnerable, I think that’s all we really strive for. We want someone to say that they see us and they understand.

Whether you are grieving, telling someone how you feel about them, or sharing your current struggle; I want you know that you are courageous, bold, and your vulnerability is worth it.

Sharing my vulnerability forced me to feel my emotions, know it’s okay to ask for help, and realize the beauty in being raw. But I don't want you to think it wasn't difficult and scary to put my feelings out there. I was terrified and I still am at times.

But, I challenge you to be raw as well, like, Alicia Keys without makeup and Ed Sheeran’s song “Supermarket Flowers” (which is about his late grandmother).

“What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful,” Brene Brown.