Sharing your true self with others.

Are you sharing your true self with others? Not just the happy parts of you, but your vulnerability, your deepest fear and struggles. They are not information that should be simply shared but exclusive to trusted souls.

I had a personal encounter with vulnerability last year and saw its strong effect on a relationship (of any type). I have always been the confidante within my social circle and seldom the other way around. Last year as I made the conscious choice to show up as authentic as I know how I became open to expressing struggles and confusions should I be going through it in those 'present' moments, but only to people close to me.

What I learned from my experiences of sharing my struggles and being vulnerable gave me a cathartic experience and support and incredible insight that I never would have gotten had I not been honest about what I was going through internally.

3 Lessons I learned:

1. The extra strength.
   People can deposit the extra strength to us when we don't have it within ourselves. It taught me that we can rely on something other than our strengths to find strengths. How do we generate or find the strength we need when we have depleted ours?
2. It reflects on the person just how strong, amazing and wise they are.
   When our lovely friend shares their strength and love with us. It shows us what they have within themselves. Giving us the space to grieve shows us who can to hold space for us. And the advice or perspective they respond to our vulnerability reflects their wisdom.They may or may not realise how much they have within them until they are called upon to use them, whether it is to navigate through their own moments or others. It also shows they have a strong foundation within them that could lend temporary support to lean on as others find their footing.

3. It forges a deeper connection and trust, building an even stronger foundation in the relationship.
   In those moments, we can tell who we can trust and know who genuinely renders their support, love, and unconditionality and have our best interest. Who we can count on.

And for all these beautiful insights learned about how special he or she is, all the more, it is a relationship to treasure! A bond with depth and precious value.

Even as one goes through a dark time, the light of others can help one see a little better in the dark. The light can bring a little warmth when the world feels cold. And sometimes, just that little light gives us the visibility we need to find out how to spark back our own light.

Now, back to you. A beautiful connection and bond with another are not about sharing happy things but makes it wholesome and more profound when we can share our vulnerability. :) Our vulnerability makes us human and makes another's beauty, strength, love and light light up.