“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection.

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed, and rare.”

― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

Being vulnerable is probably one of the hardest things to learn to do. It starts with loving yourself first. You must learn to love everything about yourself, from the past mistakes to lessons learned, to the way that mascara makes your eyes pop. For some, loving yourself may be easy, for others, it can be a daily battle to remind yourself how amazing you are. 

The second part of being vulnerable is when we allow the depths of our souls to be seen. To truly open up to someone, to bare it all, knowing there is a good chance it may be too much for them. Knowing that there is a chance of being judged. Knowing that it may lead to another painful experience. To trust someone completely with your soul is a very powerful thing.

But what if you aren’t vulnerable? What if you never take the chance? 

What if you never found your soul mate? What kind of example are you setting for the little ones watching?

Loving myself is something that has not come easy at times but is a continuous work in progress. Living in the present is my daily reminder. The past is gone and there is no changing it. The future is bright with dreams but expectations can ruin your future before it even begins. Hold on to those dreams, work hard for them but always know there could be another path in store for you. 

While being vulnerable is not easy, one thing I have learned is to always stay true to yourself. It can be quite hard in this day and age with so many things being thrown at us daily but strive to be you. There is only one of you and while you may not be everyone’s cup of tea, eventually, you will be somebody’s favorite. Here’s to being more vulnerable in 2022. I know one day, I will be somebody’s favorite cup of tea. 

As always share some love, we could all use a little more love

XOXOX

Casey