Even talking about vulnerability can seem a little exposing, even today, some 10 years after the lovely Brené Brown brought it out on the table. Actually, our connection to our strength comes from the ability to accept and acknowledge our vulnerability.
Observations From A Reality TV Show
I was watching the UK talent show “X Factor” auditions yesterday. The judging panel was in Newcastle looking for what they deemed as talent. The way the programme was edited it seemed as if there were only 3 people who met the “talent” criteria as set out by the panel.
One of those people was James Arthur, and if you didn’t see his audition you can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFoFtIqvkGE. Interestingly, when I searched him on YouTube he’s clearly done a great deal of work already. And yet – that’s not the point. What this 24yr old young man made me consider was this.
Our Strength Comes From Our Vulnerability
Isn’t it interesting that this man’s strength comes from his vulnerability? He will, I’m sure, get a record contract from exposure on X factor, whether he wins or not. And this is mainly due to the fact that he has the courage, will and determination, to get up on a stage and expose his real self to anyone who will listen. It reminded me of the Judy Garland quote “Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else.”
What’s more, this man’s achievement isn’t just about strength, will and determination, it’s actually the key to his happiness. By being truly himself, he gives himself the ability to find a level of peace that gives a profound sense of satisfaction. Honesty is so much more than telling the truth. It is being our truth.
Conformity Can Get In The Way
How many of us, can honestly say that we have that sense of peace? I wonder. Ralph Waldo Emerson once commented, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” And he’s right. We’re constantly asked to fit a mould or behave in a certain way, and yet discovering our true beauty often requires colouring outside the lines.
I myself have experienced times when I wasn’t even sure who I was, consciously. Interestingly, I found myself in emotional hot water because I was going against what I knew, deep down, I really wanted and needed. And yet there were times it took the 20:20 vision of hindsight for me to identify what I really wanted and who I really was.
Celebrity Dazzle
Isn’t it amazing how we fawn over actors, musicians, dancers and other artists who can deliver a deeply moving performance? Is this because it allows us the ability to stand on that stage with them for just a brief moment and experience that element of ourselves? I’m not talking about the part of us that wishes we could sing or dance or act. I’m talking about the emotional experience. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could identify what creates the same emotional experience in us and feel those feelings more frequently in our own lives?
When I looked up the dictionary definition of the word “artist”, the explanation reads:
art·ist
[ahr-tist] noun
1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor.
3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.
4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer: a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
Sharing The Inside Of Ourselves
Perhaps this could be easily simplified by describing artists as those who ‘can share from the inside out’. Those individuals who can inspire one or many to find the unique artist inside. Individuals who teach us to act upon that awareness to find a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness within ourselves. Artists of a full life experience.
Happiness eludes us when we search for happiness in isolation. We find it when we pursue the activities and experiences, which create feelings of happiness inside us.
The first step on that path is an awareness of what makes us happy and what we really want, rather than attempting to meet the criteria of what others think should make us happy. It can be a tricky balance to strike.
Find Out More About Working With Me
To find out more about coaching with me, or if you’d like to arrange a call to see if we’re a good fit for one another, please send me an email to sarah@sarahmerron.com.
You can book coaching online here.
Find out about NLP Training here.
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