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Vulnerability Quotes

    “Our bodies tell us the truth of life that our minds can deny: that we are in any moment as much about softness as fortitude. Always in need of care and tenderness. Life is fluid, evanescent, evolving in every cell, in every breath. Never perfect. To be alive is by definition messy, always leaning towards disorder and surprise. How we open or close to the reality that we never arrive at safe enduring stasis is the matter, the raw material, of wisdom.”

    Krista Tippett, Becoming Wise (Page 67)

      “Respect for the vulnerability of human beings is a necessary part of telling the truth, because no truth will be wrested from a callous vision or callous handling.”

      Anaïs Nin, via Sunbeams (Page 94)

        “If I am transparent enough to myself, then I can become less afraid of those hidden selves that my transparency may reveal to others. If I reveal myself without worrying about how others will respond, then some will care, though others may not. But who can love me, if no one knows me? I must risk it, or live alone. It is enough that I must die alone. I am determined to let down, whatever the risks, if it means that I may have whatever is there for me.”

        Sheldon Kopp, If You Meet The Buddha On The Road, Kill Him, via Sunbeams (Page 93)

          “Our minds want clothes as much as our bodies.”

          Samuel Butler, via Sunbeams (Page 71) (Read Matt’s Blog On This Quote)

            “Whatever the next thing is I write, it’s got to be even more naked than the last.”

            Harold Pinter, via Sunbeams (Page 50)

              “I now live in woke mode. For me, every moment is a reawakening, a chance to meet myself exactly as I am. I’m finally allowing myself to just be. Be giddy. Be irritable. Be vulnerable. Be silly. Be exhilarated. Be whomever and however I am. That is my practice, my daily meditation. It’s also my daily prayer for all of us—that we allow others the same freedom of expression that we are learning to grant to ourselves.”

              Alicia Keys, More Myself (Page 216)

                “A lot of us are over the fakeness. Much of what we see and consume in our world is so carefully constructed and polished, so highly curated. Like never before, we crave the authentic, not just when it comes to appearance, but also in our narratives. In our conversations. In our work and political spheres. In our friendships and intimate relationships. And as we uncover that truth, as we remove the masks and falsehoods and finally get clear on what’s real, the work of our lives, as I see it, is to stand immovably in that truth.”

                Alicia Keys, More Myself (Page 211)

                  “I can show weakness. I can be real. And when I reveal my true heart, not everyone is going to approve. What I know now is that I don’t need them to.”

                  Alicia Keys, More Myself (Page 144)

                    “When life forces you to face yourself, what awaits in the mirror is a gift: vulnerability. Your heart is pierced. You’re broken open. You’re hyperaware of what you’re feeling.”

                    Alicia Keys, More Myself (Page 144)

                    More Myself [Book]

                      More Myself by Alicia Keys

                      By: Alicia Keys

                      From this Book:  41 Quotes

                      Book Overview:  More Myself is part autobiography, part narrative documentary. Alicia’s journey is revealed not only through her own candid recounting, but also through vivid recollections from those who have walked alongside her. The result is a 360-degree perspective on Alicia’s path, from her girlhood in Hell’s Kitchen and Harlem to the process of growth and self-discovery that we all must navigate. In More Myself, Alicia shares her quest for truth―about herself, her past, and her shift from sacrificing her spirit to celebrating her worth. With the raw honesty that epitomizes Alicia’s artistry, More Myself is at once a riveting account and a clarion call to readers: to define themselves in a world that rarely encourages a true and unique identity.

                      Buy from Amazon! Listen on Audible!

                      Great on Kindle. Great Experience. Great Value. The Kindle edition of this book comes highly recommended on Amazon.

                      Post(s) Inspired by this Book:

                      Brandon Stanton Quote on Connection and How We Connect Through Struggles More Than Victories

                        “Our struggles connect us. We relate to the challenges of other people much more than we relate to their victories. We empathize with pain much more than joy. The moment we truly see ourselves in another person is when we realize that we’ve felt the exact same pain.”

                        Brandon Stanton, Humans (Page 278)

                        Beyond the Quote (351/365)

                        This is the oversight with always wanting to show off. It might make people envy you, but it doesn’t allow people to easily connect with you. If anything, it creates a larger disconnect between where they are and where you portray yourself to be. As Brandon points out above, it’s our struggles that connect us, not our victories.

                        Read More »Brandon Stanton Quote on Connection and How We Connect Through Struggles More Than Victories

                          “If our shields are what separate us, it’s what’s behind them that brings us together: the struggles, the worries, the pain, the weakness. All the soft spots. The places we protect. These are the things that make us most relatable to others. These are the things that connect us—if only we allow them to be seen.”

                          Brandon Stanton, Humans (Page 25)

                            “It’s amazing how people transform when they realize you’re not a threat. They become much more relatable. More familiar. More recognizable. Big cities can feel so isolating because we rarely get past this point with people. Everyone is hiding behind their shield. They’re on guard at all times. At least until the end of the day, when they get back home, around people they love and trust, and suddenly become themselves again.”

                            Brandon Stanton, Humans (Page 24)

                            Iain Thomas Quote on Being Gifted and What That Really Means

                              “Being gifted doesn’t mean you’ve been given something.  It means, you have something to give.”

                              Iain Thomas, I Wrote This For You

                              Beyond the Quote (344/365)

                              The question is, will you give it? Or, maybe better yet, do you even know what your gift is? My belief is that we all have a gift. And while you might hesitate at that thought and think to yourself, “Does he even know who he’s talking to? I’m the least gifted person I know”—I stand firmly in my position. Even if you think to yourself about how gifted and talented you already know you are—that isn’t exactly what I’m talking about—I’m talking about a specific gift.

                              Read More »Iain Thomas Quote on Being Gifted and What That Really Means

                              NF Quote from “Only” on Trust

                                “If you made a list of people that you trusted/

                                Would you put your name down?”

                                NF, Only

                                Beyond the Quote (187/365)

                                When I heard this line in NF’s song it stayed with me. It brilliantly orients an issue that so many of us confront on a regular basis—trust. Trust is the foundation of every relationship in our lives. Without trust there cannot be a stable relationship. Just like without a proper foundation there cannot be a stable building. Why is trust so important? Because trust is the key that unlocks and opens a person’s vulnerable side. And until a person is vulnerable and open to another—no true relationship can form.

                                Read More »NF Quote from “Only” on Trust