Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Power of Vulnerability

First, from the Tao:
To be whole, let yourself break.
To be straight, let yourself bend.
To be full, let yourself be empty.
To be new, let yourself wear out.
To have everything, give everything up.


Knowing others is a kind of knowledge;
knowing yourself is wisdom.
Conquering others requires strength;
conquering yourself is true power.
To realize that you have enough is true wealth.


Pushing ahead may succeed,
but staying put brings endurance.
Die without perishing, and find the eternal.
To know that you do not know is strength.
Not knowing that you do not know is a sickness.
The cure begins with the recognition of the sickness.


Knowing what is permanent: enlightenment.
Not knowing what is permanent: disaster.
Knowing what is permanent opens the mind.
Open mind, open heart.
Open heart, magnanimity.


Second, from Brené Brown:
(You might see the length and think, "Nevermind. Not worth it." I PROMISE you, watching this video IS worth 20 minutes of your time. You absolutely will not regret it!)



The original definition of courage: To tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.

(By the way, her talk is essentially the core of what Pathways offers: learning how to believe that you are enough. You can read more about my own Pathways journey, and visit their website and go to "Events" to see what kind of trainings they offer.)

And lastly, from me:
I am finding that life makes a lot more sense when I'm not in constant struggle with my ego vs. the direction I am being led in, if only I surrender and sit still long enough to heed the path to which the Divine is guiding me.

I am authentically, beautifully and imperfectly living daily with courage, compassion, and vulnerability.


(Psst. Clearance sale on my jewelry. Enter code CLEARANCE1 at check-out to receive a whopping 25% off your entire purchase!)