August 23rd

A term that’s been coming up a lot lately around this community I live in and the acting class I’m taking is vulnerability.

With social media, I think we are at our most vulnerable. Every time you post something out into the interweb, who knows how many eyes are seeing it and thinking something about you. This is why one must be honest 100% of the time. I’ve been thinking about the relationship between vulnerability and honesty. It’s much easier to be vulnerable if you are honest with others. And it’s easier to be honest with others if you are honest with yourself. Lying seems to be a slippery slope as it gets easier the more one does it. It feels great being honest as well. There is so much brain space that frees up that used to be occupied trying to remember which little untruth was told to whom.

It’s also essential to realize that you are always evolving and learning. Your thoughts and opinions may change about issues. And guess what, same thing with other people! Realizing this truth may help lower aggressions and hostile thoughts about what someone is saying, posting, or even doing.

Another thought. Why is it so much easier to be vulnerable with people I hardly know versus people I know well? Is this true for anybody else? I think I know why, but I feel like it should work the opposite if anything. Once you’ve established yourself within a company, group of friends, or teammates, people seem to view you in a certain way. If a new way of being or thinking develops, it may be difficult to reshape the way people see you. Whereas, in a new social environment, you have a clean slate. I find it much easier to share things with people in these new situations. Either way, I like being vulnerable and speaking my mind about things if I feel compelled. I also like being an open book on the internet. I don’t have anything to hide and if I did, I’d probably tell ya anyway.