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Through the lens of my personal experiences—traveling to 14 countries, pursuing a career in acting, growing up with a single mother and drug addicted and alcoholic father, and overcoming the loss of a close friend—I understand the importance of facing fears and seeking personal growth. With the guidance of a life coach, I found my way to a more fulfilling, purpose-driven life.

I grew up with ADD and was labeled to have a learning disability. Always struggling with school and barely passing any of my classes. I got arrested multiple times when I was a teenager and got expelled from my school district.

But, I overcame all that. One day while in a drunk tank after being arrested for the 6th time at the age of 16, I said enough is enough.

I began to change the story that I was telling myself, diving deep into non-fiction books, taking courses, getting coached, and changing my belief system and mindset.

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What is Vulnerability? The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Its Power

October 28, 202410 min read

Vulnerability is often misunderstood as a sign of weakness, but as thought leaders like Brené Brown have illuminated, vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, growth, and meaningful connection. In this guide, we’ll explore vulnerability in depth, answer common questions, and provide practical tools to help you embrace it as a strength in your personal and professional life.

Can Vulnerability Be a Strength?

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” — Brené Brown

Vulnerability might feel like an exposure of weakness, but in reality, it’s where your greatest strengths reside. Think of moments when you’ve admitted you don’t have all the answers. Perhaps it was in a work meeting or during a personal challenge. That openness likely led to growth, problem-solving, and collaboration with others.

The power of vulnerability is also about self-trust. When you can trust yourself to show up authentically, even when it’s uncomfortable, you develop resilience. Research shows that vulnerability builds confidence by reinforcing that you are enough, just as you are. Whether you’re leading a team, making a tough decision, or navigating a new relationship, vulnerability cultivates emotional intelligence and strong leadership.

In my post on confidence-building, I explore how vulnerability plays a pivotal role in conquering limiting beliefs. When you can show up as your true self, you’re no longer confined by the fear of failure. Vulnerability becomes your source of empowerment.

How Vulnerability Can Be Powerful

In relationships, whether professional or personal, vulnerability serves as the glue that holds them together. When you allow yourself to be seen in your most authentic form, others are drawn to that openness and honesty. Vulnerability fosters empathy. By sharing your struggles, you create a space where others feel safe to do the same.

Consider moments in history where great change happened. Whether it’s the story of entrepreneurs launching risky businesses or activists standing up for causes, vulnerability was at the heart of their journeys. They didn’t have guarantees of success, but they had the courage to try.

In fact, vulnerability in leadership has been highlighted as one of the key traits that drive innovation and creativity. Leaders who practice vulnerability create more trust, and their teams feel empowered to take risks.

What Does Vulnerability Mean?

At its core, vulnerability is about showing up. It’s the act of sharing your true self without a guarantee of acceptance. But it’s not just about emotional exposure—it’s also about taking bold action in the face of uncertainty.

For example, vulnerability can mean speaking up during a meeting with a risky idea, or having a difficult conversation with a partner. It’s about stepping into the unknown and trusting yourself in the process. Vulnerability doesn’t mean oversharing or throwing caution to the wind; it’s about being intentional with your openness. In fact, vulnerability and self-awareness go hand in hand. When we practice vulnerability, we often discover more about ourselves and our needs.

For more on cultivating self-awareness, read my post on emotional intelligence, where I explore how emotional intelligence leads to deeper self-discovery.

What Vulnerability is Not

While vulnerability is about openness and authenticity, it’s important to recognize what it is not. Vulnerability doesn’t mean constantly airing grievances, being overly dramatic, or using emotional exposure as a way to manipulate others. It’s not about whining or crying at every challenge, nor does it mean sharing your deepest insecurities with everyone you meet.

True vulnerability is intentional. It’s about choosing to be real in moments that matter, rather than seeking attention or pity. Vulnerability also requires boundaries. You don’t need to overshare to be vulnerable, nor should you expect others to fix your problems. Instead, vulnerability is a practice of showing up authentically, expressing your feelings, and taking ownership of your experience without placing the burden on others.

In short, vulnerability is about courage, not weakness. It’s about leaning into discomfort to grow and connect, but it’s not about losing control or seeking constant validation.

“Vulnerability minus boundaries is not vulnerability. It’s confession, manipulation, or desperation,” says Brené Brown.

When Vulnerability is Not Reciprocated

When your vulnerability is not met with the same openness, it can feel disheartening. However, Dr. Harriet Lerner says, “Only share your vulnerability with those who have earned the right to hear it.” It may even make you question whether you should have shared in the first place. However, this is where understanding your values comes into play. Vulnerability isn’t about controlling the response—it’s about showing up authentically.

In moments when your vulnerability is not reciprocated, take time to reflect. Is this person or relationship aligned with your core values? In my post on living in alignment with your values, I explore how standing firm in your values can guide you through moments of uncertainty. Not everyone will be able to meet you at the same level of vulnerability, and that’s okay. Use these moments as opportunities to set boundaries and protect your emotional well-being.

Where Does Vulnerability Exist?

Vulnerability is present in every area of our lives—our relationships, careers, and even in our relationship with ourselves. We practice vulnerability every time we open ourselves up to change, whether it’s pursuing a new career goal or having a difficult conversation with a loved one.

In my post on goals for personal growth, I explain how vulnerability is the foundation of setting meaningful goals. Without vulnerability, we stay in our comfort zone and miss out on the potential for transformation.

Why Vulnerability is Important

Vulnerability shows up everywhere. Whether in a work presentation where you’re putting yourself on the line, or in a personal interaction where you’re revealing your true emotions, vulnerability is present. It exists in your relationship with yourself—when you acknowledge areas where you need growth—and in your relationship with others, when you allow people to see the real you.

In your career, vulnerability is key to developing leadership skills. Leaders who show vulnerability gain trust and loyalty from their teams. It’s the foundation of innovation, creativity, and strong workplace culture. Vulnerability also serves as the first step in setting meaningful goals that stretch you beyond your comfort zone.

In my guide to self-worth, I explore how vulnerability strengthens our sense of self, enabling us to stand in our worth, regardless of external validation.

Journal Prompts for Exploring Vulnerability

Here are some journal prompts to help you reflect on and explore your vulnerability:

• When was the last time I felt truly vulnerable? How did I respond to it?

• What areas of my life am I avoiding vulnerability, and why?

• How has vulnerability led to growth in my personal relationships or career?

• What beliefs do I hold about vulnerability, and how are they serving or hindering me?

• Who in my life models vulnerability well, and how can I learn from them?

How to Embrace Vulnerability

1. Recognize Your Fears: Begin by listing your fears about being vulnerable. What outcomes are you afraid of? Whether it’s rejection, judgment, or failure, identifying these fears helps you understand what’s holding you back.

2. Identify Opportunities: Choose one area where you can practice vulnerability each day. It could be as small as sharing an idea at work or admitting when you need help. The key is to make vulnerability a regular practice, so it becomes a habit.

3. Reflect: After each vulnerable moment, write about the experience. What did you learn? How did others respond? How did it feel to be vulnerable? Journaling helps reinforce the growth you experience from these moments.

4. Celebrate Wins: Every time you choose vulnerability, celebrate it. Recognize that vulnerability is an act of courage. Reflect on how these small moments are adding up to a larger transformation in your life.

Why Vulnerability is a Strength

Vulnerability requires us to embrace uncertainty and lean into discomfort. When we do, we build resilience and open the door to greater joy, connection, and success. It’s time to stop seeing vulnerability as a weakness and start recognizing it as the foundation of a fulfilling life.

In my personal opinion, vulnerability is honestly the most important quality of a person when it comes to healthy living, success, personal growth, and cultivating beautiful relationships. Without vulnerability, we are just people walking around like knights from the king Arthur's days in our shiny, but yet heavy, armour to protect ourselves.

I know that I personally have struggled with this so much in my past, and still do from time to time today. Vulnerability is not something that just becomes easy to overcome and suddenly you don't ever get vulnerable again. That's one of the reasons why I know vulnerability is so important. Because the moment it's gone or you don't notice it leaning its uncomfortable little head around the corner, you're either doing one of four things.

  1. You're not challenging yourself.

  2. You're not being honest, sharing your opinions, or being authentic.

  3. You're not growing.

  4. You're not failing, making mistakes, or recognizing setbacks.

That's not to say that you have to feel all four of these things to be vulnerable. Because once you cultivate a growth mindset and face your fears, understand that challenges are opportunities, and acknowledged your failures, you begin to seek them out.

But here's the thing--that doesn't make them any easier. I still get nerves, anxious and other emotions rise up when I do a lot of this things. But that doesn't mean that I am going to let it stop me.

How Are You Going to Be Vulnerable?

So, how are you going to be vulnerable? Like everything I write about and suggest on my blog, start small. If you try to go too big too quick, you'll either scare yourself out of it or never want to be vulnerable again. That's not what we want.

Instead, start small, and identify using the prompts and framework for vulnerability we provided you in this article and target certain areas of your life that you could improve and grow in by being more vulnerable.

One of the hardest areas for me is relationships. Telling people how I feel when something is bothering me or annoying me is rough. There is always that little voice onside of my head that says "common Eddy. It's not that big of a deal. Don't act like a child and get so easily annoyed."

But the thing is, you, me, and other people are completely in our right to not be okay or allow certain things in our life's. Whether that's certain behaviours from friends, comments from partners, or anything of that like. The real reason we don't say anything? Because it makes us vulnerable.

And you may have someone you retaliates by shaming you. Which is another topic that I will right about on another day. But, you'll learn that those aren't your kinds of people, and if you're in a relationship with that person, then it may be time for them or the both of you to go to therapy.

My point being is that it's time for the real, authentic, and vulnerable you to show up in the world and do it a favour by doing so. The world needs and loves authentic and real people. Don't do the world a disservice by not showing up and gracing it with all of you. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

P.S.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into your personal growth journey, don’t stop here! Join The Growth Navigator, my exclusive newsletter where we explore practical strategies for self-improvement, mindset mastery, and building resilience. As a member, you’ll get access to free resources, tools, and updates that will guide you through every step of your transformation.

Feel free to share your thoughts on vulnerability by contributing to the discussion on the blog. And don’t forget to check out our resources page for downloadable guides and tools designed to support your growth. Let’s continue this journey together!

And if you're looking to dive deeper into vulnerability, then I have added Brené Browns books below, as almost all of them touch on being vulnerable.

"Daring Greatly"

"The Gifts of Imperfection"

"Rising Strong"

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Eddy Green

My name is Eddy. I am the adult son of a single mother who overcame an emotionally abusive relationship with her drug addict and alcoholic husband. I have overcame my own hardships, having been arrested multiple times up until I was 16 when I was expelled from my school district and almost thrown in jail. Since then I have turned my life around, overcame more hardships, and lived my life focused on growth and making an impact in the world.

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