Episode 9

Vulnerability is a powerful catalyst for personal transformation and deep connections. It involves being honest about thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Benefits include being authentic, forming deeper connections, receiving emotional support, fostering empathy and compassion, and promoting growth and learning. Strategies for embracing vulnerability include recognizing and acknowledging emotions, starting with trusted individuals, practicing self-compassion, and taking small steps outside of comfort zones. Vulnerability is often misunderstood as a weakness, but it's a powerful catalyst for personal transformation and authentic, deep, and meaningful connections. So today, we will uncover practical strategies to embrace that vulnerability, boost your emotional intelligence, and cultivate courage. So get ready to unlock your true potential and level up your life. Now, Sean, what do you mean by embracing vulnerability? That's a great question, let me explain. Embracing vulnerability is a powerful concept that involves opening up and being completely, brutally honest about our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with other people. Now, while vulnerability may seem scary or super uncomfortable, it offers several benefits, especially in building stronger connections with other human beings. So today, I want to spend some time, explore some of these advantages, and provide strategies for embracing vulnerability. Now, I have a list here on the benefits of embracing vulnerability. And while I'm being able to share and educate this with you guys, this is also inspiring me to work on these same things that I have been working on prior to this audio, this episode. I continue to show up and work on this every single day. Am I perfect at it? Absolutely not. But it's just being intentional, being mindful, and being aware of some of these benefits so you can deeper your connections with your spouse, with your kids, with your family, with your community, with your neighbors. The first one is being authentic. When you're authentic and you're completely transparent, this allows ourselves to be vulnerable, right? This allows us to show our true color, show our true self. And that, my friend, is how you show up in becoming the best version of yourself. And it allows you to feel like you are being your authentic self and not somebody that's fake. So friends and family and people in my life, they say I'm blunt, they say I'm transparent, they say I'm real, they say I'm direct. Well, all these different things allows me to be myself and who I am. So I'm not fake, I'm not surface level around anybody. I'm straightforward. And sure, it may rub people the wrong way in certain situations, but at the end of the day, I feel at peace, I feel blissed. I feel like I'm showing up my best self. Now, am I rough around the edges in some different areas and some different temperaments? Absolutely, but that is the beautiful thing about becoming the best version of yourself is because you're constantly working on it every single day and being 1% better. So being authentic, it creates a genuine and trustworthy connection with those around us. Think about your friend. Think about your mom, your dad, your spouse. And when you show up when you're true self, when you're authentic, and you dive deep in your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, oh my gosh, right? It creates that trust with those other people because 99.9% of the time, that other person, it will resonate with your thoughts, feelings, or emotions and has been what you've been through. So people in your life, they appreciate that honesty and are more likely to reciprocate by opening up as well. So that's the first benefit is being authentic. Be yourself, okay? The second one is deeper connections. So vulnerability will allow deeper connections with other human beings, okay? And so by, in other words, by sharing our fears, our struggles, and our joys, we create an emotional bond that goes beyond the surface-level interactions, okay? And so this allows us to form those meaningful relationships with greater empathy and understanding. When you're surface-level and you don't dive deep on these connections, then a lot of times, these human beings, your neighbor, your friend, your family, they don't come from a place of understanding. That's another thing is what allows me to talk to this podcast and this episode and allows me to open up and be vulnerable. And a lot of, I've gotten a lot of feedback from friends and family, like, oh my gosh, I resonate with that. I didn't know that about you, Sean, but I resonate with that when they see me in person or on social media. So this has allowed me to foster deeper connections versus the first two or three decades of my life, it was all surface-level, right? It's what you see on social media. It's what you hear in person. You gotta dive deep. So embrace that vulnerability on the deeper connections. Emotional support. So when we're vulnerable, we give others the opportunity to support us emotionally. One of the things that I've learned as a type A personality in the different temperaments and my behaviors and some of the assessments that I've taken over the last couple years is that I was, I thought it was a sign of weakness when I was sharing, when I was being vulnerable. But that's the completely opposite. Once I started opening up, once I started sharing my emotions, thoughts, and feelings with the people that I trusted in my life, like my coach, my mentor, my spouse, and was vulnerable with them, they were able to support me emotionally and it deepened my connection with them and relationship. So this obviously led to receiving valuable advice, encouragement, and comfort during my challenging and tough times. I didn't do this for two decades. And I've just learned about this the last 12 to 36 to 24 months by seeking emotional support. It's been a game changer in leveling up my life and becoming the best version of myself. It's a huge benefit to be vulnerable. Okay, the next one, empathy and compassion. This is one that I struggle with. I struggle with empathy and compassion. I'm the completely opposite of that. I did an assessment on, it's CliftonStrengths 2.0, and empathy and compassion was on the end of my strengths. So it's quote unquote a weakness. Now, by sharing vulnerability, it helps others, you listening, understand that you're not alone in these struggles. So when you share and you're compassionate and have empathy and you share your struggles, this fosters empathy and compassion because people recognize, oh man, Sean must have it all together, right? Like got the podcast, got business, everything looks good on social media. But behind the scenes, if you really know me, I dive deep with my friends. I dive deep on my podcast and on my episode. I try to share my challenges, my struggles because in hopes that this not only inspires and inspires you, but I'm hoping that this also fosters empathy and compassion and you and people around you will recognize and relate to each other's emotions and experiences. Yes or yes? Okay, another benefit, growth and learning. So embracing the vulnerability often will involve stepping outside of our comfort zone. And if you're listening, I know for a fact when you step outside your comfort zone and you step outside of your element and you put yourself in uncomfortable situations, that's how you grow. That's how you become the best version of yourself. Nobody grows, nobody seeks progress, nobody becomes the best version of themselves when they do this thing, when they don't grow, when they don't progress. So you have to get outside that comfort zone and embrace the growth and the learning. By doing so, we open up ourselves to new experiences and opportunities for growth and learning. When you don't, then that to me, like you're either growing or you're dying. Okay, strategies, now we're gonna shift gears to strategies for embracing vulnerability. We just talked about the benefits, now we're gonna talk about strategies. How do we, Sean, I need some strategies. I understand what you're talking about as far as embracing these vulnerabilities and how we can use it as a tool and how we can use it as to our advantage and not looking at it as a weakness. And if you're a male, I'm talking to you because us men in today's age, I don't know about you, but the way I was raised is we didn't share our emotions, we didn't cry. It was suck it up, buttercup. So I know I have several friends that struggle with embracing this vulnerability. So I'm talking to you and if you struggle with it, it's time to flip the switch. It's time to aspire and inspire those around you. Our nephews, our cousins, our friends, our families, our neighbors, when you open up and you embrace that vulnerability, man, I'm telling you what, things change for the better. Okay, so these are some strategies for embracing vulnerability. First up, you wanna recognize and acknowledge emotions. So you wanna start by recognizing and acknowledging your emotions, both positive and negative. So understand that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness. Let me repeat that. Understand that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but a display of courage and self-awareness. This is something that I have to look at and be intentional about every single day. I have to constantly, consistently, every single day when I talk to an employee, a friend, a family, is be intentional about vulnerability. And every single time, it always strengthens and deepens my connection when I'm vulnerable. And in my mind, in the last 20 plus years, I thought it was a sign of weakness. I cannot show this sign of weakness. If I show this sign of weakness to this business partner, to this competitor, to my spouse, they're gonna run all over me. It's the completely opposite of that, right? And sure, you may have one person here and there that try to take advantage of you, but man, from my experience, it's going to help you a lot more than it is going to hurt you. So it's definitely, in my opinion, worth getting outside that comfort zone and that element of recognizing our emotions, thoughts, and feelings, and understanding that it's not a sign of weakness. Okay, start with trusted individuals. So what I mean by this is, so the second strategy is start with trusted individuals. So for me, it was like, I need to start with my spouse. So up until about, I guess, I don't know, eight or nine months ago, I was involved in a marriage life group for 16 weeks, and it was pretty intense. We met with like 12 individuals, and I didn't trust any of them. The only one I did trust was my wife. Well, I started, I said, okay, like Jim Rohn says, for things to change, I have to change. So how do I become more vulnerable? I need to start opening up. Well, how do I start with, or who do I need to start with? Well, I started with my wife, because I trust her. Now, by sharing my vulnerabilities with my wife or a close family member or a close friend, like my best friend, this creates a safe place where you feel comfortable in expressing yourself. For example, once I started opening up and doing check-ins with my wife and sharing with her my vulnerabilities, I was able to do it with my best friend. And then I was able to do it with my mastermind group. And then I was able to do it with my friends and family and my neighbors. And then, after months and months and months of putting in the work behind the scenes, now I'm doing it on my podcast. I'm opening up, I'm being vulnerable. On several of my episodes, I go into detail and in-depth on different areas of my life where I have struggled or I have ran into challenges, just like you have. So start with those trusted individuals and practice there on embracing that vulnerability, okay? Another strategy, share your story. So if you go back to episode one of Level Up with Sean Myers, I share my story. I call it Ground Zero, episode one. If you haven't listened to it, I encourage you to go back and listen to it. I share my story. So open up about your experiences, your challenges, and successes. So being transparent about your journey, just like I was in my life map and my journey, will help others relate to you on a deeper level and will also encourage them, just like I am with you on this podcast, to share your story as well. It's the domino effect, right? And that's what motivates me every single day is helping you see and become the best version of yourself and just being 1% better than you were yesterday. So by me sharing my story and opening up and being vulnerable and embracing that on my podcast in person with my friends and family and my mastermind group and at church and at Mary's Life Group and all these different areas, it's a domino effect, because when I open up with them, they receive how they feel and then it's a domino effect. And it encourages them to share their stories. So I would just encourage you to share your story, okay? Another strategy is listen actively. Just listen. That's why God gave us two ears and one mouth. I'll repeat that. God gave us two ears and one mouth. Let me tell you something. I struggle with this, because there's so much I read. I'm obsessed with self-mastery. I read, I listen to podcasts, I do research. I'm a curious person in general. So when it comes to listening to a spouse, a friend or a family or whoever I'm in interaction with, the first thing I want to do is talk, talk, talk, talk, because I just, I want to help. I want to solve the problem. But it's doing you a disservice, right? So one of the things that I try to be intentional about that I use as a strategy is listen actively, which encourages others to share their vulnerabilities. So slow things down. Ask good questions. What is one or two questions that you can ask to help others and encourage them to share their vulnerabilities? By actively listening without judging. We're all human beings and that's tough, right? We all judge to a certain degree. But by being as empathetic and supportive, it will foster an environment where those people, the people that you talk to, will feel accepted and understood. Think about this podcast. Think about this episode. You know, some of the things that I share. Do you feel like you're not alone? Do you feel accepted? Do you feel understood when some of these things that I address, like embracing vulnerability? I'm 30 plus years of age and who would have ever thought I'd be talking about vulnerability on episode nine? But it's a powerful tool. And if you're listening to this, I would highly encourage you to work on embracing it. Okay, another strategy. Practice self-compassion. What do you mean by this, Sean? Well, what I mean by this is be kind to yourself. I have a lot of friends and coaches, or coachees in my coaching business, that they are, you know, in most individuals, they're just very, I gotta get it right. If I don't get it right, they beat themselves up. And what I mean by that, they're hard on themselves, right? Give yourself grace. Practice that self-compassion. This is a new skill. You're getting outside your comfort zone. You're getting outside your element. Show self-compassion, right? Understand that everyone has vulnerabilities. We all do. If you're listening to this, I know you've got a vulnerability and several of them, just like I do. And it's okay to experience them. So practicing that self-compassion will cultivate a healthier relationship with yourself. That was a hard one for me. I continue to this day, I am so hard on myself. I have a lot of things going on, and I want this podcast and this episode to be perfect. I want my businesses and my life and my health and wellness and my finances to be perfect. But I have to understand, it's not gonna be perfect. I'm an imperfect action taker, just like you. So I have to be kind to myself during this process and understand it's a journey. It's not a destination. We work on it every single day. Another strategy, take small steps. So embracing vulnerability can be overwhelming. Trust me, I understand. Well, Sean, man, this all sounds good, the benefits, the strategies, but this is freaking overwhelming, man. Well, go back and listen to this episode again. Every time I go back and listen to an episode on a podcast, I get so much more out of it that second time. So go back and listen to it again. Write notes, listen to it with a friend or a family. Because one of these benefits or one of these strategies that you implement into your life over a period of time can be the biggest game changer for you. And just this topic alone, embracing vulnerability, has changed my life, has deepened my connections with the people in my life, my employees, my friends, my family, my spouse, okay? So take baby steps. Start small. Share something you may not usually discuss. With your spouse or your kid. But make sure it feels manageable. Something super, super small, super simple. And gradually, you'll become more comfortable with sharing deeper emotions. And I have practiced this myself. I started small, just like I did in my group with the 12 people at The Marriage Life, and then over several days and weeks and months, now I'm able to dive deeper and deeper, and I'm still continuously working on it. Okay, another strategy is embrace vulnerabilities as strength. This is the biggest one. If you're a male listening to this, even a female, embrace vulnerabilities as strength. It is not a weakness. For 20 plus years of my life, I always looked at it as a weakness. But then it just gave me surface-level connections and my relationships were not meaningful. So instead of viewing vulnerability as a weakness, recognize it as a strength. It's powerful. So being vulnerable takes courage, takes guts, and authentic, making you more relatable and approachable to others. Last but not least, seek professional help. This is a big one for me. The only reason I'm qualified to be able to have this conversation and share this on my episodes and the things that I go through is because I seek help. And so what I mean, and it's sad, because today's day and age, it's frowned upon, right? Oh, you're seeing a counselor? You're seeing a marriage counselor? Oh, something must be wrong in their marriage. Oh, you're seeing an emotional, or you're seeing a therapist? Oh, something must be going on in your life. Or you're seeing a coach or a mentor? Oh, something must be going on in your business. You must be struggling. It's so frowned upon, but it's completely opposite of that. I used to think like that. Oh, I don't need a counselor. I don't need a therapist. I don't need a coach. I don't need a mentor. And that, let me tell you, my friend, that is the wrong mindset. Once I started embracing vulnerability and seeking help from a mentor and coach, like I've shared on my other episodes, that's when I've exponentially and compounded and leveled up in becoming the best version of myself in all areas of life. So if you find it challenging to open up to more intense past traumas or emotional barriers, maybe there's an emotional barrier that you, that needs to be, there needs to be a light shined on it that you're not aware of. We call it a blind spot. And if you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s, unfortunately, from my experience, people, they don't, when they don't reach out for help, they pick their head up and they're 50, 60, 70 years old, and they're still dealing with that same trauma or that same emotional barrier that if they would have reached out for help in their 20s and 30s, their life would have been completely different. So consider seeking professional, whether it's counseling or therapy. There's nothing, I don't, in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that, okay? So embracing vulnerability can lead to stronger and more meaningful connections with other human beings. By being authentic, opening up, and supporting each other emotionally, we create an environment of empathy, compassion, and growth. Remember, it's a journey and taking small steps towards vulnerability can lead to transformation and fulfilling relationships in the long run. Now, it's gonna require courage, and it's a life journey that each one of us can embark on. But by peeling back our emotional layers, we unlock the potential to deepen authentic connections and foster empathy within ourselves and with others. Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of Level Up with Sean Myers. If you enjoyed today's discussion, please be sure to subscribe, download, and leave us a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, because if you leave us a review, if you share, this impacts and serves more people. I don't, as of this time, episode nine, we don't do ads, I don't run ads. All this, the producing and everything that we roll out is coming out of, I pay for it. So all I ask is that you share this on Instagram, Story, Facebook, or leave me a review so I can impact and serve more people on who needs to hear this. So I also love it when my friends and family tag me on social media platforms. So this is what gets me fired up. So stay tuned for more exciting episodes where we'll continue to explore topics that empower you to level up in all areas of life. Until next time, friend, keep learning, growing, and leveling up in the journey to becoming the best version of yourself.