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Unconditional Love, Vulnerability, and Authenticity (Pt. 3)

"What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful." —Brene Brown

By James GreasleyPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Standing there with your entire soul naked to the world. Not an easy thing to do. It's probably one of the most terrifying things to do. To reveal your true self. Many see vulnerability as weakness, I see it as truth. This ability to look life right in the eye and say, this is who I am, this is what I want.It is a must be able to be vulnerable with your partner. This is where we grow as individuals, this is how we grow in relationships. There is only one rule here. Bare your soul and tell the truth. Sometimes saying "I love you" is as vulnerable as we get. Sometimes we are deep in a relationship or marriage and it becomes "I don't want children," "I hate my job," "I don't feel attractive anymore," "We are never intimate anymore," "I can't keep living like this," or "I've been contemplating suicide." I mean to be heavy, because these are real things people deal with every day.

The release and realization of vulnerability is often intense. Last year, I finally admitted to myself and my partner I no longer wanted to continue with my career. I had just begun, and was in a lot of student debt. Finally saying the words out loud, first to my therapist, then my self, then my partner. I'll admit, I wept openly. But god damn did I feel light as a feather. I could breathe. The rest of my life was ahead of me.

Being vulnerable in our relationships allows us to grow together beyond imagination. Saying I love you for the first time can be electric, magnificent, a wave of emotion. Yet looking across from the person you love and knowing in your heart, "They know me, they know my soul." That is an ocean, a feeling so deep routed in understanding it brings a level of peace unmatched.

So what does it take to be vulnerable in your relationship? It doesn't really take anything to be honest. It's less about doing and more about removing. Removing the barriers. Removing the reasons why we can't be honest, with ourselves and others. Simply telling your partner exactly where you are in life is enough. To be vulnerable is to be authentic, and to be accepted is to love unconditionally. Trust me when I say, much easier said than done.

You will either grow together, or crumble. In both situations you are creating space for something better. Not easier. This can be one of the most difficult things, admitting that something good is not great, or it's not what you want. It will pave the way for again, something better, more authentic to you.

None of these things are easy, but all of them are worth it. How do you know is someone is "right for you?" I think it's pretty simple. They accept you for your true authentic self, even when that changes. They support you in your most vulnerable situations and they love you unconditionally. When these concepts are applied more globally the smaller things like who's going to do the dishes or walk the dogs become unimportant.

So be who you are, open yourself up, and love without expectation.

Happy reading my friends.

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About the Creator

James Greasley

Canadian currently living in Colorado! I am beginning to explore all kinds of different topics with fiction writing. From short stories, flash fiction and all kinds of screenplays.

Hope you enjoy!

Follow me on instagram @friendlyreader

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