#5: What is it about vulnerability that connects us?

A person can show both vulnerability and courageousness. Because many people find showing vulnerability as weak or intimidating, they are often hesitant to share their feelings and to talk about difficult topics. Pyschologist, Anne Hallward, promotes the idea of sharing and discussion personal stories as a way to heal from shameful events and to spread awareness about various topics. Hallward claims that, “when we speak of what is most personal. It’s the most universal,” (pg. 3). In other words, Hallward explains that when we are vulnerable and share stories that express our true feelings others will be able to connect on a larger scale. Having the courage to open up about shameful stories or ones we are insecure about can unite a body of people into a universal force. A group of people may feel disconnected and different because they can only see the facades each other put up. However, once people can be vulnerable together and share what they have been through, people are able to hear what others are feeling or going through on the inside. This connects us by finding relations in our backgrounds, although they may seem very different on the surface level.