The Influence of Vulnerability

I have a story to tell.

This story involves my husband, who, much as he always does, taught me a valuable lesson. What he taught has to do with the courage it takes to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and the profound effect that it has on ourselves as well as other people.

Prior to telling this tale, it’s important to have a little background for background’s sake. He grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, and moved to the United States, where we met roughly seven years ago. He was brought to the United States on a work visa, sponsored by the company he was hired by, which only allowed him to work for them unless he found another job that would be willing to sponsor his visa. Eventually, after many structural/institutional changes, the company he was working for began to crumble. It was a fearful time for both of us as well were uncertain about what the future held; however, we believed that we had an opportunity to take our misfortune and move forward by working hard to create something better and more sustainable.

Flash forward to now. My husband is working at a new company that challenges him creatively while simultaneously creating a sense of fulfillment. The company recently celebrated a major milestone as it is transforming into something new entirely. My husband was able to contribute greatly toward this transformation.

During a celebration/unveiling of what would become the new company, the CEO utilized part of the time to have a Q&A session. The CEO began to ask my husband questions from afar (my husband was located in the back of the room). As he began to respond, the CEO requested him to come to the front of the room, to stand facing his entire company, and discuss his process in creating the branding/logo of the newly formulated business.

My husband nervously began to discuss his creative process with a sense of humility which, for those who have the opportunity to know him, see this as one of his many strengths. His boss began to discuss how he and my husband met and then asked if my husband would like to tell the rest of the story.

As he began to discuss his journey, he was overcome with sentimentality. His voice began to tremble, and within moments tears streamed down his face. This moment occurred in front of his boss, supervisees, and fellow managers. “I’m just realizing that this is a dream come true.” At this moment, he looked out into the crowd and saw tears streaming down the faces of others. The CEO walked up to him and hugged him in front of everyone in the room.

Often we are afraid of being vulnerable in front of others. It rarely matters if they are strangers, family members, friends, bosses, or co-workers. The difficulty in doing so stems from the challenge to confront what is significantly meaningful and our ability to trust others (which stems from our ability to trust ourselves).

We suspect that the world will not reward us; or that we will appear weak. The courage it takes to display our heart and to communicate the depth of our experience to others ought to warrant praise and compassion.

I’m incredibly proud of my husband. He has overcome many obstacles in his life. Conveying the profundity of what his life has encompassed, so far, resonated deeply in those that were witness to this moment of insight.

We all have pain, joy, fear, frustration, triumph, hope, pride, etc.; when this is communicated to others, we tap into something that is universal and allows us to feel connected. This is the influence of vulnerability, dropping our defenses for the sake of connection and belonging.

Having difficulty feeling connected to others in your life? Feel free to explore AdamGWalterbach.com or contact me at (720) 551-5863.