My reading FOMO is coming to an end.
Wow… I’m tired. My fast reading binge has finally taken a toll on my brain, and I need to slow down this week to make sure I’m rested and ready for school. It’s getting harder to sleep as my upcoming move is now occupying more and more my thoughts at night. I’m comparing prices and analyzing my different options though I have narrowed down my search. The path seems to be taking shape, and I’m slowly taking action to begin the process. I’m extremely nervous but hopeful that this new start will be my gateway to my long-life dream of obtaining higher education in a subject I love.
I still couldn't resist starting the audiobook “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown and indulge in one of my favourite authors, in case you haven’t noticed yet. The one part that is sticking with me right now is when she explains what is not vulnerability. She describes how over-sharing is not the objective, and we shouldn’t use vulnerability for ulterior motives such as “sympathy seeking”. Ouch! That one stung. I now can see that I do indeed seek other’s attention, validation and reassurance when over-talking out of fear and shame. Vulnerability is not emotional purging at the expense of others.
Brené also brings up the importance of sharing with purpose by asking ourselves if what we say is contributing to the situation. We should recognize our role, set boundaries and be clear on our intention when sharing. This is something we do for the other to build trust and connection. It doesn’t need to be intrusively specific. Instead, we need to focus on the core of the issue while maintaining a respectful conversational space appropriate for the circumstances. I have a lot to learn, though she gave me a good tool to see if I’m on track when I share: do I do it to make myself feel better or am I bringing something constructive to the table?
Consequently, when it comes to blogging, I finally had my first piece of professional advice through her: “Write what you want to read.” If I want to uphold my profile description intention, “When you read me, I hope you can better listen to yourself,” I’ll have to ditch the sympathy seeking and learn how to cultivate true vulnerability. Time to practice courage-building and focus on one book till I master the skills. Also, with school and my inter-provincial move, I won’t be able to spend as much time jumping from one book to the next.
