Welcome to this special first edition of EQ Oasis! This is the beginning of a premium newsletter series, written with the intention of guiding you on a deeper journey into the heart of what makes us human.
This week, we’re exploring The Power of Vulnerability—a theme close to my heart and an essential part of emotional well-being. I’m excited to offer this edition as a gift to all, so you can experience the kind of meaningful content I’ll be sharing each week.
Vulnerability often gets a bad reputation—it’s seen as a weakness or something to be hidden away. But in reality, it’s one of the most courageous things we can embrace.
Vulnerability is about being honest with ourselves and others, showing up as our true selves, even when it feels uncomfortable. It’s about daring to share our fears and our dreams, our imperfections and our truths. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open the door to deeper connections, personal growth, and the freedom to live authentically.
Embracing Vulnerability and Discovering Self-Worth
Do you feel like you're not enough, no matter what you do? No matter who you are, or how many degrees, titles, accolades, and awards you accumulate, it feels like a void keeps creeping back up. If this resonates with you, then this post is for you.
 |
The Struggle with External Validation
One of the most prevalent challenges people face today, especially younger generations, is the search for external validation. Whether it's peer recognition, career achievements, or societal accolades, our sense of self-worth often hinges on external factors.
Eight in 10 young adults feel they are not good enough, poll claims. (Source)
In my early years, I lived in a dichotomy of Arab tradition and Dutch directness. As a child, I was bullied and never felt like I fit in. Growing up as a highly sensitive person, I often tried to escape my trauma and abuse. This led me to work hard, trying to compensate for the void within by seeking external validation.
Understanding and Overcoming the Void
In the first decades of life, we often chase material wealth and status, hoping they will fill the void. I, too, fell into this trap. However, life kept bringing the same challenges until I learned to look within. My journey through burnout and depression forced me to confront these patterns. It wasn't easy, but the most difficult act of self-love was feeling the suppressed pain without blame or shame.
The Healing Journey: Steps and Strategies
-
Feel to Heal: Allow yourself to feel without a narrative or judgment. This was a pivotal step in my healing process. Mental fitness activities like journaling and reframing my thoughts helped immensely. Writing has always been a healing act for me, and I encourage you to find your own creative outlets.
-
Forgiveness: This step is crucial but challenging. Forgiving those who wronged you, and even forgiving yourself for past mistakes, can free you from the burden of the past. Oprah Winfrey once said, "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different." Accepting this truth can be liberating.
-
Self-Love Practices: Self-love isn't just about pampering; it's about making a commitment to yourself. I started by committing to joy and gratitude, even when life was tough. Practicing gratitude shifted my mindset significantly.
-
Physical Healing: Reconnecting with my body through exercises like yoga and sound healing helped release stored trauma. A healthy body is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being.
-
Discovering Your Essence: Beyond our egos and personalities, there is a unique essence in each of us. By reconnecting with my essence, I found peace and purpose. Even during tough times, I kept focusing on what I loved doing, like teaching and sharing my stories, which gave my life meaning.
Practical Tips for Your Journey
-
Find a Safe Space: Whether it's therapy, trusted friends, or retreats, find a place where you can safely explore your emotions.
-
Journal from the Heart: Avoid overthinking and write from a place of pure love and objectivity. This practice can be very healing.
-
Practice Patience: Emotional wounds take time to heal. Be patient with yourself and trust the healing process.
-
Routine and Discipline: Make a commitment to bettering yourself and keep that promise. Joy, gratitude, and self-care should be part of your daily routine.
Healing is a continuous journey. There are days when you might feel not enough, but it’s about what you tell yourself and how you treat yourself. Remember, you are born enough, whole, and complete. It's our life experiences and traumas that make us believe otherwise. Commit to self-love and embrace your vulnerability to start feeling enough exactly as you are.
Thank you for reading. If you resonated with my story, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment and share this post so more people can learn to embrace their vulnerability and feel enough.
The Power of Vulnerability: A Safe Exploration
Embracing vulnerability requires an environment where we feel safe—safe to express our emotions, safe to explore our fears, and safe to be authentic. This safety begins with ourselves. By cultivating a non-judgmental mindset, we create the space to confront our deepest truths without fear of rejection, from others or ourselves.
Being non-judgmental means holding space for others as they share their most fragile truths, often shrouded in fear of judgment. It also means extending the same compassion to ourselves. When we turn inward to reframe our thoughts, we may encounter emotional discomfort, a signal of what still requires our attention and healing.
One of the ways I navigated the emotional discomfort that arose from self-awareness was through reflection prompts. The questions I asked myself were designed to evoke curiosity, not fear. They allowed me to explore new possibilities without demanding that I immediately let go of familiar patterns that had once served as my protection.
As I became more curious about alternative perspectives, I started to entertain what if questions. This softened my resistance and opened my heart to change. Instead of fearing the unknown, I began to see it as a canvas for new possibilities. I hope these prompts help you find your way into this tender exploration.
When learning to be more vulnerable with yourself and others, start by reflecting on these questions:
- What does vulnerability mean to me?
- How has my understanding of vulnerability evolved over time?
- What do I fear the most about being vulnerable?
- What past experiences contribute to this fear, and how might I begin to reframe them?
- What happened in my life that led me to close my heart?
- What are the core beliefs or protective mechanisms I’ve developed as a result, and are they still serving me?
- What makes me uncomfortable about being more open with my feelings?
- What is the story I’ve told myself about the consequences of being open, and how accurate is it?
- Why do I believe that sharing how I feel makes me weaker?
- How might I redefine strength in the context of vulnerability?
- What else can I choose to believe about vulnerability?
- What empowering beliefs can I adopt that align vulnerability with courage and authenticity?
- What might happen if I start being more open about what’s in my heart?
- Who could I become, and what relationships could I nurture if I embraced this openness?
Take your time with these prompts. Let your heart guide you, and remember, this is a journey of self-compassion. As you peel back the layers, be gentle with yourself and know that each step you take brings you closer to living fully and authentically.
The Power of Vulnerability in Poem
This week's poem is to help you feel the power of vulnerability through words. Art is what will heal the world as we learn how to embrace our imperfect human experience in an increasingly digital age. I wrote this poem based off my own life experience, and I hope it will touch those hearts that need to resonate with the frequency of my words.
For as long as you remember, you were told vulnerability is taboo.
For as long as you remember, you felt judged for feeling your feels.
For as long as you remember, you’ve hidden how you truly felt.
For as long as you remember, you’ve acted in a play you no longer wish to play.
I see you. I see the perfectly imperfect human being you are.
I see those parts you’re hiding, believing they are wrong.
I see those pieces uniquely yours, afraid to show them to the world.
I see you struggle to find the words to express your deepest fears.
I see you fearing judgment from those who only care about what’s outside, And never what lies beneath.
The power of vulnerability lies not in hiding, but in exploring.
The power of vulnerability lies not in the mind, but in opening the heart.
The power of vulnerability lies not in our screens, but in the human touch of the soul.
It helps you live in freedom, knowing you are enough as you are.
There will be people who reject the parts of you You’ve kept hidden, because they reject those parts in themselves.
There will be people who don’t reciprocate your bid for connection, because they’re disconnected from their own hearts.
There will be people who don’t care for your heart, because they simply don’t know how.
Bless them with love and wish them well. For they are hurt too, perhaps even more than you.
But know this: your vulnerability is yours, and yours alone.
No one can make you feel rejected, when you are connected. No one can break your heart, when it overflows with love.
No one can make you feel small, when you stand in the fullness of who you are.
For as long as you remember, the power of vulnerability transformed your life.
For as long as you remember, the power of vulnerability set you free.
For as long as you remember, the power of vulnerability opened you to life, And all its possibilities.
For as long as you remember, no challenge was too big for you To rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
So go ahead, embrace your vulnerability. For that is your superpower.
EQ Vitamin for the Week
When we feel a cold creeping up, we reach for our vitamins to strengthen our immune system. But what about when we feel emotional discomfort, pain, or suffering—where do we turn to help us heal and feel whole again? Just like any physical wound requires time and care to heal, so do our emotional wounds. That’s where your daily EQ vitamins come in, transforming negative emotions into neutral or positive ones, fostering emotional resilience and well-being.
Every day, I share an EQ Vitamin on my dedicated Instagram page, providing small yet powerful reminders to nurture your emotional health. This week’s EQ Vitamin spotlight is on self-worth. Because often, it’s our sense of self-worth that stands in the way of embracing vulnerability as our superpower.
Self-worth is the internal sense of being good enough and worthy of love and belonging. It’s different from self-esteem, which relies on external achievements and validations, and can often be inconsistent, leaving us feeling unworthy.
EQ Vitamins for Self-Worth:
- I am worthy as I am.
- I am worthy of love.
- I am worthy of connection.
- I am worthy of belonging.
- I am worthy as I am, no buts.
- I am worthy of what I bring to the table.
- I am worthy of loving relationships.
- I am worthy of more if that is what I seek.
- I am worthy of less if that is what I need.
- I am worthy of being seen for who I am.
- I am worthy of just enough if that is what brings me peace.
- I am worthy of all that life has to offer.
- I am worthy, even when I’m told I am not.
- I am worthy, because as long as my heart beats in my chest, I am worthy of all that life has to offer.
Remind yourself of these affirmations every day, allowing them to settle into your heart. They are not just words but seeds of truth, nurturing the belief that you are enough, just as you are. Embracing your self-worth is the foundation of embracing vulnerability. It’s your birthright to be here, to be seen, and to be loved. And it all starts with recognizing that you are, and always have been, worthy.
Looking Ahead & Stay Connected
As we continue our journey of emotional resilience, next week we’ll dive into the theme of Embracing Change, exploring how we can navigate life's transitions with grace and courage.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on self-worth and vulnerability—feel free to share them with me via email or on social media. Your stories and insights not only inspire me but also help build our community of like-minded individuals striving for growth and healing.
Thank you for being a part of this journey and for your commitment to nurturing your inner self.
If you’re ready to deepen your practice, I invite you to join the EQ Oasis community, where we support each other in building emotional resilience and well-being.
For those looking to start small, you can also check out my free 6-day Inner Peace Challenge—a gentle guide to help you reconnect with your true self and find peace within.
Remember, you are worthy of all the love and joy life has to offer. Stay curious, stay courageous, and stay connected.
With love & gratitude,
Nadja
Responses