You live a purposeful life and harboring meaningful relationships by leaving yourself vulnerable. Completely, 1000% vulnerable to pain, depression, resent, shame, and anger. You open yourself up and let people see who you really are on the inside, when all your walls are down.
Now hold on a minute before you kill me. In today's society, being genuine and free and raw is so looked down upon, shamed and considered for naught even, that people are afraid to do it. They see those qualities as weaknesses, that we need to be strong and independent, that no one can help us and see us safely home. (NOT. TRUE). To truly defeat your enemy, you have to expose him. But you're not just exposing your pain, and fear, and insecurity, your determination and lack of motivation. You're also exposing your confidence, your courage, your strengths. You're exposing your usefulness and potential. You expose everything. You expose the good and the bad, because to have a true meaningful relationship, there has to be trust. Trust that they'll support you. Trust that they'll build you up. Trust that they'll take you as you truly are and make you better. Trust that they'll protect you when you can't stand. Trust that they'll support you in your passions and interests. Because without trust, a relationship is nothing.
And ya know a cool thing that happens when you leave yourself vulnerable to this intimate relationship? You become a better person. You're able to find yourself. Think about it. You're opening yourself up to others, but before that happens what does? You have to come to a conclusion with yourself. You say to yourself: "Hey me. Listen up. I want to make meaningful and intimate relationships. But it's gonna be hard. And you've gotta be okay with that. You've gotta push through and be the best friend possible. You gotta be authentic. And it's gonna hurt sometimes. But suck it up and deal with it. I'm going to open myself up completely to pain. But also to possibility and joy. It'll be worth it. Trust me."
And in one move, you just proved to yourself you can do hard things. You discover who you are when you open yourself up to World; because in the process you open yourself up to you.
Let your heart lead you. You know what you really want on the inside. And if you let your heart guide you, not your head, you express your truest and realest emotions, dreams, visions, thoughts and epiphanies, and hidden talents.
"Follow your heart and intuition. Because they somehow already know what you truly want to become."
-Unbroken, Motivational Video
You know what's another word I feel should be brought up in this equation? Empathy. The official definition of empathy is,
- 1: the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it
- 2: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this
Powerful, huh. Part of this puzzle is being able to understand others. Be able to mourn with them. Be able to rejoice. Be able to serve from your heart. And oh how powerful empathy is.
"Empathy is really the opposite of spiritual meanness. It's the capacity to understand that every war is both won and lost. And that someone else's pain is as meaningful as your own."
-Barbara Kingsolver
Another thing-be fearless! Don't be ashamed or afraid to mess up. Don't be so worried about staying strong that you close yourself off again. Faith is the antidote to fear. Fear is fatal to faith. I promise you that if you turn to God in your journey for meaningful relationships, he will give you the strength and faith to carry on. He, himself will carry you.
"Fear kills dreams. Fear kills hope. Fear, put people in the hospital. Fear can age you. Can hold you
back from doing something that you know within yourself that you're capable of doing; but it will paralyze you".
-Unbroken, Motivational Video
Now, about living a purposeful life. It's all about finding what you love. And not only finding it. Pursuing it. Making your passions a reality and a solid foundation for you. It's about serving. It's about loving. It's about developing talents. It's about solid education. It's about adventure. It's about getting out of your comfort zone. It's about doing your best. It's about having faith in Christ. It's about humbling yourself before him. Asking for strength. Christ will give you purpose.
That's all I have for you guys today. You'll notice I didn't write nearly as much on 'Living A Purposeful Life', but that's because I honestly believe that finding those intimate and loving relationships will give you a purpose. It'll give you something to live for. To expand for. Gah. I love all of my friends. I love my family. I love every single person I've ever come in contact with. There is not one person I have met that I haven't found at least one thing to love about them. Isn't that so cool? We are all beautiful.
I hope you guys got something out of this. I know I did. I learned a lot about myself, too. Thank you to all of the people who inspired me to write this. I'm so grateful for you and can't imagine where I'd be without your love and support.
I hope you guys have a great day. I hope you are happy.
Love,
Savannah
