Vulnerability Requires Effort

Vulnerability is often associated with “negative” emotions like shame however, Brene Brown in Texas found in her work that it is also the birthplace of joy and other positively associated emotions. She also found that we cannot selectively numb one emotion, when we try to do that we simply numb all emotions. It is in these times that we shut down, have break downs, feel depressed, anxious, and lack confidence. This vicious cycle leads to further feelings of shame and the cycle continues until we make the decision to shift into a new space. This means: new thoughts, new feelings, thawing all emotions in order to sort through them, and opening the heart space.

I find this research fascinating and listen to her TED talks over and over again, each time learning something new! The part that is exciting to me is that I know we can go through a critical transition into allowing vulnerability to be a positive experience leading to more joy, happiness, love, and abundance. My interest is in assisting others to identify their greatest challenge and turn it into an asset.  This desire developed along my own journey of acceptance of my eyes / vision and learning how to make this an asset.  Journeying into your core, your genuine self, is extremely challenging and requires patience and persistence. We live in a society that demands instant gratification so patience and persistence are becoming lost arts. IT requires creativity to foster their development as life skills and instead of exploiting your technology by living each second of your day based around it, employ it. There are so many health apps available, you can set reminders with your positive affirmations, and create a mindfulness in your day that is aided by technology not a parasitic relationship with that piece of technology.

My personal  journey is slowly revealing my authentic self and as I connect the dots I am realizing my full potential. It is all centered around chiropractic philosophy and assisted by life experiences and passions. My passions are social and environmental justice, organic cooking, embracing all of the senses , teaching others, reading, writing, and  expressing my innate creativity. In order to be creative, I have realized I must create an environment that supports my senses. This means all my basic needs must be met, healthy food, clean water, good music, scent, natural light, and comfortable furniture. It is in this environment that I thrive, having my external environment support my inside-out creative process.   As a child, I had a dedicated art room. It had every supply I could  imagine and I spent hours in that room painting, drawing, making jewelry, and other projects.  I thought I had lost that part of my heart when my vision was ripped away but I am now realizing it is part of my essence and I must get it back. Just like when I finally went horseback riding for the first time after losing my vision, several months ago, I feel myself connecting to my genuine self through being creative.  This includes things in my practice being congruent, genuine, and fostering collaborative creativity. This includes me stepping out of my comfort zone and writing  vulnerable pieces because that is part of my heart.  Embracing large audiences and telling them my story within the context of the chiropractic story only helps me get closer to my truth. I have decided to learn how to throw pots so that I can sculpt with my extra sensitive palpation skills and to take a poetry writing class. I love learning and will continue to learn about  chiropractic and work on those skills. I believe  that allowing myself creativity time will only enhance my adjusting and communication skills in practice. I will be more connected with my own innate intelligence, which will allow me to make specific adjustments with the most pure intent.

Regular, lifestyle care, chiropractic adjustments remove the interference in my nervous system and allow my fullest potential to be expressed. I encourage this style of care for all people so that each one of us can live a life of purpose, love, and express our inborn potential!

Here I am, learning how to be vulnerable, in a society that increasingly discourages it or makes it into a weakness. I have finally realized my strengths! I am strong for going to graduate school and becoming a doctor without being able to see! I am expressing my innate potential by writing vulnerable articles and communicating the chiropractic story! I am courageous for meeting with over fifty other doctors and health care providers in my community in the past six months and for sharing my own truth and the story with them! I am living my purpose, I am creating a collaborative community that is congruent with my purpose and all along creating  positive vulnerability in all aspects of my life. Taking mini breaks to see where you have been and where you are going , will help this process. Keeping a journal is a way to keep track of your process while supporting your creativity through the art of writing.

 Vulnerability allows the heart space to open in new ways, streaming in light and pouring out love. Chiropractic is head, heart, and hands so I know that I must continue to work on all three aspects. I invite you to join me in this journey of self exploration to tap into yoru own innate intelligence so that you may live a life of purpose and of the fullest expression.

ADIO Love,

Dr. Elizabeth