1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: On this week's episode of Cultivating her Space. 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: You can't be vulnerable and be perfect at the same time. 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 2: They don't go together. They not a match. It's not happening. 4 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: Swipe left, swipe right, whichever one you got to do 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 2: to get rid of it like it's not happening. Hey, lady, 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: have you ever felt like the world just doesn't get you? Well, 7 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 2: we do. 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Cultivating her Space, the podcast dedicated to uplifting 9 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: and empowering women like you. 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 2: We're your hosts, Doctor Dominique Brussard and educator and psychologists. 11 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: And Terry Lomax, a techie and transformational speaker. 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: Join us every week for authentic conversations about everything from 13 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 2: fibroids to fake friends as we create space for black 14 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: women to just be. 15 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: Before we dive in, make sure you hit that file 16 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: up and leave us a quick five star review. Lady, 17 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: We are black founded and black owned, and your support 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: will help us reach even more women like you. 19 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 2: Now, let's get into this week's episode of Cultivating her Space. 20 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 3: It's doctor dom here from the Cultivating her Space podcast. 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 3: Are you currently a resident of the state of California 22 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 3: and contemplating starting your therapy journey? Well, if so, please 23 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 3: reach out to me at doctor Dominique Brusard dot com. 24 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 3: That's d R D O M I N I q 25 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 3: U E b R O U ss ar D dot 26 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 3: com to schedule a free fifteen minute consultation. I look 27 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: forward to hearing from you, all right. 28 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: Our quote of the day, it's a long one, So 29 00:01:54,840 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: buckle up. Being a strong black woman doesn't mean that 30 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: you can't be vulnerable. It's okay to cry. It's okay 31 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: if you're having a bad day. It's okay if some 32 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: days you feel like giving up. It's okay if you 33 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: need to ask for help. And that quote comes to 34 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 2: us from Stephanie Lahart and lady, if you listen to 35 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: our episodes chronologically, or have listened to any of our 36 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 2: more recent episodes, that quote of the day is familiar 37 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: to you. Te you tell them. 38 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: Why, all right, So it's familiar because a few episodes, 39 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: a few episodes ago, we started a conversation about vulnerability, 40 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: and the dialogue was so rich, Domini, we just kind 41 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: of went off not even I don't even want to 42 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: say on the tangent. We just went off different in 43 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: different pathways we didn't expect, and we didn't get a 44 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: chance to finish the entire episode. So today we're picking 45 00:02:57,360 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: up right where we left off. And if you missed 46 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: that episode, you can go back and listen. It's in 47 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: part it's part one, and it's in the previous season. 48 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: It is season twenty seven, episode twelve, with the same 49 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: title as today's episode. Just makes you look for the 50 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: part one at the end of the title, and you 51 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: know you've reached the right episode. 52 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: And we can't stress enough. If you haven't listened to 53 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: part one yet, go and check that part out first, 54 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: then come back. We'll be here waiting for you. And 55 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: we say that because in part one we laid out 56 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 2: the foundation for the content that we're talking about. Right 57 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: in part one, we break down what vulnerability really means, 58 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 2: and y'all know I like to operationalize a definition, so 59 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: we're all on the same page when using a word, 60 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: So that's not reason enough to go back to Part one. 61 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: We also discuss why so many of us, particularly black women, 62 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: resists vulnerability and some of the hurdles that keep us 63 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: from showing up authentically. And so once you have that 64 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: foundation in that context, you'll be ready to come back 65 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 2: to what we're diving into today. 66 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: That's right. So in part two today we're going to 67 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: dive deeper into the why and the how so why 68 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: vulnerability matters for our relationships are healing in our growth 69 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: and how to practice it safely. That is very important. 70 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: I think people often talk about vulnerability, be vulnerable, be vulnerable, 71 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: but it's like, we want to be strategic, and so 72 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: we talked about strategic strategic safety today and ways that 73 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: will honor your boundaries you're pacing in your troops. So 74 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: let's get into it. No, dom, I know we're going 75 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: to dive into the different ways or the whyse behind 76 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: why vulnerability matters. I was thinking about this in my 77 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: personal life of like why why is this important for me? 78 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: For us, but also for us as a collective. And 79 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: I know you as a therapist. You've probably heard about 80 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: reports about the loneliness epidemic, right, and I think twenty 81 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: twenty is really a time where people were feeling that, right, 82 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: especially people who may not have had community or people 83 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: that they were I want to say on lockdown with 84 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 1: Because in California we were like now couldn't leave the 85 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: house some days. And so I've noticed people online and 86 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: just people in conversations talking about feeling disconnected, feeling isolated, 87 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: or lacking community. I felt that even with myself, like 88 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: you can have community, you can be a part of something, 89 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: but also feel lonely. And so I think about that 90 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: social skills. I'm sure it's you know, working on college 91 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 1: campuses and how we have social media, we see social 92 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: skills regressing. And then the other thing that I literally 93 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: just saw was the I want to say, the creation 94 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: of like AI artists and influencers. And so when I'm 95 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: thinking about the conversation that we're having today, I think 96 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,119 Speaker 1: at some point we should touch on those things because 97 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: it feels really important because of the state of the world. 98 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: You know, what are your thoughts on that? 99 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 2: So so as I was sitting, as I'm processing all 100 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: of what you are sharing, I think about how hard 101 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: vulnerability really is and what I appreciate about this second 102 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,119 Speaker 2: part of this conversation that we're having today is about 103 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 2: the safety that is necessary for vulnerability to exist. And 104 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 2: so I think about social media and how that there 105 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 2: is not really emotional safety there. And the flip side 106 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 2: of that is that for some people that does feel safe, 107 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: right because it may fit for some For some people 108 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 2: it may feel easier to be honest with a camera 109 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: because you don't have the people in person to show 110 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 2: you body language to give you immediate feedback. And as 111 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 2: vicious as social media can be, it's also a space 112 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: where you can find people who resonate with your story. 113 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: And so I think about how for some people social 114 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: media may feel like a safer space to truly be 115 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 2: their vulnerable, authentic selves, and then for others, it's they 116 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 2: meet that in person, direct human to human connection in 117 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 2: order for vulnerability to exist, which then helps decrease that 118 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 2: loneliness that they're feeling, because the reality is that and 119 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: I may have said it in that in our part one, 120 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 2: but I know I say it often that we all 121 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 2: want to be seen, heard and loved and valued. 122 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 4: And when those things exist, it makes vulnerability easier. 123 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 2: So that's what I happened to it. Yes, no, I 124 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: love it. 125 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: I think that's perfect. That makes perfect since and I 126 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: think it's a great segue into some of the key 127 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: points that we want to touch on when it comes 128 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: to why vulnerability matters. And so the first I guess, 129 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: I don't even know. I want to call it a 130 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: tip really, But the first reason I guess would be 131 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: that it builds into intimacy, trust and belonging. And so 132 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: many of us may know this, but when we let 133 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: people see the real us, it can a deeper connection 134 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: because we're not bonding with a mask, right, they get 135 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: to bond with the real us. And we can think 136 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: about the podcast. Right, We've talked about very personal subjects 137 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: on the podcast, and we've had listeners. I mean, oh, man, 138 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: I wish I remember everyone's name, but I'm literally just 139 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: on the spot right now. I'm thinking about listeners that 140 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: we saw at the live event who talked about how 141 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: the podcast you know, helped them through a divorce, or 142 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: someone talked about how, you know, us touching on death 143 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: or certain just certain things in life have really inspired 144 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: them along their journey because they were experiencing something similar. 145 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: And so I think about with our platform, even although 146 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: we don't always get to see you, lady, because we're 147 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: on the mic and we're just kind of putting this 148 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 1: content out there for you, but we don't get to 149 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: see your face and be in communion with you, it 150 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: still does build that trust and intimacy right in that 151 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: connection and hopefully belonging for you. 152 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: Yes, And I think also when it comes to in 153 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 2: person interactions, whether it is your relationship with a partner 154 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 2: or or a relationship with a friend or family member, 155 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 2: having that intimacy, like being able to be vulnerable, really 156 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 2: enhances that intimacy, right, really enhances that trust. Now, the 157 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 2: thing is is that in a lot. 158 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 4: Of these situations, it's what came first, the chicken or 159 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 4: the egg. 160 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 3: Right? 161 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: Do I have this intimacy, trust, and sense of belonging 162 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 2: because one or both or all of us were vulnerable? 163 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: Or did I have to establish intimacy, trust, and sense 164 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 2: of belonging in order for me to feel comfortable being vulnerable? 165 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 2: And honestly, it'll depend on the situation. And so that 166 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 2: takes us to the second reason, and it's when we 167 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: are in a space where we are able to be vulnerable, 168 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: it strengthens not only our self acceptance, but that muscle 169 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 2: to be authentic, right, that you become when you get 170 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 2: more comfortable in vulnerability, you become more comfortable accepting wholeheartedly 171 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 2: who you are and putting your full, authentic self out 172 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 2: there on a regular basis. Now, I will also say 173 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 2: the caveat is that I understand that there are some 174 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 2: spaces where being vulnerable, is not strategic, is not to 175 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 2: your advantage. So for most of us, as black women, 176 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 2: the workplace is not a space where you can truly 177 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 2: be vulnerable. And so I want to acknowledge that, and 178 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: I want people to hear that I'm not asking you 179 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 2: to be vulnerable with that boss who is evaluating you 180 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 2: and will turn right around and use that against you 181 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 2: in some way, even if in your face they were saying, oh, 182 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: thank you so much for that vulnerability and honesty and transparency. 183 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 2: So I want to be clear that that's not what 184 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: we're talking about, right that, like we understand that there 185 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 2: are that the work space is not you usually the 186 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:07,199 Speaker 2: space where you can be vulnerable. Some of us are 187 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 2: fortunate where we have where we do have workspaces where 188 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 2: we can be vulnerable, but the majority of us do not, 189 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 2: and so we do want to I did want to 190 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 2: take a moment to pause and acknowledge. 191 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: That I appreciate you sharing that down because as you 192 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: were sharing this and made me think of two things. One, 193 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: how I show up in the therapy space now because 194 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: I'm just a bit I just think about where I 195 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: was in the beginning of my therapy journey. I wasn't 196 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 1: sharing as much. It took me, like forever, really dive 197 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: into some of the deep stuff with one of my 198 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: particular therapists. And so now just because of experience, maybe age, 199 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: wisdom and just where I am in life, I share more. 200 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 1: And I find that it does kind of force. It 201 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: can force us to acknowledge our truth instead of hiding it. 202 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: And also I think that when we practice being seen, 203 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: the more we can start to believe like I am 204 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: enough even though this is a part of my story 205 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: whatever that might be, or because this happened or whatever. 206 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: So that's one thing I thought about. And the other 207 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:06,959 Speaker 1: thing I love that you said is that most of us, 208 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: yeah something, go ahead, go ahead. 209 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 2: Go ahead, it's about therapy. 210 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: But remember I remember mine, go ahead cause you look excited. 211 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: So I, as a therapist, I do want to say, 212 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: I want to I did. I didn't want us to 213 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: skip over this piece of what you shared. Right of 214 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: how in the therapy space there were times when in 215 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 2: particular therapists, where you didn't feel comfortable enough being fully vulnerable. Yeah, 216 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 2: And what I tell my clients all the time is 217 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 2: that I can't help you if I don't know the 218 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 2: full picture, right like I can only help you with 219 00:14:54,880 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 2: what you give me. I also recognize within that that 220 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 2: it is my job as the therapist to make you 221 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 2: feel create a space where you feel. 222 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 4: Seeing heard valued, right and. 223 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 2: Not every therapist is good at that, and we might 224 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 2: not be able to do that for every client. So 225 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 2: for me, particularly working on a college campus, some of 226 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: what that creating that space looks like is letting clients, 227 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 2: letting students know about certain aspects of my personal life 228 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 2: that we were taught in school that you don't share 229 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 2: that with clients, right Like, I had one student, I've 230 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: had more than one student ask me me if I 231 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: was currently in a relationship, right, Okay, And not because 232 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: they were trying to get with me or anything like that, 233 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 2: right Like, It was more so them trying to understand 234 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 2: how I can relate to what they were dealing within 235 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: that moment. And so and so I think about to 236 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 2: that point of the vulnerability that is expected in a 237 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 2: therapy relationship is not only the work of you as 238 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: the client, is it is up to your therapist to 239 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 2: create that space. Because I when I first started my 240 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: therapy journey, there were a couple of therapists that I 241 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 2: saw that I was like, I mean, I'm gonna give 242 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 2: you the high level content. I'm going to intellectualize all 243 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: the way with you, and that's it. And I knew 244 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 2: that that was not going to be the therapy relationship 245 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 2: that was gonna get me the healing that I needed. Yes, 246 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 2: because their presence and not to say that they were 247 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: an awful therapist, but who they were and how they 248 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 2: engaged with me did not create a space where I 249 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable. 250 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: I love that you share that. Don You made me 251 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: think of something I was going to say way back 252 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 1: to what I was going to say that ties into this, 253 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: and so I love that you covered that because one 254 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: of the things I wanted to share is that my 255 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: most positive experiences to date have been with black women 256 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: when it comes to my therapy experiences. And recently I 257 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: was digging into some more stuff that I've been experiencing 258 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: and I met with a black woman coach and girl 259 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: was so interesting because we were meeting and I was 260 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: like pretty emotional that week, and I told you behind 261 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: the scenes what I was dealing with. I'm just gonna 262 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: say it's around addiction. We'll do another episode about it, Lady. 263 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna I'm not gonna keep no secrets from you, 264 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 1: lady out. We'll share it later, but once we flesh 265 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: out the episode. I shared this with this black woman 266 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: coach and I like broke down on the virtual call, 267 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: and I did not like it. Just I felt like 268 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: it was so new. You know how I felt about 269 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: this initially when it was happening. She's like, oh my gosh, 270 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: and I was really struggled. It was that first couple 271 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: of weeks of you know, me dealing with it, and 272 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: I was like it was overwhelming. I was feeling a 273 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: certain way, and so I shared it and I broke 274 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: down and it did not feel safe. And after that, 275 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 1: I was like, she didn't say anything wrong, she didn't 276 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: do anything wrong. It was just a certain level of 277 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: I don't know, maybe being held or being the presence 278 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: is what you said, and I think it was that 279 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: in my gut something was just like I don't something 280 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: about this just didn't feel right. And so I had 281 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: the moment after I was just like, that was kind 282 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: of weird the way that kind of happened after And 283 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: so for some reason, I love to get your feedback 284 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: on this too. For some reason, in my body, because 285 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: of my trauma and things I'm used to. There was 286 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: this thing in me saying like, but like, let's call, 287 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: let's give it another try, let's do this. But I'm like, 288 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: I don't have to do that. I don't have to 289 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 1: try to make something work that doesn't fit. If my 290 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: gut was like pause, then we could just pause. And 291 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: I didn't reach out again. I didn't schedule anything because 292 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: I just had to pause. And so I wanted to 293 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: say that any thoughts on that before we talk to 294 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: the next one. 295 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: Listening to your gut, listening to what your body is 296 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 2: telling you is so important because that also is a 297 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 2: cue for is this a space where I can be vulnerable? Right? 298 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 2: It does require us knowing our body, because for some 299 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 2: of us, the signal that our body is giving us 300 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 2: is not that this is not a safe space, but 301 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:48,440 Speaker 2: that it's a signal. It's an anxious signal. Yeah of oh, 302 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:53,159 Speaker 2: I haven't done this thing before, it's new, I'm nervous 303 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 2: about trying this new thing. Yes, And sometimes we listen 304 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,439 Speaker 2: to that and think, oh, we confuse that with a 305 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: sign of this is a no go, don't do this right. 306 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 2: And so you have to learn your body, learn yourself 307 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 2: to know the difference between I'm feeling some slight discomfort 308 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 2: because I'm anxious about this new thing versus I'm feeling 309 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: some discomfort because this is my body letting me know 310 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,360 Speaker 2: that this is not the time or space to do this. 311 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: I love that you made that distinction down because maybe 312 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: in the beginning of my journey, I may have been like, wait, 313 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: I don't know what this is, but I knew what 314 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:33,880 Speaker 1: this was. So I'm glad that you made that distinction 315 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 1: because it is so important because sometimes it's like, no, 316 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: you need to face that and we need to feel 317 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: the discomfort and let's let's move through this. We're gonna 318 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: move through it in a safe and you know, strategic way. 319 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: But like, come on. So that takes us to number three, 320 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: which is it break cycles of perfectionism. So it helps 321 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: us to break cycles of perfectionism. Vulnerability can interrupt the 322 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 1: need to look like you have it all together. I 323 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: remember years ago, like thirteen or so years ago, when 324 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: I was first starting my online brand, and I thought 325 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: everything had to be pilished and perfect and I had 326 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: to appear a certain way and do all that. And 327 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: then I realized I'm like, no, like, people don't resonate 328 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: with perfection, and so I began to share the mishaps, 329 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: the accidents, the mistakes, and just letting people know, not 330 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: taking myself too seriously, like I made a mistake. Okay, 331 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: I made a mistake. I mean even when you listen 332 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: to the podcast, lady, we making mistakes in the podcast. 333 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: We actually don't edit them out as much now. We 334 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: used to edit them out heavy in the beginning, but 335 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: now we don't unless it's like a major thing where 336 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, we have a guest doing or something, 337 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: but we keep it in there so you know, like, yeah, 338 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,199 Speaker 1: we're human, should be happening, and we keep on We 339 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: keep on rolling. That's what we do. 340 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 2: Yes, Yes, And I think that that and I think 341 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 2: what that does is that allows you to lean into 342 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 2: like as you're leaning into that vulnerability, then it becomes easier. 343 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 2: It becomes a natural thing to break that cycle of perfectionism, 344 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 2: because you can't be vulnerable and be perfect at the 345 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 2: same time. They don't go to get other, They not 346 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 2: a match. It's not happening. Swipe left, swipe right, whichever 347 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 2: one you got to do to get rid of it, 348 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 2: Like it's not happening, Okay, it's not happening. And so 349 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 2: the final reason before we dive into the tips on 350 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 2: how to practice safe vulnerability is that vulnerability is important 351 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 2: because it counters that disconnection and isolation in the digital age, 352 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,399 Speaker 2: which we sort of already touched on, right, that like, 353 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 2: when you are in a space of sharing your full 354 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 2: authentic self, there are people that are going to resonate 355 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 2: with your experience or who want to support you in 356 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 2: your experience. And when you have people who resonate with 357 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 2: your story and or they're wanting to support you, that 358 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:04,399 Speaker 2: helps foster connection. And then it also takes it a 359 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 2: step further and models for them what vulnerability looks like, right, 360 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 2: and it makes it so that they then feel comfortable 361 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 2: being vulnerable. And so now that connection is deepening and 362 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 2: you're feeling less isolated because you're like, oh, okay, well, 363 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 2: even if their stuff isn't the same as their experience 364 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 2: isn't the same as my experience, we're all navigating things together. 365 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 2: We can show up and they got flaws. I got flaws. 366 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 2: This thing went really well for me, But did you 367 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 2: really know what was happening in the background, And the 368 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 2: connections and the community that can be built can be 369 00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 2: life changing. 370 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: Absolutely. You know, we have been a living witness of 371 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: what that looks like in action. And one of the 372 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: things I want to add is that with AI right 373 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: curated feeds and surface level interactions which I'm sure we 374 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:15,879 Speaker 1: all see online vulnerability, it can really recenter us in human, 375 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: authentic experiences right and earlier do I mentioned something about 376 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 1: AI and I saw something a couple of weeks ago 377 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,440 Speaker 1: that I was reminded of when we took a little 378 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: break before we started, and I am like, it's very 379 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: mind blowing to me to see I'm thinking about vulnerability 380 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: within the context of what I'm going to share with 381 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: you and what I witnessed. So there's an R and 382 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: B AI artist, and there are AI influencers that are 383 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: like gaining followers. It's R and B artists, it's an 384 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: AI artist has a charting song with a three million 385 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: dollar record deal, which is very mind blowing to me. 386 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: But the other thing is I saw this AI influencer 387 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: who was a queer black woman and there's a whole 388 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: Instagram page. I don't want to call it the name, 389 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: I'm just going to say the high level, but it's 390 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: an Instagram page and the images are beautiful. But what 391 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 1: really got me and confused me is that when you 392 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: go down the feed, there are videos and there are 393 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: pictures and they look real and it's the woman in 394 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: her I believe it's her wife or girlfriend, and she 395 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: was talking about her fertility journey and daycare drop offs 396 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: and like living this luxurious lifestyle. That's not the part though. 397 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 1: People are emotionally connecting in the comments, people are congratulating her. 398 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 1: Some people know what's AI. They're congratulating her and they're 399 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 1: like into this story, and I'm just it makes me 400 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: question where the world is going. And that's why I 401 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: think the human connection aspect is just so important in 402 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: the content of this conversation. And I think it also 403 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: highlights how easy it is to connect with manufactured stories 404 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:49,960 Speaker 1: like AI has benefits, but it's important for us to 405 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,919 Speaker 1: remember that human connection is crucial and important, and so 406 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: I think it just really depends on like where are 407 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: we putting our energy, how are we showing up? And 408 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: there's a deeper conversation that she be had around and 409 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: maybe we'll have that in the future too, But what 410 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: are your thoughts on that in the context of vulnerability, 411 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: Because I my mind is really blown. 412 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, as I'm listening to you to share this story, 413 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 2: I just started feeling concerned. Like to me, part of 414 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 2: that will make vulnerability harder. My worry is that it 415 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 2: will make vulnerability harder in the future because we won't 416 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 2: know who to trust what to trust. Right, If I 417 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 2: could see where there's a space where someone who has 418 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 2: difficulty with social connection, how they could connect to this 419 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 2: AI person and they're that that AI story and experiences 420 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: and all the things, and it works for them because 421 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 2: they have difficulty doing the human interactions. 422 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,439 Speaker 1: And this is the person behind the AI who's like 423 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: creating it. Is that what you're referring to the audience 424 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: a person connecting with it? 425 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 3: Right? 426 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:16,679 Speaker 2: If they are someone? 427 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 3: If? 428 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 2: If? All right, So let me make this easier because 429 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 2: I don't want people to be confused. So Terry, let's 430 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 2: say you're the person who is looking at this AI 431 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:31,439 Speaker 2: content and you are a person who has trouble with 432 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 2: social connection and you're feeling isolated, and you go and 433 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 2: you're interacting with this AI creation, and you are interacting 434 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 2: as if this is a real person, and you're learning 435 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 2: how to have empathy, what it looks like to show empathy, 436 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: what and you're learning social cues from interacting with this 437 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 2: person this AI creation. Okay, I could see where that 438 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 2: could be helpful in that scenario. However, I could also 439 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: see the devastation that may be experienced when you learn 440 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 2: that this is not real, yes, and the devastation that 441 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 2: could be experienced from and when you then take that 442 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 2: and translate that to is this what people humans do? 443 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: Or Well? If I can't trust that, can I trust 444 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 2: anyone or anything? And so it's it's hard because I 445 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 2: can see, I can see a world where AI creation 446 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 2: can make it easier for some people who are experiencing 447 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 2: isolation to learn how to connect. But then I also 448 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: worry in overall that then it makes it harder for 449 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 2: us to trust one another in real life because you're 450 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 2: so used to seeing things that are AI created that 451 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 2: now you don't know even your people in real life. Well, 452 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 2: is what you're giving me real? 453 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: Like? 454 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 2: Is this really you? Like? You and I just had 455 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 2: a conversation. How do I know that that's how you 456 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 2: really feel? And you weren't on your phone on on 457 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 2: one of I'm not going to name a name of 458 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 2: an AI platform, but you're on an AI platform learning 459 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 2: how to have a conversation with me instead of being 460 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 2: your authentic self like it. I worry that it will 461 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 2: it'll slow down our ability to be vulnerable. 462 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: That's a really good point, Dom, And I think that 463 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: we all should definitely just keep our eyes on, you know, 464 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: what's happening, how things are developing, because I think that 465 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: a lot of people who are creating these tools and platforms, 466 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: they may not have our best interest at heart. And 467 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: so I think this is when going within and tapping 468 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: into I mean, nothing can be discernments, right, which we're 469 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: going to talk about just a bit. Nothing can be 470 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: discernment and your connection with you know, God, spirit, whatever 471 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: you want to call your higher power. Right, I'm not here. 472 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: This is your that's your business. I'm not here to 473 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: tell you that because we all have our own beliefs. 474 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: But like, nothing can be that connection and the vulnerability 475 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: of human connections in my opinion, and so I think 476 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: that when it comes to practicing vulnerability, it isn't always 477 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: about oversharing or exposing yourself in unsafe ways. We think 478 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: it's about being intentional and learning how to open up 479 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 1: with wisdom and again being strategic is domstated earlier, because 480 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: many of us are not in spaces where we can 481 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: just share openly, let's say, like in the workplace or 482 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: even in some family settings. Okay, sometimes you've got to 483 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: have some clear boundaries with family and can't be super 484 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 1: vulnerable in that setting because it is not safe for you. Right. 485 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 1: I've definitely experienced that. And so today we want to 486 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 1: break down or break this section down into two lanes. 487 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: So we're going to talk about vulnerability with yourself, because 488 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: everything starts with the self, Everything starts with the person 489 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: in the mirror. And then vulnerability with others because it 490 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: may look different, but in order for you to be 491 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: vulnerable with others, you gotta be vulnerable with yourself first, right, 492 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: So let's jump in. 493 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 2: So see, you started off by mentioning like discernment, right, 494 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: and so in terms of discernment with yourself, you have 495 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 2: to take a moment and pause and go within and 496 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 2: be honest with you, Yeah, because you can't be honest 497 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 2: with others if you don't know how to be honest 498 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 2: with you first. Exactly, so you can ask yourself, what 499 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 2: am I feeling? What do I need? And when you're 500 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 2: honest with yourself, think about as if no one is 501 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 2: ever gonna know because oftentimes, as we're trying to learn 502 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 2: how to be vulnerable, we have to start there right 503 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 2: with practicing with ourselves. Okay, someone says someone said something 504 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:22,640 Speaker 2: to me today, How am I really feeling? Not what 505 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,480 Speaker 2: I said, not not what really what did I respond with? 506 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 2: But how am I really feeling? What is the emotion 507 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 2: that's coming up? And what do I mean? 508 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 1: Now? 509 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 2: I may have responded politely, but on the inside, I 510 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 2: might be on fire, ready to breathe fire like a 511 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 2: dragon because I am so pissed with what that person said. 512 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 2: If I am honest with myself, then I'm gonna say 513 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 2: I am pissed all the way the fuck off. And 514 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 2: what do I need right now? Do I need to 515 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 2: feel that rage, let myself experience it for a minute 516 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 2: and and and then do something with that, do something 517 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 2: healthy with that rage? Or do I need to acknowledge that, yes, 518 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 2: I am feeling this rage, but recognize that it is 519 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 2: not good for me in the long run to do 520 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 2: something with it. So how do I come down? How 521 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 2: do I what do I need to self southe And 522 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:44,120 Speaker 2: that's discernment, because there are times where internally you may 523 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 2: truly be feeling rage. Yeah, externally. It's not gonna it's 524 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 2: not gonna be productive for you to put it out there. 525 00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 2: But you have to acknowledge that you're feeling it, because 526 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 2: if you don't knowledge that you're feeling it, if you 527 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 2: push it down, you stuff it down. Either one you're 528 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 2: gonna end up acting out in a situation that didn't 529 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 2: deserve that m or two you're gonna start causing your 530 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:21,720 Speaker 2: body physical harm because you are putting so much energy 531 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 2: into stuffing down that emotion. 532 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 1: Or you're gonna end up calling somebody up and telling 533 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: them your business and then regretting it later because you 534 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 1: was just in a moment you're like, I need to 535 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: talk to somebody and tell them that are there before 536 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: listen dumb. Okay, So before we jump in, lady, we're 537 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:40,040 Speaker 1: talking about, of course, how to practice safe vulnerability, right, 538 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 1: and when it comes to discernment, there were literally a 539 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,760 Speaker 1: couple of situations this week that made me think about 540 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 1: this particular point here about having discernment. And so when 541 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: we think about discernment, like you said, it's like recognizing 542 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,799 Speaker 1: those subtle differences the nuance, and like being able to 543 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 1: make wise judgments and understand what's true, what's valuable, what's 544 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 1: going to be productive within this this content? And so 545 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:02,840 Speaker 1: there was a situation. There were a couple of situations 546 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: this week where something happened and I could have phoned 547 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 1: a friend, I could have talked about it with someone, 548 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: but it was like midday, I didn't want to. People 549 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:10,920 Speaker 1: were busy, and I kind of sat with myself and 550 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 1: I was like, do I need to share this or 551 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,279 Speaker 1: can I just work through on my own? Because like 552 00:35:15,320 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: you said, it wasn't going to be productive. And I 553 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: also you know how you tell somebody something and you're 554 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: reliving the situation, It's like do I want to be 555 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:21,760 Speaker 1: in that space? 556 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:22,000 Speaker 3: Right? 557 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 1: That's super important? The vulnerability was self and then when 558 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: it comes to kind of transitioning into the discernment with others, 559 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: sharing only with those who've earned your trust, right going 560 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 1: back to that, you're heated in the moment and you're 561 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:36,399 Speaker 1: just like, I just need to talk to somebody. I've 562 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: been there before. And you call somebody up and you 563 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: tell them like do do do this happened? So boom 564 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 1: blah blah blah blah, and then after you get it out, 565 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: maybe they don't respond the way that you wanted them to. 566 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:47,879 Speaker 1: Respond you're like, God, damn, I shouldn't share this shit 567 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 1: with them, or they go out and tell your business 568 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: whatever it might be, right, this person was not safe. 569 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 1: They didn't earn your trust, and in the moment you 570 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:57,919 Speaker 1: were just had a lot of energy and you wanted 571 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: to get it out before maybe going over with your 572 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: self and self soothing. And so it's important to ask ourselves, 573 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: has this person shown up in a way where I 574 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:09,840 Speaker 1: can share my story and they can hold my story 575 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 1: with care right, Let's look at patterns and past behaviors. 576 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,560 Speaker 1: A lot of times it's really important because if you 577 00:36:15,640 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: know that someone has a theme of showing up in 578 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: a certain way and maybe they're not open the feedback 579 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 1: when you share it with them, like, hey, I like 580 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: to be supported in this way, that may not be 581 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: the person that you go to for that thing, right, 582 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:26,839 Speaker 1: And it's important for us to know that. So we're 583 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: not I want to say, contributing to instances of I 584 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:32,880 Speaker 1: don't know if I want to call it self harm, 585 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 1: but just like feeling like we're I don't know, don 586 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:39,480 Speaker 1: what is the word I'm looking for? Yeah, situations where 587 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 1: we're not being supported or careful or having the presence 588 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 1: that we desire. It's like, once we recognize the pattern, 589 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 1: we may need to find a new outlet or find 590 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,040 Speaker 1: a new person that makes sense. 591 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, that does. Yeah, and so I think yes 592 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 2: with that discernment, once you once you've kind of figured 593 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 2: out how you're able to discern like what you're feeling, 594 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 2: and you know how to share it with yourself, and 595 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 2: you're getting better at identifying who are the people you 596 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 2: can share share it with, the next thing is or 597 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 2: part of what can help you in that discernment is 598 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 2: to start small. So with yourself, name those feelings right, 599 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 2: say to yourself right now, just do do check ins, 600 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 2: periodic check ins throughout the day. Huh, I feel anxious 601 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 2: right now. Maybe this is not a situation where I 602 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 2: would have openly acknowledged to myself that I'm feeling anxious, 603 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 2: but I need that. I need to say that in 604 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 2: this moment to myself. 605 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 3: Hmm. 606 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,359 Speaker 2: I'll check in later and figure out why I might 607 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 2: have been feeling anxious, but I need to name in 608 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 2: this moment I'm feeling anxious or I'm feeling lonely. I 609 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 2: don't know what I'm doing. I think for a lot 610 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 2: of us that are in positions where people look to 611 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 2: us to be the expert or to have the answers. 612 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:33,279 Speaker 2: It may be hard to say, I don't know, But 613 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 2: if you start with yourself and you do this on 614 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:44,800 Speaker 2: a regular basis of acknowledging how you're feeling, you start 615 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:52,359 Speaker 2: to build that muscle memory of honesty, of what, of 616 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:56,440 Speaker 2: naming the emotion as it comes up, and then it'll 617 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:01,880 Speaker 2: get easier to bring that into your external world. 618 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:04,759 Speaker 1: That's right. And then when it comes to being or 619 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 1: starting small with others, going back to what dom just shared, 620 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:11,120 Speaker 1: you can begin with micro acts of openness like I 621 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: don't know. Sometimes that can be that is a very 622 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: vulnerable statement, especially depending on the setting. 623 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 2: Right. 624 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: My daughter asks me questions all the time. I'm like, girl, 625 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,359 Speaker 1: she asked me the other day, don how was San 626 00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 1: Francisco create it? 627 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 3: Like? 628 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:25,480 Speaker 1: How did San Francisco get here? I'm like, that's a 629 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:28,600 Speaker 1: brilliant question for a four year old question. I don't know, 630 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: but we can research it, right, Like that's a big 631 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: that can be a big act of vulnerability. Or I'm sorry, 632 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:38,080 Speaker 1: I apologize right another one, or I need help. Let's 633 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 1: talk about that one for black women, I need help? 634 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:44,600 Speaker 2: Wow, Yeah, that's. 635 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:46,440 Speaker 1: Episode. 636 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:50,680 Speaker 2: I'm still working on that one sometimes. Yeah, it's the thing, 637 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 2: and it is about vulnerability. 638 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 1: Yes, vulnerability, And like you said, we may need to 639 00:39:57,239 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 1: write this down as another episode to dive into because 640 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 1: when you said that, it's like, Okay, yeah, I do 641 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:04,320 Speaker 1: need help, but is someone going to be there to 642 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: be able to help me? Like, because you know how 643 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 1: it is. My grandmother used to always be like, I 644 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:09,759 Speaker 1: gotta do it myself if I want to get it 645 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:11,840 Speaker 1: done right. Right, It's like one of those things like 646 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:13,600 Speaker 1: do I have to Is someone actually going to be 647 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:17,200 Speaker 1: there to support right? And so that's another episode, lady. 648 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:19,879 Speaker 1: But these acts that we just share when it comes 649 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,879 Speaker 1: to starting small with others, they can really they can 650 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: feel like small risks, but they can also build confidence 651 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:28,360 Speaker 1: and trust over time when you test them out and 652 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 1: kind of see how how do people respond when you 653 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: say that? Right? One thing I want to share I 654 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 1: had an uncle years ago I didn't know something and 655 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,800 Speaker 1: his rude ass is going to say some my family 656 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: be playing too much, said don't you have a master's degree? 657 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:41,839 Speaker 1: Like you should know that? And I'm thinking, like, sir, 658 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:43,719 Speaker 1: I don't know every damn thing just because I have 659 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: a master's degree, Like what, so that's a person who's 660 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 1: not in my life today, but like, there are instances 661 00:40:49,560 --> 00:40:51,600 Speaker 1: of things like that where you can just test people 662 00:40:51,600 --> 00:40:53,880 Speaker 1: out and see how they respond to those small instances, 663 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 1: and they'll let you know. I'm not going to call 664 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: that uncle up and go tell him about all my 665 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:00,720 Speaker 1: business and what's going on, because I know his patterns 666 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,040 Speaker 1: and that is one pattern of many other toxic and 667 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: unhealthy ones. Just fyi because some people do like the joke, right, 668 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:09,600 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah. 669 00:41:08,719 --> 00:41:10,920 Speaker 2: And so and so. Then that takes us to the 670 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,359 Speaker 2: next one. Right, That was perfect segue into this next 671 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 2: one about boundaries and within this, within practicing vulnerability safely, 672 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 2: boundaries are super important, and so we often hear and 673 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:34,000 Speaker 2: talk about boundaries with other people, but it's also important 674 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 2: to have boundaries with ourselves, right, And what that looks 675 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 2: like is identifying for yourself, what are the things that 676 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:52,400 Speaker 2: stay sacred for you, what feels safe to put out there? 677 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:57,800 Speaker 2: Right because one of a quote that I remember, I 678 00:41:57,800 --> 00:41:59,759 Speaker 2: don't remember the exact quote right now is not coming 679 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,759 Speaker 2: to me, but from their eyes were watching God by 680 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:06,719 Speaker 2: Zora Neil Hurston, that there are some things that a 681 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:11,319 Speaker 2: woman has to keep for herself right, And to me, 682 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:18,439 Speaker 2: that's like a perfect line about boundaries for yourself of 683 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:23,319 Speaker 2: knowing that there are some things that don't have to 684 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,000 Speaker 2: be shared with the rest of the world, don't have 685 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:32,600 Speaker 2: to be shared with anybody. It truly stays yours. That 686 00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:34,920 Speaker 2: doesn't mean that it didn't happen, that doesn't mean that 687 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 2: it's not valid. But it's yours to keep, yours to 688 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:42,920 Speaker 2: hold sacred, and that's that's important. 689 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:45,680 Speaker 1: It is dom Ads. You said that I was thinking 690 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:47,839 Speaker 1: about examples. Can you name an example, because the first 691 00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:49,680 Speaker 1: thing that came to mind for me, it depends on 692 00:42:49,719 --> 00:42:51,880 Speaker 1: the other thing is this is very personal. It depends 693 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:54,640 Speaker 1: on where you are in your journey, what's important to you. 694 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:57,480 Speaker 1: Because I know for some people who've had this conversation before, 695 00:42:57,520 --> 00:42:59,680 Speaker 1: but like body count as what came to mind for 696 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:01,640 Speaker 1: me because it's a conversation that a lot of people have, 697 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,360 Speaker 1: and I think that for me personally, I'm just like y'all, 698 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:08,360 Speaker 1: people judge when they hear whatever number you share, people 699 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: judge around it. And so for me, that's like one 700 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 1: of those things where it's like, anybody, what what is 701 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:13,959 Speaker 1: the body count? We don't we won't do the body 702 00:43:13,960 --> 00:43:16,040 Speaker 1: count that's not I don't subscribe to that, you know, 703 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:18,919 Speaker 1: with that idea. But then for some people, if they're 704 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:21,600 Speaker 1: with a partner, that's something that they discussed that's valuable 705 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:24,120 Speaker 1: to them, they may share and that's you. It's yours 706 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,080 Speaker 1: to choose. And I think that's the most important thing here, 707 00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:28,799 Speaker 1: is like it's about what makes you feel safe and 708 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,480 Speaker 1: what's setting it's in, right, So, and I. 709 00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:34,400 Speaker 2: Think that's the thing about what's sacred, what's sacred to 710 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:37,800 Speaker 2: what's sacred to you might not be sacred to me, 711 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 2: And so you get to decide for yourself. 712 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:43,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, what is. 713 00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:46,200 Speaker 2: That thing that that you're keeping for you? 714 00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:46,719 Speaker 4: Right? 715 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,000 Speaker 2: And so if body count is your sacred thing, then 716 00:43:49,040 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 2: that's going to be your sacred thing. For some people 717 00:43:52,520 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 2: it's their spiritual practices. Those are a sacred thing that 718 00:43:55,600 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 2: they don't share with anybody else. Yeah, for other people, 719 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:06,520 Speaker 2: it could be other rituals that they might have. For 720 00:44:06,680 --> 00:44:10,480 Speaker 2: some folks, it's about experiences that they have. So and 721 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:12,640 Speaker 2: even if it's an experience that they may have had 722 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:19,520 Speaker 2: someone with someone else or other like a group, they're 723 00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:22,040 Speaker 2: not talking about it, not even with those people they 724 00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:25,839 Speaker 2: experienced it with. Because that's the thing that they are 725 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:28,239 Speaker 2: choosing to keep sacred for. 726 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:31,319 Speaker 1: Them, that's good. Thank you for those. And then when 727 00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 1: it comes to boundaries with others, one thing to keep 728 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:38,120 Speaker 1: in mind is that vulnerability doesn't equal spilling everything, right, 729 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:42,280 Speaker 1: share what serves connection, not what leaves you feeling exposed 730 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:45,759 Speaker 1: or unsafe. And again that's all very subjective, right. It 731 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,840 Speaker 1: depends on what makes you feel that way. 732 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:56,800 Speaker 2: Yes, And so then that takes us to the connection building, right, 733 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:00,920 Speaker 2: Because the other piece is when you you set boundaries 734 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,320 Speaker 2: with other people, it is up to you to enforce 735 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:08,680 Speaker 2: those boundaries. And when you have people in your life 736 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:18,160 Speaker 2: who respect your boundaries, that helps that in building that vulnerability, 737 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:21,520 Speaker 2: that helps with the connection. Now, when it comes to 738 00:45:22,239 --> 00:45:28,440 Speaker 2: connecting with yourself, it's a good question to gauge yourself 739 00:45:28,760 --> 00:45:34,040 Speaker 2: with yourself is why am I sharing this? Am I 740 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:38,239 Speaker 2: sharing this just to be sharing because I want to 741 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:44,160 Speaker 2: hear myself talk? Am I sharing this because I need validation? 742 00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:50,399 Speaker 2: Is it that I need attention? Do I need? Am 743 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:53,560 Speaker 2: I doing this to foster a deeper connection? Am I 744 00:45:53,640 --> 00:46:01,560 Speaker 2: trying to truly build intimacy? So taking a moment in 745 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:08,800 Speaker 2: asking yourself what is the intention behind the connection building? 746 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:12,480 Speaker 2: And I know that may sound like, oh, we're talking 747 00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:18,080 Speaker 2: about connection building with others, but it starts within. So 748 00:46:18,520 --> 00:46:22,680 Speaker 2: it's these are the questions that you are asking yourself 749 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:26,640 Speaker 2: first of why do I need to open up about this? 750 00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:34,160 Speaker 2: Because if you aren't clear with yourself first, you're not 751 00:46:34,239 --> 00:46:37,719 Speaker 2: going to have that connection with other people. Because what's 752 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:46,600 Speaker 2: going to happen if you are sharing being vulnerable because 753 00:46:46,600 --> 00:46:54,200 Speaker 2: you're looking for attention. That attention will come momentarily, but 754 00:46:54,280 --> 00:46:57,640 Speaker 2: it is not going to foster deeper intimacy and connection. 755 00:46:58,920 --> 00:47:04,120 Speaker 2: If you're looking for validation, that will be temporary. Also, 756 00:47:05,400 --> 00:47:11,040 Speaker 2: it could eventually lead to connection. Again, we all want 757 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:15,000 Speaker 2: to be seeing, heard and valued, but that might not 758 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 2: be what you need in that moment because the thing 759 00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:24,720 Speaker 2: that you're being vulnerable about might be something that does 760 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:32,000 Speaker 2: not need validating because it could lead to further unhealthy behaviors. 761 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:37,880 Speaker 2: And so again it's going within to ask yourself, what 762 00:47:38,160 --> 00:47:43,520 Speaker 2: is my why in being vulnerable in this moment with 763 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:44,920 Speaker 2: this particular situation. 764 00:47:46,719 --> 00:47:48,719 Speaker 1: And I think the powerful thing about that diamond is 765 00:47:48,719 --> 00:47:52,240 Speaker 1: when you're connecting. When it comes to connection building with others, 766 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 1: once you have that personal check in, now you're able 767 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:58,880 Speaker 1: to communicate potential needs that you might have with that person. 768 00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:01,280 Speaker 1: So let's say it's a partner thinking about a partner instance, 769 00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:04,279 Speaker 1: or maybe your partner, I don't know. Maybe you thought 770 00:48:04,440 --> 00:48:06,759 Speaker 1: you saw them looking at somebody or something y'all were 771 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:08,319 Speaker 1: out and you kind of felt a little tender, you 772 00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:10,839 Speaker 1: felt a certain way. That might be something that you 773 00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:13,280 Speaker 1: bring up right as a concern. Maybe you want some attention, 774 00:48:13,360 --> 00:48:15,600 Speaker 1: Maybe you want validation, like well, damn, I saw you 775 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:19,000 Speaker 1: looking at that big booty, but like you know what's good, 776 00:48:19,120 --> 00:48:20,360 Speaker 1: Like you know what I mean. Whatever, it might be 777 00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:22,960 Speaker 1: like you sharing that with them now that you've done 778 00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:24,160 Speaker 1: your check and you can let them know, like I 779 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:26,239 Speaker 1: just want some validation because I saw this and it 780 00:48:26,320 --> 00:48:28,399 Speaker 1: made me feel a certain way, And now you can 781 00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:30,360 Speaker 1: get that from your partner, and that could be important 782 00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:31,600 Speaker 1: to you, right, Or it could be in a situation 783 00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:34,160 Speaker 1: like you said down where maybe it's a situation where 784 00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:37,359 Speaker 1: you can give yourself some validation versus getting it from others. 785 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:41,160 Speaker 1: So I think here it's important to be mindful of 786 00:48:41,200 --> 00:48:43,719 Speaker 1: the moment, right it's this person able to hear and 787 00:48:43,800 --> 00:48:46,400 Speaker 1: hold this right now. So maybe at the mall, when 788 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:47,960 Speaker 1: you're in front of people, is in the place to 789 00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:49,520 Speaker 1: talk about it, that's where it happened. Maybe you wait 790 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:51,440 Speaker 1: until you get to the car, you wait until you 791 00:48:51,440 --> 00:48:54,640 Speaker 1: get home. So just gauging readiness on both sides. Have 792 00:48:54,719 --> 00:48:57,840 Speaker 1: you had your internal check in? Have you self soothed 793 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:00,359 Speaker 1: enough to understand what do I need in this moment? 794 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,439 Speaker 1: What's coming up for me? And then am I able 795 00:49:02,440 --> 00:49:05,839 Speaker 1: to communicate this need to someone else versus you being 796 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:08,279 Speaker 1: communicating something and then them asking well, what do you 797 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:09,759 Speaker 1: want me to do? And you're like, I don't know 798 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:11,920 Speaker 1: because I haven't checked in with myself. And sometimes we 799 00:49:11,960 --> 00:49:13,799 Speaker 1: don't know the answer. But it's just important to kind 800 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:16,200 Speaker 1: of go through these things with ourselves. 801 00:49:16,960 --> 00:49:19,759 Speaker 2: And I think even not knowing the answer allows you 802 00:49:19,880 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 2: to say, I don't know what I need right now, 803 00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:27,840 Speaker 2: I do, I will, I can, I will communicate that. 804 00:49:28,000 --> 00:49:32,439 Speaker 2: I appreciate you checking in. And so then our our 805 00:49:32,520 --> 00:49:36,080 Speaker 2: final practice that we want to think about with vulnerability 806 00:49:36,239 --> 00:49:41,440 Speaker 2: is hacting so you can't you don't have to go 807 00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:48,080 Speaker 2: all in right away. Right We're not trying to do 808 00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 2: zero to one hundred real quick, that's not that's not 809 00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:56,840 Speaker 2: a rat. We might do zero to five and then 810 00:49:56,960 --> 00:49:58,799 Speaker 2: might take us a while before we get to one 811 00:49:58,840 --> 00:50:07,440 Speaker 2: hundred and that's okay. Give yourself that permission to move slowly, 812 00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:11,840 Speaker 2: because what that does is that over time, you're building 813 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:16,640 Speaker 2: that muscle. You don't have to do all of it 814 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:23,000 Speaker 2: at once. If you haven't even been vulnerable with yourself before, 815 00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:31,960 Speaker 2: that moves slowly Today I'm feeling And you give yourself 816 00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:37,440 Speaker 2: one word right, and you check in that one time, 817 00:50:38,560 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 2: and maybe you do that for the next week, and 818 00:50:41,120 --> 00:50:45,040 Speaker 2: then maybe the next week you check in a couple 819 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:49,240 Speaker 2: of more times throughout the day. It's similar to training, 820 00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:54,640 Speaker 2: like physical training, right, like physical building up your physical fitness. 821 00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:59,320 Speaker 2: If you have never lifted weights before, you're not about 822 00:50:59,360 --> 00:51:03,240 Speaker 2: to go and dead lift one hundred pounds. You'll first 823 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:08,120 Speaker 2: go round. That's not gonna happen that that's not realistic. 824 00:51:10,120 --> 00:51:13,960 Speaker 2: If this is your first time doing dead lifts with weights, 825 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:18,160 Speaker 2: maybe five pounds, and you work your way up to 826 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:21,920 Speaker 2: one hundred, doing one hundred would be a quick way 827 00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:24,560 Speaker 2: for you to injure yourself. If this is your very 828 00:51:24,600 --> 00:51:28,920 Speaker 2: first time, and it's the same thing with vulnerability, going 829 00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:36,200 Speaker 2: all in right away could prove disastrous. It's okay to 830 00:51:36,320 --> 00:51:40,840 Speaker 2: move slowly, be patient with yourself. Patience is also a 831 00:51:40,920 --> 00:51:43,560 Speaker 2: part of that vulnerability to that. 832 00:51:43,719 --> 00:51:46,040 Speaker 1: And when it comes to pacing with others, there are 833 00:51:46,040 --> 00:51:49,160 Speaker 1: a couple of things here. One is when you're sharing 834 00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:51,839 Speaker 1: something with someone homestays for the person listening as well, 835 00:51:51,880 --> 00:51:54,000 Speaker 1: like don't try to rush their process. Sometimes we share 836 00:51:54,040 --> 00:51:56,520 Speaker 1: things with people and it might be heavy. They may 837 00:51:56,520 --> 00:51:58,600 Speaker 1: be someone that takes a bit more time to process, 838 00:51:58,600 --> 00:52:01,240 Speaker 1: so they maned behind to process what you just shared 839 00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:03,239 Speaker 1: right and may not have the answers or be able 840 00:52:03,239 --> 00:52:05,600 Speaker 1: to support. And then the other side of that is 841 00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:08,799 Speaker 1: don't rush people when they open up right, let them 842 00:52:08,840 --> 00:52:11,239 Speaker 1: sit in their rawness without trying to rescue or fix. 843 00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:13,480 Speaker 1: I think we talked about that in the previous episode too, 844 00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:16,560 Speaker 1: where it's like sometimes just letting them have space to cry, 845 00:52:17,120 --> 00:52:20,800 Speaker 1: get it out, not trying to rush the crying process, 846 00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:22,600 Speaker 1: Give them the tissues and just sit there with them 847 00:52:22,640 --> 00:52:25,239 Speaker 1: in silence, and then you can probably ask, you know, 848 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:27,360 Speaker 1: what can I do to support what you need and 849 00:52:27,440 --> 00:52:30,320 Speaker 1: let that be let that kind of lead the conversation 850 00:52:30,520 --> 00:52:31,760 Speaker 1: or the experience there. 851 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:36,200 Speaker 4: Or you don't give them the tissue weight at all 852 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:44,120 Speaker 4: or until later on, because what I've noticed is sometimes 853 00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:48,000 Speaker 4: when we rush to give a person the tissue, it 854 00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:51,360 Speaker 4: signals to them to stop crying. 855 00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:57,839 Speaker 2: And so if you let them, if you hold off, 856 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:00,759 Speaker 2: so I'll just give an event in my therapy office. 857 00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:03,880 Speaker 2: The tissue box is right there next to them, so 858 00:53:03,920 --> 00:53:07,200 Speaker 2: they get to decide when they want to use the tissue. 859 00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:11,040 Speaker 2: And so then that way, because what I observed is 860 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:16,759 Speaker 2: that if someone starts crying and I immediately go in 861 00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:20,840 Speaker 2: with the tissue, they stop crying, and then that vulnerable 862 00:53:20,880 --> 00:53:24,399 Speaker 2: moment kind of passes if the tissue is just there. 863 00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:28,000 Speaker 2: In situations that you that you know may bring up 864 00:53:28,040 --> 00:53:32,160 Speaker 2: some vulnerability, right, if if the tissue is just there, 865 00:53:33,960 --> 00:53:38,240 Speaker 2: let the cry happen. I tell students all the time, 866 00:53:39,800 --> 00:53:42,640 Speaker 2: we can sit here and you can cry for the 867 00:53:42,680 --> 00:53:46,640 Speaker 2: whole hour, and that's okay because that's what you needed, 868 00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:54,080 Speaker 2: and we will. This therapy space is this container. And 869 00:53:55,080 --> 00:53:57,879 Speaker 2: in reality, outside of the therapy space, like I get 870 00:53:57,880 --> 00:54:00,920 Speaker 2: it that, like we might not be in a space 871 00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:04,279 Speaker 2: where we're having this raw conversation, and we might not 872 00:54:04,440 --> 00:54:05,680 Speaker 2: be in the space to. 873 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:07,520 Speaker 4: It. 874 00:54:07,600 --> 00:54:11,640 Speaker 2: Might the environment might not be one in which we 875 00:54:11,680 --> 00:54:15,919 Speaker 2: can sit there for an hour crying our eyes out, 876 00:54:17,600 --> 00:54:22,840 Speaker 2: letting all the feelings come. But part of what helps 877 00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:30,759 Speaker 2: build that vulnerability and build that trust is if I 878 00:54:30,840 --> 00:54:34,640 Speaker 2: see that you are having this moment, I'm not going 879 00:54:34,719 --> 00:54:37,680 Speaker 2: to rush you to end it. Even if I might 880 00:54:37,719 --> 00:54:41,560 Speaker 2: be feeling uncomfortable with the emotions that you're feeling that 881 00:54:41,680 --> 00:54:48,960 Speaker 2: you're displaying as the as you're supporter, I'm going to 882 00:54:49,040 --> 00:54:53,279 Speaker 2: manage my own discomfort so that because right now the 883 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:57,760 Speaker 2: focus is on you and asking you what you need 884 00:55:00,000 --> 00:55:03,520 Speaker 2: when the moment is right, not rushing you out of it. 885 00:55:04,440 --> 00:55:06,440 Speaker 1: That's good stuff, all right, lady. We're going to do 886 00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:09,920 Speaker 1: a quick recap on how to practice safe vulnerability. We 887 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:17,960 Speaker 1: have discernment is number one, starting small boundaries, connection building, 888 00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:22,160 Speaker 1: and pacing. So we're going to jump into the after 889 00:55:22,200 --> 00:55:23,600 Speaker 1: show where we're going to talk a bit more about 890 00:55:23,600 --> 00:55:26,239 Speaker 1: this conversation, dive a bit deeper, share some behind the 891 00:55:26,239 --> 00:55:29,879 Speaker 1: scenes content. So head on over to Herspace podcast dot com, 892 00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:33,000 Speaker 1: click anywhere you see Patreon and you can join us 893 00:55:33,120 --> 00:55:35,440 Speaker 1: for the after show and also see the video of 894 00:55:35,480 --> 00:55:37,400 Speaker 1: the episode. We want to see you, so come on 895 00:55:37,440 --> 00:55:40,560 Speaker 1: over and join us. We'll see you there, lady. If 896 00:55:40,600 --> 00:55:44,040 Speaker 1: you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next steps, 897 00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:48,040 Speaker 1: this is for you. Hey, lady, is Tea here And 898 00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:50,000 Speaker 1: I just want to invite you to my free goal 899 00:55:50,080 --> 00:55:52,880 Speaker 1: map like a pro coaching workshop, where I'll share the 900 00:55:52,960 --> 00:55:56,719 Speaker 1: five proven steps to get unstuck and achieve your goals. 901 00:55:57,000 --> 00:56:01,600 Speaker 1: Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by all your ideas, juggling scattered ideas, 902 00:56:01,719 --> 00:56:05,000 Speaker 1: or maybe you just need confidence to start, this workshop 903 00:56:05,000 --> 00:56:08,080 Speaker 1: will give you the clarity, tools and the motivation to 904 00:56:08,239 --> 00:56:11,760 Speaker 1: take back control. Reserve your spot for free by visiting 905 00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:16,040 Speaker 1: her spacepodcast dot com and clicking on the goal map 906 00:56:16,120 --> 00:56:18,960 Speaker 1: like a pro webinar link. Lady, don't miss this chance 907 00:56:19,000 --> 00:56:21,000 Speaker 1: to build a roadmap that fits your life and set 908 00:56:21,040 --> 00:56:23,280 Speaker 1: you up for success. I hope to see you there. 909 00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:29,680 Speaker 2: Thanks for tuning into cultivating her Space. Remember that while 910 00:56:29,719 --> 00:56:34,520 Speaker 2: this podcast is all about healing, empowerment, and resilience, it's 911 00:56:34,600 --> 00:56:38,480 Speaker 2: not a substitute for therapy. If you are someone you 912 00:56:38,600 --> 00:56:42,640 Speaker 2: know needs support, check out resources like Therapy for Black 913 00:56:42,680 --> 00:56:47,319 Speaker 2: Girls or Psychology Today. If you love today's episode, do 914 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:49,359 Speaker 2: us a favor and share it with a friend who 915 00:56:49,440 --> 00:56:53,960 Speaker 2: needs some inspiration, or leave us a quick five star review. 916 00:56:54,600 --> 00:56:57,560 Speaker 2: Your support means the world to us and helps keep 917 00:56:57,680 --> 00:56:58,760 Speaker 2: this space th thriving. 918 00:56:59,280 --> 00:57:04,200 Speaker 1: And before we again repeat after me, I release the 919 00:57:04,280 --> 00:57:07,720 Speaker 1: old with gratitude, and prepare for the new with intention. 920 00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:12,319 Speaker 1: Keep thriving, Lady, and tune in next Friday for more 921 00:57:12,400 --> 00:57:16,960 Speaker 1: inspiration from cultivating her Space. In the meantime, be sure 922 00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:20,600 Speaker 1: to connect with us on Instagram at her Space podcast