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Let me paraphrase the main thoughts about opening up that I’ve gleaned from Brené Brown, The New York Times best selling author, who has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy:
We feel shame because we feel not worthy. When we feel not worthy, we have a problem connecting with people. The goal is to allow us to be seen as worthy of belonging.
It takes courage to be imperfect. That courage gives us authenticity – the platform to be who we are.
Vulnerability is the base for not only courage, openness and authenticity but also resiliency and empathy.
It’s natural to struggle with vulnerability. We may fear opening up. We may try to numb vulnerability, and, in doing so, we numb happiness and become miserable.
As a result, we seek certainty in our lives, and that thirst for certainty shows up in our politics and religion. The goal is not certainty but to simply feel, “I’m enough.”
In “Opening Up,” I also intend to tap the insights of Lynda Gratton, Chip Conley, Andrew J Scott, Barbara Waxman MS, MPA, PCC, Malidoma Somé, PhD, Marc Freedman, Ken Dychtwald, Ashton Applewhite, Louise Aronson, Dr. Bill Thomas, Dr. Laura Carstensen of Stanford Center on Longevity, and Richard Leider — all current thought leaders about elderhood and vulnerability.
Mutual Mentorship
Here’s your unique online opportunity to engage in a virtual, mutual mentorship with your stage-in-life counterparts for:
Opening new insights by reevaluating what is now important in your life and what is not.
Living a life of your own choosing.
Growing whole.
Letting go.
Making peace with limitations, which usually increase with age.
Sharing our stories about our vulnerability (opening up) is among the most important ways we connect with others in the later years of our lives.
As Brené Brown urges, “Write your own story … We move what we're learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands."
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You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of “Opening Up” goes directly to your inbox every Wednesday at noon (Central Time USA), starting July 6, 2022.
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“Opening Up” newsletter, which includes one fiction short story, takeaway tip and discussion question every Wednesday noon (Central Time USA), starting July 6, 2022; full access to newsletter archive plus:
Access to each week’s discussion section and its complete archive.
Guidelines for discussion leaders for leading in-person or Zoom meetings.
Weekly vote for future content.
“Most Inspiring Comment” selected every three months.
Free bonus content from my published 14 books about living and working with vulnerability.
“My Latest Legacy Nugget” resources for sharing “Opening Up” insights with family and friends by mail or email.
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Join us. You’ll be part of a community of insightful individuals who are using “Opening Up” to make peace with vulnerability.
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Jim Hasse, ABC, GCDF retired, author of “Opening Up” newsletter
“Story-guided Discussion for Finding Peace with Age-related Limitations”
