For most of my life, I’ve kept things pretty close to the chest. I wasn’t the kind of person to open up easily. Sharing my thoughts and feelings with others felt… risky. But something’s been shifting lately. As I’ve started working on myself and my healing, I’ve realized just how powerful vulnerability can be.

I actually wrote about this not too long ago how there’s real empowerment in allowing yourself to be seen.

It’s funny, the more work I do on myself, the more patterns I start to notice. It’s like I’ve unlocked a new level of awareness. Suddenly, things I used to miss are right there in front of me. It’s wild how growth works like that. Subtly, then all at once.

I’ve been watching the TV show Shrinking recently (highly recommend, by the way), and there was this line that really stuck with me: “Stay open. Two vulnerable people will always find a way to connect.”

Oof. That one hit me right in the gut, in the best way. It reminded me of what I’m learning: when you show up as your authentic self, you open the door to real, meaningful connection. No masks, no filters. Just honesty. And when we do that, we create space where relationships can actually flourish.

For the longest time, I struggled with how people saw me. I’d get frustrated when someone misread who I was or made assumptions about me. But I’ve come to realize something important: when you’ve spent most of your life keeping people at arm’s length, they only see what you let them see. If I wasn’t letting them in, how could they ever really know me?

Letting go is a power move.

Now that I’m choosing to be more open, something beautiful is happening. I feel lighter. I’m not wasting energy trying to hide parts of myself or keep up some version of me that isn’t the whole truth. And you know what? It’s bringing me closer to others, the right kind of others. That’s a win-win in my book.

Another big shift? I’ve stopped feeling the need to correct people’s misperceptions. If someone doesn’t want to take the time to get to know me, the real me, that’s on them, not me. Their assumptions don’t define me. And chasing validation from people who aren’t willing to see the full picture? That only pulls me further away from my peace.

Here’s the thing: most people think in absolutes. They don’t always pause to consider nuance or the deeper reasons behind someone’s behavior. But I’m learning that I don’t need to carry the burden of their lack of understanding. Letting go of that control, the urge to manage how others see me, has made me so much happier.

Now, I’m focusing on what I can control: how I show up in the world. Choosing to be open. Choosing to be vulnerable. And that choice is giving me more confidence than I’ve ever had. Or maybe that confidence was always there, it just got buried under fear and self-protection.

I’m starting to feel like I’m really meeting myself for the first time. And I like who I’m becoming. I’m surrounding myself with people who see me, appreciate me, and know I bring a lot to the table. That kind of support helps me grow even more.

This journey of self-discovery? It’s not always easy, but it’s so worth it. I’m excited to keep leaning in and seeing where it takes me next.