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Writer's pictureChristine

Dare to Be Vulnerable... It's Worth it

Updated: Mar 20, 2022

Ripples for Relationships - Careers - Health - Vitality - Longevity




My Spring Series, Vulnerability & Connection starts on April 5th, and for the past few months, I've been focusing on what it takes to be vulnerable, what it looks like and why it’s so important… especially now. The scientific community has caught up with longstanding beliefs, traditions and rituals, showing that daring to expose ourselves to others can change be life changing.


So what does it mean to be vulnerable?

I think of it as when we dare to be really real.. when we gather up the courage and decide to go outside of our comfort zone to expose the imperfect beings that we really are. It's when we choose to share what we’ve been conditioned to hide at all costs, even if it makes us seem less that perfect... I also call it being naked on the diving board. You're fully exposed, in front of anyone and everyone. Yes, there you are. (Spoiler Alert: We will NOT be doing that in April!)


Social connection expert Brené Brown, says it well: "Vulnerability is having the courage to show up, when you can't control the outcome."

An article about her Netflix film, The Call to Courage, states, "So many of us go through life holding back, playing small and staying quiet, too afraid of falling down, making mistakes, losing face and being exposed. Brown’s documentary brings home why for those trying to pursue a rich, honest and brave life, this just won’t cut it."

Vulnerability Here at SSR:

If you've spent time with me, you've heard me say that my comfort zone is when I'm outside my comfort zone. At the same time, this is actually what my Stone Soup Ripple Screening Salons are about as well as my work with clients.

Since we are all part of the process, adding our own unique ingredients into the mix, no one ((including me) can predict what will happen. While I set the stage for gatherings and have control over some of the ingredients, there's no set recipe or final 'reveal'. These become authentic experiences that get richer over time, with ripples that begin to form and reach past the experience itself. Like the fable Stone Soup, it’s not about having the perfect recipe. Instead it’s about collaboration with everyone involved and trust in the process.

Time is our most precious resource. Its very important to me that Everyone participating in these leaves feeling nourished, connected and inspired in ways they wouldn’t have been otherwise.

As an example, and in the spirit of SSR, I’ll take a cue from film. In Good Luck, Leo Grande, which I saw at Sundance in January, Emma Thompson's courageous, final scene says it all, for her character as well as for her as an individual.


A New Look for an Ages-Old Character Trait:

The research is backing up what has been happeing for centuries: Whether in friendships, with family members, in romance or at work, being vulnerable with yourself and others can change your life.

Again, from social connection expert Brené Brown:

"Vulnerability does not mean being weak or submissive. To the contrary, it implies the courage to be yourself... It keeps us honest with each other and ourselves, breaks down walls, eliminates the potential for miscommunication and misunderstandings and allows us to be wholly ourselves." -- Harvard Business Review, What Bosses Gain by Being Vulnerable


There's a lot of talk about nowadays about being vulnerable, and it's also become a highly sought-after trait in business leadership, a 'power skill'.

  • How Embracing Vulnerability Strengthens Our Relationships -- PSYCHALIVE by Linda Firestone, Ph.D.

  • The Superpower of Vulnerability in Business -- GenBiz (11/30/2021)

  • Today's Leaders Need Vulnerability, Not Bravado-- Harvard Business Review (10/19/20) by Amy C. Edmondson and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

  • Could a Little Vulnerability Be the Key to Better Leadership? -- Forbes (5/27/19) by Carley Sime "[In business,] vulnerability... can impact the entire culture and creativity of a team."


... So what happens when people open up and share who they really are? Ripples. Lots of them. Ripples that transform relationships, ideas, projects and lives... in our personal lives as well as in business. I invite you to join us for all or parts my next series. The screened content we’ll experience together and my Featured Guests are the initial ingredients. What will you add into the mix?


Join Us in April for the Spring Series, VULNERABILITY & CONNECTION



Essentials & Quick Links:

DATES: Tuesdays in April, on the 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th

TIME: 5 - 7:30 pm PT* (Meet & Greet starts at 4:45pm PT)

*all time zones are welcome

Quick Links:

Not Sure? About SSR Screening Salons:

SSR has presented almost 40 of these in the past 2 years. Here's what to expect:

  1. First, we gather in gallery view on Zoom to connect as a group and hear about the screened content we will experience together..

  2. After the screening, we reconvene for a discussion facilitated by Christine. (Unlike traditional Q&As or panels, in these salons, everyone participates.)

  3. Final closing salons are without screened content so that we can connect even more with the theme and each other.

  4. There's no fee to attend or join as a member, though contributions are welcome, 100% of which go to our Featured Guests. (For more)


​Our Featured Guests:

My deepest gratitude goes to our highly accomplished Featured Guests who will share their time and screened content with us during this 4-salon experience:

  • Gigi de la Torre, Cinematographer, & Co-Producer, Meeting Jim

  • Peggy Callahan, Producer & Co-Director, Mission: Joy -- Finding Happiness in Troubled Times

  • Reed Frerichs, Co-Founder & CEO, The Lesson





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