We all want love and not suffering. And love eminates from inside us. It’s vulnerable. And many of us grow accustomed to hiding this part of us, potecting it, shielding it. We build brick walls in front of our vulnerable self. We are naturally afraid to be vulnerable out of fear that the person we open up to will hurt us, abandon us, and shame us.

Because we so often hide this part of us, the part that we hold our innermost feelings and capacity for love in, we lose that which is most beautiful within us.

Studies done with tolders show that as they crawl on the floor, again and again, they look over their shoulder – checking to see if their parents are watching them and praising them. Deep inside, we all want the same thing – unconditional love, validation, and praise. We’re soft inside, mushy, and vulnerable.

So embrace the mushy. Empower yourself; connect with your heart. We’re beautiful inside. But being hurt is a part of life – we can never fully avoid it. But this doesn’t mean we have to close our hearts to the world and the people in it. Being vulnerable takes courage, and being compassionate connects us to our innermost capacity for love. It’s always there. Try to feel it, connect with it, breathe deeply into it, and share it – with yourself and others.