Braving trust takes courage, humility, and vulnerability. Yes, it takes courage to step into self-honesty; step away from judgements of right, wrong, good, bad; and step toward letting others know what you need. And, when we do we are liberated with genuine connection and authenticity. Yup, the mask is off and your heart is seen. Refreshing at the very least.
B.R.A.V.I.N.G. (Boundaries, reliability, accountability, the Vault, integrity, non-judgement, and generosity) trust helps us understand how to build and restore self-trust and trust with others. Thank you Brene Brown, for your words of wisdom! So, let's make sense of what this means. There is a lot to unpack to grasp the meaning of this acronym that Brene so wisely bestowed upon us.
Starting from the top, B. for boundaries. What are boundaries anyway? The simple definition of boundary defined by Merrian-Webster dictionary is "something that points out or shows a limit or end." Not much different than personal boundaries, as they are defined as limits and rules we set for ourselves and within relationships. In either case, it is safe to say, without boundaries there will be chaos and confusion! Here are a few questions to consider.
Are you saying "yes" when you need to say "no"?
Are you putting your needs last or simple ignoring them?
Are you focused on "fixing" others problems?
No need to answer aloud, just a few questions to ponder. Here is the issue. "Yes", to any of those questions tells you stepping into self-care with boundaries will help you take care of those nagging resentments. To begin, let's recognize that it is OK to say "no." Your needs are important and it is time to consider your needs.
Where do we begin, my friends? Empathy and assertive communication. Empathy is seeing the other persons struggle. Assertive communication is using "I" statements to express how you experienced a situation, how you feel, and what you need, hope, or value. Now, this is a learned skill and it takes time to master. You are worth it! So, just say no!
To be continued...
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