Brene Brown, Daring Greatly
So I have this recurring dream about being naked in a public place. Yeah, I'm going there. It's one of several recurring dreams I've had on and off for 20+ years. One of the others was a dream where I was being chased by people trying to kill me. That particular dream stopped one night when during the dream I turned to face the people who were chasing me knowing that I was facing certain death. The dream ended there and then, it was as though the lesson had been learned and I never had it again.
As for the naked dream, the last time I had that dream instead of freaking out and frantically trying to find some cover I felt strangely at ease in the discomfort. I think writing and public speaking are teaching me to get more and more comfortable with being uncomfortable and this is starting to carry over into different areas of my life. The interesting thing is some would say I'm quite guarded but when it comes to creativity whether speaking or writing I feel compelled to do so in a way that often makes me feel, well, naked. It's hard to put into words but for me art is sacred so I feel a responsibility to do work which has a positive impact. That is my intention.
Writing this isn't comfortable. It would be easier to hide behind the work or the voice of someone else. Standing up in front of a group of people and attempting to share something which I hope will inspire them, while knowing all my flaws and weaknesses, isn't comfortable. Telling someone I feel upset by something they have done, feeling that hurt and trying to speak about it honestly rather than verbally destroying them or acting like it was nothing and burying it inside is not comfortable. But it is in this space that healing takes place, where old patterns come up to be repeated or transformed. It is in this space of vulnerability that we grow and others can grow with us.
"It's easy for me to be flooded by a cocky feeling or to put on show for you. But to express oneself honestly. Man, that's really tough."
Bruce Lee, Interview w/Pierre Burton 1971
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