The culture that surrounds us often lacks authenticity. That’s why we need to cultivate vulnerability as an antidote to it. But what is vulnerability, why is it important and how we can practice it ourselves? Basically, vulnerability is daring to show up and let ourselves be seen regardless of success or failure. In other words as Brene Brown shares, it is having the courage to show up and do something even if you fail. When did you last have the courage to show up and let yourself be seen? There are many barriers to vulnerability. But one of the main ways that we can practice vulnerability is sharing our story. Our stories are powerful. In our latest episode, Claire shares her story of being a recovering perfectionist and how pursuing perfection led to a mental breakdown. Her experience taught her many things including seeing the power of God at work in the darkness and how often we need to be with God rather than only do for God. We discuss how we can all take small brave steps to share our stories with others today. Enjoy listening to the final episode of our ‘Speaking honestly about… wholehearted living’ series’.

What is belonging? Why is it important? Has technology impacted our sense of belonging? How can we build a sense of belonging in our lives? As you know, we’re big fans of Brene Brown and she defines belonging as ‘the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us’. Having a sense of belonging is a human need, just like the need for food and shelter. Some find belonging in a church, some with friends, some with family, and some on Twitter or other social media. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance. We discuss our experience of belonging and the random places that we’ve found it as well as share some practical advice about how you can build a deeper sense of belonging in your life. Enjoy listening to the third episode of our ‘Speaking honestly about… wholehearted living’ series’. 

We dive into discussing values in the second episode of our ‘Speaking Honestly about… Wholehearted Living series.’ What are values? Why are they important? How can you live a life that aligns to your own personal values? Values are important as they help guide our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours, aid us to make decisions, keep us focussed on our purpose and enable us to live a life of integrity. We share the values that help us live our lives well and navigate tough times as well as our top tips to define the values that shape your thoughts and actions. Enjoy listening to the second episode of our ‘Speaking honestly about… wholehearted living’ series’.