[Vulnerability & Power - V]
Exposure to others is often a mirror image to our inner audience.
Are we afraid of public speaking? Do we dread getting in front of a crowd and speaking our truth, making our argument, and delivering our message. Then we must ask: Who is the crowd within me? There is a direct line between the exposure I feel in front of them and the exposer that quietly happens between me… and me.
Does taking a stand on behalf of an underrepresented group of people scare you? Do you fear being ostracized from another more represented group? Who is the native group/community/family you have internalized? What threats have they imposed on you that you find most risky?
Is following your path, standing for your conviction, or pursuing your dream a deviation from family norm? Does that terrify you? Is the residue of childhood shame still lingering? Is your father’s voice still hounding you about getting good grades, toeing the line, and representing the family legacy?
Our experience of public exposure is childhood exposure that continues to live on in us. Facing it is the only way forward.
