Life Lessons...

Instead of toughening up and developing a thicker skin, create boundaries that honor your soft courage, sensitivity and creativity.

If you're like most people, you've probably been told that to be successful in life, you need to develop a thick skin. If you can't handle criticism or hear negative feedback without taking it personally, you'll never succeed.

But what if there's another way? What if we could see vulnerability not as a weakness but as an opportunity for growth? What if we could see the people who hurt or criticize us as teachers instead of adversaries?

As I have worked with people over the years in my various roles, I have found that when people can shift their perspective on vulnerability, they can move through their pain with more clarity and ease. They can overcome their fears more quickly and often feel empowered rather than defeated by obstacles.

When we look at vulnerability through this lens—as something that can teach us about ourselves rather than something that needs to be avoided—we start creating boundaries around our behaviors and our responses to others' behaviors that support us instead of putting us down or holding us back from reaching our full potential.