Test tomorrow

Airing our vulnerabilities

I am taking a big test tomorrow and am worried I will fail. It is always a dubious strategy to announce things like that in advance, because everyone will know if I don’t pass.

The one thing about sharing a fear is that it opens you to disadvantage. If someone knows what you are afraid of, they can use it to make you feel more insecure. Abusive partners and cults use this tactic.

Of course, if you never tell people of your fears, unreasonable thoughts can ping pong around your head for years until someone tells you no, your feet don’t stink, at least not too much. Wear socks and you will be fine.

A friend recently described starting a relationship as exchanging stories. I think that is right, but only partly so. It is also exchanging your hopes and fears. The problem becomes when the person you share them with starts to use them against you. So what to do?

Create an even space for each party to take turns with sharing. Take time to know each other in conjunction with experiencing…