Embracing Vulnerability: The Courage to Fall in Order to Rise in 2025

Ready or not, 2025 is here! While I am not one for resolutions, I like setting personal and professional goals. A new year brings with it a sense of hope and opportunity. No matter what happened the previous year, a new year feels like another chance to step closer to a dream, an aspiration, or even start something entirely new.

Being a beginner at something is not necessarily easy. It often means that your skills are unrefined, your knowledge is incomplete, and you will likely make mistakes. What is more, we typically don't learn in a vacuum, which means our still-developing form is on display for others to see. Think about attending a yoga class for the first time and trying to do a handstand. Odds are, you are going to fall, and you will fall many times before you succeed. But here's the thing: you have to be willing to fall. You must be prepared to stumble, even with eyes watching, to improve. And believe me, I am speaking from experience. I have fallen, literally and metaphorically, many times and in many arenas as I have tried new things or attempted to master a skill, including handstands.

Being vulnerable is not easy. Not many of us want to display our shortcomings for others to see or, worse, to judge. But if we don't - and let fear of failure stop us from trying; we have limited ourselves before we've even started. We are the lesser for it. Looking back on my youth, I can see many times when I preferred to lean on my strengths instead of focusing on areas where I was deficient. Don't get me wrong, all of us should have a sense of our strengths and use them to create or add value to the world, but when we dare to step into unfamiliar territory, we have the chance to learn most.

As people who work in the education sector, the more we can create conditions that allow people to have the courage to try something new and to keep trying, even when they make mistakes, the better for everyone.

Abbotsford is one of the most diverse communities in Canada. Consider the courage it takes for an eleven-year-old to show up to school without speaking a word of English. Think about how awkward it likely feels to pronounce publicly your first words in a new language in front of your class. Yet, this is the way.

Practice. Make mistakes. Try again.

This is why we strive to create safe and welcoming environments for everyone.

Brené Brown says, "Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think. When we're fueled by the fear of what other people think or that gremlin constantly whispering "You're not good enough" in our ear, it's tough to show up... The fear of failing, making mistakes, not meeting people's expectations, and being criticized keeps us outside the arena where healthy competition and striving unfolds."

I wish for you all in 2025 to be inspired and continue to take steps towards your hopes and dreams, even if it means looking a little foolish along the way. And, of course, we all play roles in nurturing our students' hopes and dreams and creating the spaces and opportunities that will allow them to be realized.