It is important to distinguish shame from guilt. While both emotions can lead to introspection and relational shifts, as well as similar outcomes (depression, anxiety, withdrawal, low self-esteem, etc.), the messages they carry are different.

Being vulnerable can look different for different people, from voicing your needs to creating an original piece of art, from confessing romantic feelings towards someone to speaking up at a meeting, from standing up for your beliefs to trusting someone.

What does it mean to feel emotionally safe with another person? As Mahima Jacob shares, it starts with creating an anchor within yourself. This anchor can help you begin to believe that “people closest to me care enough to care for me” and secondly that “I am worthy of their attention and love”.