Embrace Vulnerability and Grow
Raquel Borras
True To You Branding
Raq The Boat
RAQVISION
Founder of True To You Branding
Founder of Raq The Boat YouTube channel where I have candid conversations with our youth.
Founder of RAQVISION. A youth social network for kids ages 17 and under.
www.raqvision.tv
https://www.youtube.com/c/RaqTheBoat
I wouldn’t be where I am right now…if it wasn’t for the fact that I was so vulnerable.
I shared my story of having struggled with depression when I was in college. I attempted suicide while I was at UCLA…
There was a point that I told people I didn’t graduate for medical reasons and that was that.
I knew I had to expose myself…and that was probably the best thing I could have done.
It was really spontaneous….we had just been at a conference where we were discussing our mental health…and we were talking about how it’s important to share those stories…then it was mental health awareness month…
As leaders we need to do what we can to change the narrative.
I just grabbed my phone, hit record and just shared my story.
I went ahead and posted it and I almost had a mini panic attack in that moment…
It was amazing…how many people were calling me, texting me, messaging me saying Thank You…
There was no going back in that moment, that’s for sure, because of the feedback I got.
(The scariest part was) The judgement….I was actually…pleasantly surprised how supportive everybody was.
I’m not that person anymore.
I share my story…in a way that’s not heavy…it’s just a story. An experience that I had that’s helped me and gotten me where I am today.
I feel that there needs to be more of us suicide attempt survivors that are in a really good place so that we can share the skills and the tools and…how we were able to get over that hump…
Too many kids think it’s the end of the world if something happens…you can overcomes it. And once you’re on the other side, beautiful things can happen.
Your struggle can turn into your superpower.
You have to respect where you’re at and if you’re not ready, you’re not ready.
You might be missing out on your purpose by not sharing.
If your share, people out there are going to respond in a way that you just don’t know where it will take you.
I have a 20 year old and 17 year old and they will share with me, but its’ because I’ve been so open and share with them. I feel that as adults, if we share more then maybe our kids will know that it’s okay to be open and share more.
There is a fine line of sharing too much in the moment. I feel that there’s a respect level as well.
The only reason I was able to share…was because I had build a community that I really trusted and there was respect there….I felt I had a community that was going to embrace me.
You will have people that don’t support you and that’s ok.
A lot of them are the parents. I started RaqtheBoat…and it started out with the parents that I knew…and it steamrolled.
Because I’m on Instagram and I’ll repurpose a little bit…I have 16/17 year olds reaching out to me on their own to be on the show.
RaqTheBoat is…I thought, no one is having conversations with our kids…with adults, there’s more of a structure and I didn’t want structure. I will…hit the..record button and just start asking questions and have the conversation go where it may.
RaqVision came about because my friend had a…community…and we need to do the same for our youth…17 and under. We facilitate rooms…Justin Guarini from American Idol, Rob House…Michael Ray…and they facilitate these room with these kids…
I want any kid who comes onto this platform to walk away a better human.
We need to get away from the vanity metrics and a lot of these kids are basing their worth around how many people are liking their posts or if a video goes viral.
To have these adults come in who have had struggles. For example, there’s Kyle Green. He had a kid at age 16, a mother on drugs, a father that was non-existent…he talks about adversity…here he’s written tow books and is a motivational speaker…
I think kids get in that space of ‘nobody understands’
I see a huge shift because it then gives them permission to be able to be vulnerable.
We need to change the narrative…and a lot has to do with adults.
I feel that a lot of us are doing this disservice to our youth by putting ourselves out there in this perfect way.
Saturday….Pepper…was in town…on Saturday, I got to pick her up…we had never met…to be able to have that experience that I’ve only met through zoom…I don’t want to just be lip service…I really want to be able to build a friendship…that’s when it feels really right…to have them open up and talk to me…
I love that I have no idea of what’s going to come of this next week.
I thought vulnerability was a weakness…now I realize it takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable…so I understand why a lot of people don’t do it. But, once you do it, there is something so empowering and liberating about it.
Your inner circle and people you trust….maybe start opening up more to those people.
If you start sharing little snippets, you’ll see what your audience gravitates towards.
Oddly enough, every time I’ve seen someone open up a little and show some behind the scenes….that’s where everyone applauds you.
If I can help one person by sharing my story. That in itself is powerful.
If you’re speaking from the heart and have good intentions, then…people can sense that.
You’ll always have people…who are haters or judge. And I have to remind myself that those are people who themselves are going through something or they have insecurities…
Now I realize that it’s important to have my message be to the people that matter.
Just being comfortable with who you are….that’s the underlying message.
Wherever you go, there you are.
I want to skydive
A disco ball and a paint brush
YoutUbe RaqTheBoat
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Audio : Ariza Music Productions