How Each Of The Zodiac Signs Show Their Vulnerability
By owning their vulnerability, they become stronger.
getty Everyone is vulnerable, but not everyone allows other people to see it because being vulnerable feels uncomfortable for them. Vulnerability is hard, but it's the best thing we can do for ourselves, our lives, and our relationships. There are a number of variables for how to be vulnerable: comfort level, personality, and even their birth date.
How does each sign of the zodiac show their vulnerable side? It takes more than just a horoscope to find out, which is why astrology is such a helpful guide for us. Sometimes it can be difficult to realize that someone is being vulnerable, and it can be helpful knowing how they reveal their vulnerable side.
When we’re vulnerable, we open ourselves up to rejection, criticism, and ridicule. We show others how we fail, how we’re like everyone else, and how imperfect we are, and they, in turn, are able to relate to us. Vulnerability isn’t hiding who you are, no matter how scary it might be; it's about being truthful about who you are, and how in doing so, that vulnerability gives you greater strength and power.
“Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen,” Dr. Brene Brown, author of the #1 New York Times best selling book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, said in a Forbes article. “It’s tough to do that when we’re terrified about what people might see or think.”
The truth is that when we see people who own their mistakes or admit that they need help, we connect with them on a deeper level. Vulnerability illustrates one’s humanity and inspires others rather than defeats them.
Dr. Brown sums it up this way: “Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.” The more open we are about our own weaknesses and imperfections, the more others can connect to us so that they know they’re not alone or unworthy.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
Aries individuals show their vulnerability in the way they express what they're feeling. Their first instinct might be to keep their emotions to themselves and just act as if everything is fine, so you know they're being vulnerable when they demonstrate their trust and take the time to talk about what's really going on with them.
It may be as simple as just getting something that's been bothering them off their chest, or actually telling you that they're angry, sad, or in love with you. Sometimes they don't even say words; they cry in front of you, letting you see the person they are at their core.
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
It takes a lot for Taurus to trust, and even more for them to let down their guard and show someone their weaknesses. If a Taurus shares a secret or a personal story from their past (either good or bad), they are showing a side of them that's not usually seen.
Taurus often present as someone very together and on point, and it's not easy for them to be vulnerable. Taurus tend to think that vulnerability indicates that they are weak when they are exceptionally strong. If a Taurus talks about what happened to them in the past, they're going well outside their comfort zone.
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
Geminis show their vulnerability by teaching others something that they're not an expert at. They may be learning as they're going on, but when a Gemini teaches someone something that they're still learning, it helps Gemini to learn more and to grow more confident.
If Gemini doesn't have the answer, they admit it, and then do what they can to find the answer, which sometimes spurs on more questions, allowing them to delve deeper into the subject and grow more knowledgeable in the process. If they wait until they know everything about a subject, they're not being vulnerable and they're not growing.
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
Cancers show their vulnerability through the way they express gratitude. When they say thank you, they prove that they mean it by being very specific in saying what they're thankful for — how the person's action affected them emotionally or how it impacted their life.
The funny thing about gratitude is it may be a sign of vulnerability, but its flip side is that it helps build confidence, perhaps because vulnerability takes us out of our comfort zone, and each time we do that and survive, we feel more confident.
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
Two of Leo's greatest qualities are their courage and strength, so it's not surprising that they show their vulnerability in being able to admit their weaknesses. People look up to Leos and Leos don't shy away from the spotlight, so when they show a weakness or own a flaw, they show others that being vulnerable doesn't take away from their strength, it actually makes it stronger.
No one can use their weakness against them because they've already admitted to it. By exposing it, it takes away its power to hurt Leo and makes Leo even more powerful.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
Virgos tend to be the smartest person in the room and they love that. They work at increasing their knowledge by constantly learning. They also tend to want to be perfect, so if a Virgo admits that they don't know everything or don't know how something should be fixed, they're being extremely vulnerable.
Vulnerability for Virgos makes them feel as if they're letting down their guard and that they run the risk of being exposed as a fraud. However, it really is more of a case of the more you learn, the more you realize how little you know, and when Virgo admits what they don't know, the more brilliant they actually are.
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
Libras have a little bit of a perfectionism issue. It's not that they think they're perfect, it's more if they do everything perfectly, there's less of a chance that they'll get criticized or reprimanded. Libras show their vulnerability when they come clean about the mistakes they made and take full responsibility for them.
When Libra doesn't play the blame-game and is direct and honest about when they've messed up and see that they've survived it, they'll be freer to make more mistakes and take more chances, which will ultimately help them to be more confident and competent.
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
Scorpios tend to be very intense, so while it may not seem like it, when a Scorpio is asking a lot of deep questions about someone's life or past, it shows that they're very interested in that person, so much so that they're willing to demonstrate their high-interest level. They want to deepen the connection and that if they have to open themselves up for comments about their behavior or expose their lives to scrutiny, they're willing to do it.
The Scorpio individual is also taking a chance that by being honest, they're opening themselves up for hurt and rejection, so showing vulnerability can be a very frightening thing for Scorpios.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
Sagittarius individuals show vulnerability by continuing to take chances even when they've failed in the past. Perhaps they traveled somewhere and weren't able to connect with the people just by being their normal charming self. Instead of hiding this information, Sagittarius shares all their personal experiences — even when they've failed — and they usually try again.
They don't just take something off their list because once things didn't go according to plan; they keep trying until they get it right. Sagittarius are upfront about their successes and their failures, even when they might feel a little embarrassed by them.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
Capricorns are very conscientious and if they say they're going to do something, they almost always do it. Capricorns hate the feeling of letting someone down who depended on them. When a Capricorn admits that they forgot to do something and apologizes for it, they're being vulnerable.
They not only honor their commitment, they acknowledge that they didn't keep it and that they're as flawed and human as anyone else. Although they may not say it, by taking responsibility for screwing up, they're also promising that they'll do whatever it takes to make up for it in the future.
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
Aquarius shows their vulnerability when they admit that sometimes they get lonely. Aquarius people are extremely independent and like to go off on their own, but they also like to have a lot of family and friends around.
One might not think that an Aquarius would ever feel lonely or that they'd admit to it as they tend to not be so comfortable with expressing their feelings. But Aquarius do need to connect deeply with others from time to time, and by sharing their feelings they become better able to handle them.
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
Pisces are very sensitive and creative people, and one of the ways they show their vulnerability is the positive feedback they give to the people that they admire. When a Pisces gives someone a compliment, it's usually well thought-out and comes from the heart.
They're not trying to gain favor or stroke someone's ego; for a Pisces, a compliment shows that they're a work in progress, and while they're not yet who they're supposed to be, they recognize the qualities they are striving for. Pisces demonstrate that they're living their lives out in the open — vulnerable, yes, but also open to creative inspiration and guidance.
Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and teacher who loves writing and performing personal narratives. She's had pieces in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Woman's Day, Purple Clover, Bustle, and is a regular contributor to Ravishly and YourTango. Check out her website or her Facebook page.