The value of opening up: ego, fear and the art of loving

How many times, thanks to the distortion of ego, have we wanted to be right over our own pride?

How many times, over something silly, something so small, have you stopped talking to your friends, your mother, father, or siblings? For example, over a football argument? Because, deep down, we like being right more.

And what would happen if those family members, or even you, didn’t come back at the end of the day? What would you be left with if you could never see them again?

What’s stopping you from saying "I love you"?

Do it today.

Not tomorrow, not later.

Today.

🛡️ What is pride?

It’s the shield we use when we’re afraid to show ourselves as we truly are. It makes us stay silent when we need help, and it distances us when we could get closer.

Sometimes we believe it protects us, but most of the time, it just leaves us alone. It makes us see problems where there aren’t any, and it prevents us from saying simple, powerful things like: “I need you” or “I love you.”

Because love isn’t only something you feel. Sometimes, it needs to be heard too.

💬 How to let go of pride and get closer?

🔍 1. Notice when pride is winning

Sometimes we don’t apologize, we distance ourselves, or we shut down just to avoid showing that something hurt us.

Observing those reactions is the first step. Do you struggle to apologize? Do you stay quiet when you feel hurt? That’s pride at work.

🧠 2. Getting to know yourself changes everything

When you understand yourself, you can start acting differently. You know what you truly want, what you need, and not just what your ego is yelling at you. This helps you:

• Set goals that actually align with you.

• Be more motivated because you know why you’re doing what you’re doing.

• Trust yourself more, flaws and all.

• Be stronger when things don’t go as planned.

Being honest with yourself is the first step to truly connecting with others.

💛 3. Walk in the other person’s shoes

Empathy changes everything. Before reacting, ask yourself: How might the other person be feeling?

When we try to understand the other person instead of winning the argument, pride lowers its volume, and connection grows.

🗣️ 4. Speak from what you feel, not from judgment

Saying what you feel without blaming the other person creates space for true listening. It’s not the same as saying “I feel sad” vs. “You make me feel bad.”

When you speak from the heart, not from the ego, the other person can approach you without getting defensive.

🙏 5. Saying “Sorry” is for the brave

Admitting you’re wrong doesn’t make you less, it makes you human.

Apologizing isn’t losing, it’s saying, “I value you more than my ego.” An apology in time can save connections that pride breaks in seconds.

🤍 6. Being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak, it makes you real

Showing what you feel, opening up, saying “that hurt” or “I need”… that’s true connection. Vulnerability isn’t a lack of strength, it’s the courage to love without armor.

And there, in the realness, is where meaningful relationships are born.

🛠️ Small actions to let go of pride and connect better

• Take a pause every day and ask yourself: How did I feel today with the people around me? Did I react from the heart or from ego?

• Detect your patterns: when does pride take control? The next time, choose to respond with openness, not distance.

• Say thank you more often: appreciate the little things, the support, the patience. That’s love too, and it needs to be said.

• Listen genuinely: not to respond, but to understand. Open your heart, not just your ears.

• Look inside: what are you gaining from that pride? Sometimes, what we defend... is actually pushing us away.

• Before reacting, ask yourself: does this build or separate? Choose connection over being right.

🌱 Let pride be a teacher, not a wall

Pride isn’t your enemy. If you listen to it with awareness, it can show you what hurts, what you fear, and what you need to heal. It’s not about eliminating it, but not letting it dictate how you love.

When you manage it with humility, you grow, the relationship grows... and real love grows.