Brené Brown Quotes:

Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness.

source: - Brené Brown (2012). “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.39, Penguin

Topics: Courage, Parenting, Empathy, Daring Greatly

Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.

source: - Brené Brown (2010). “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are”, p.64, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Letting Go, Thinking, Practice

What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful.

Topics: Beautiful, Vulnerable

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.

source: - "Can We Gain Strength From Shame?". "TED Radio Hour" with Guy Raz, www.npr.org. March 11, 2013.

Topics: Motivation, Fear, Inspiration, Daring Greatly, Birthplace

Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.... Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness. If it doesn't feel vulnerable, the sharing is probably not constructive.

Topics: Feelings, Weakness, Connections, Worthiness

Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you're enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect. When we don't have that, we shape-shift and turn into chameleons; we hustle for the worthiness we already possess.

source: - "Brené Brown's Top 4 Life Lessons". www.oprah.com.

Topics: Believe, Positive Thinking, Acceptance, Self Acceptance

Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.

Topics: Inspiring, Letting Go, Business

I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.

Topics: Motivational, Inspirational Life, Stories, Wholeheartedness

Until we can receive with an open heart, we're never really giving with an open heart. When we attach judgment to receiving help, we knowingly or unknowingly attach judgment to giving help.

Topics: Heart, Giving, Receiving, Open Heart, Giving Help

I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.

source: - Brené Brown (2015). “Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.182, Spiegel & Grau

Topics: Inspirational, Motivational, Friendship, Sustenance

[I] never talk about gratitude and joy separately, for this reason. In 12 years, I've never interviewed a single person who would describe their lives as joyful, who would describe themselves as joyous, who was not actively practicing gratitude.

Topics: Gratitude, Years, Joy

We're a nation hungry for more joy: Because we're starving from a lack of gratitude.

Topics: Gratitude, Joy, Hungry, Lack Of Gratitude

Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.

Topics: Confidence, Someone You Love, Like You, Words Of Confidence, Boost Your Confidence

You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.

Topics: Inspirational, Struggle, Imperfect, Worthy Of Love, Being Imperfect

Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we're all in this together.

source: - Brené Brown (2010). “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are”, p.76, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Imperfection, Together, Reminders, Creativity And Writing, Inadequacy

Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.

source: - Brené Brown (2012). “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.57, Penguin

Topics: Motivation, Light, Brave, Infinite Power

Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.

Topics: Courage, Risk, Boundaries, Love And Courage

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.

Topics: Inspiring, Running, Stories, Infinite Power, Giving Up On Love

We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.

source: - "The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are". Book by Brené Brown, www.huffingtonpost.com. August 27, 2010.

Topics: Positive, Abnormal Psychology, Emotion, Positive Emotions

The real questions for parents should be: "Are you engaged? Are you paying attention?" If so, plan to make lots of mistakes and bad decisions. Imperfect parenting moments turn into gifts as our children watch us try to figure out what went wrong and how we can do better next time. The mandate is not to be perfect and raise happy children. Perfection doesn't exist, and I've found what makes children happy doesn't always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.

Topics: Children, Real, Mistake, Bad Decision, Daring Greatly

One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we place on "going it alone." Somehow we've come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we're very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It's as if we've divided the world into "those who offer help" and "those who need help." The truth is that we are both.

Topics: Hands, Connections, Needs

Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection.

Topics: Giving, Connections, Where We Come, Unlovable, Disconnection

If you want to make a difference, the next time you see someone being cruel to another human being, take it personally. Take it personally because it is personal!” (p 272)

Topics: Differences, Making A Difference, Want

Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.

Topics: Showing Up, Overcoming Fear, Vulnerability, Daring Greatly

Feeling vulnerable, imperfect, and afraid is human. It's when we lose our capacity to hold space for these struggles that we become dangerous.

Topics: Struggle, Space, Feelings

Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart.

Topics: Business, Heart, Giving

What we know matters but who we are matters more.

Topics: Who We Are, Matter

The willingness to show up changes us, It makes us a little braver each time.

Topics: Littles, Shows, Willingness, Daring Greatly

Maybe stories are just data with a soul.

Topics: Data, Soul, Stories

If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.

Topics: Inspirational, Real, Grief, Depression And Anxiety, Anxiety Depression

Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.(page 49)

Topics: Real, Self, Choices, Authentic Self, Being Authentic

Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart." Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. But in my opinion, this definition fails to recognize the inner strength and level of commitment required for us to actually speak honestly and openly about who we are and about our experiences -- good and bad. Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as "ordinary courage.

Topics: Latin, Commitment, Heart

Our capacity for wholeheartednes s can never be greater than our willingness to be broken-hearted.

Topics: Broken, Capacity, Hearted, Broken Hearted, Wholeheartedness

Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.

Topics: Motivational, Compassion, Perspective, Love And Compassion

Courage is telling our story, not being immune to criticism.

Topics: Criticism, Stories

We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.

Topics: Giving, Empathy, Suffering, Daring Greatly, Purpose And Meaning

When we numb [hard feelings], we numb joy, we numb gratitude, we numb happiness.

Topics: Gratitude, Motivation, Inspiration

Ads sell a great deal more than products. They sell values, images, and concepts of success and worth.

Topics: Deals, Ads, Values

Nothing has transformed my life more than realizing that it's a waste of time to evaluate my worthiness by weighing the reaction of the people in the stands.

Topics: People, Waste, Wasting Time, Worthiness

You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.

Topics: Confidence, Hustle, Stories, Worthiness

If we own the story then we can write the ending.

Topics: Writing, Positivity, Stories

Those who have a strong sense of love and belonging have the courage to be imperfect.

Topics: Strong, Imperfect, Belonging

When we lose our tolerance for vulnerability, joy becomes foreboding.

Topics: Joy, Tolerance, Vulnerability, Foreboding

We are the most in-debt, obese, addicted and medicated adult cohort in U.S. history.

Topics: Motivation, Inspiration, Adults

What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.

Topics: Gratitude, Thankfulness, Privilege, Entitlement Mentality

Who we are and how we engage with the world are much stronger predictors of how our children will do than what we know about parenting.

Topics: Children, Stronger, World, Daring Greatly

When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. This is why we sometimes attack who they are, which is far more hurtful than addressing a behavior or a choice.

Topics: People, Choices, Hurtful, Mistreated

When perfectionism is driving us, shame is riding shotgun and fear is that annoying backseat driver!

Topics: Riding, Driving, Annoying, Shotguns, Perfectionism

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them- we can only love others as much as we love ourselves. Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed, and rare.

source: - Brené Brown (2012). “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.93, Penguin

Topics: Betrayal, Love Is, Two

Believing that you're enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic.

Topics: Confidence, Believe, Giving

Joy, collected over time, fuels resilience - ensuring we'll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things do happen.

Topics: Emotional, Joy, Resilience, Emotional Strength, Reservoirs

Talk about your failures without apologizing.

Topics: Apologizing

You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you can't have both.

Topics: Comfort

Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self acceptance.

Topics: Acceptance, Self, Levels

Vulnerability is not about winning, and it's not about losing. It's about having the courage to show up and be seen.

Topics: Winning, Losing, Shows

Love is a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them - we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

Topics: Love Is, Two, People, Love Grows

Creativity, which is the expression of our originality, helps us stay mindful that what we bring to the world is completely original and cannot be compared.

Topics: Creativity, Expression, World

Do you light up when your kids are coming in the room or do you become the instant critic?

Topics: Kids, Positivity, Light

There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.

Topics: Creativity, Innovation, Periods

Nothing is as uncomfortable, dangerous and hurtful as believing that I'm standing on the outside of my life looking in and wondering what it would be like if I had the courage to show up and let myself be seen.

Topics: Believe, Hurtful, Would Be, Daring Greatly

Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy.

Topics: Giving Up, Joy, Dangerous, Giving Up On Love

Hope is a function of struggle.

Topics: Struggle, Function

Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage.

Topics: Sound, Feels, Vulnerability

Numb the dark and you numb the light.

Topics: Fear, Dark, Light

Nostalgia is also a dangerous form of comparison. Think about how often we compare our lives to a memory that nostalgia has so completely edited that it never really existed.

Topics: Memories, Thinking, Nostalgia

Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.

Topics: Shame, Gremlins, Daring Greatly, Unspeakable

If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.

source: - Brené Brown (2012). “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.68, Penguin

Topics: Empathy, Understanding, Stories, Empathy And Understanding

Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.

Topics: Differences, Addiction, Anxiety, Hamper, Perfectionism

Worrying about scarcity is our culture's version of post-traumatic stress. It happens when we've been through too much, and rather than coming together to heal (which requires vulnerability) we're angry and scared and at each other's throats.

Topics: Fear, Stress, Worry, Daring Greatly

The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It's our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.

Topics: Dark, Light, Joy

When I look at narcissism through the vulnerability lens, I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary. I see the fear of never feeling extraordinary enough to be noticed, to be lovable, to belong, or to cultivate a sense of purpose.

Topics: Fear, Feelings, Ordinary

Even to me the issue of "stay small, sweet, quiet, and modest" sounds like an outdated problem, but the truth is that women still run into those demands whenever we find and use our voices.

Topics: Inspirational, Running, Sweet

Hope is not an emotion; it's a way of thinking or a cognitive process.

Topics: Thinking, Way, Emotion, Cognitive

Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.

Topics: Meaningful, Spiritual, Creativity, Daring Greatly

Perfectionism is a self destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.

Topics: Self, Perfect, Feelings, Painful Feelings, Perfectionism

Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.

Topics: Believe, Shame, Capable

We're a nation of exhausted and over-stressed adults raising over-scheduled children.

Topics: Children, Stressed, Adults

Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.

Topics: Risk, Connections, Want

Vulnerability pushed, I pushed back. I lost the fight, but probably won my life back.

Topics: Motivation, Inspiration, Fighting

Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from taking flight.

Topics: Thinking, Twenties, Shields, Perfectionism

Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception - we want to be perceived as perfect. Again, this is unattainable - there is no way to control perception, regardless of how much time and energy we spend trying.

Topics: Motivational, Self, Goal, Time And Energy

Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: "Who has earned the right to hear my story?" If we have one or two people in our lives who can sit with us and hold space for our shame stories, and love us for our strengths and struggles, we are incredibly lucky. If we have a friend, or small group of friends, or family who embraces our imperfections, vulnerabilities, and power, and fills us with a sense of belonging, we are incredibly lucky.

Topics: Struggle, Two, Space, People In Our Lives, Group Of Friends

Most people believe vulnerability is weakness. But really vulnerability is Courage. We must ask ourselves...are we willing to show up and be seen.

Topics: Believe, People, Weakness

Don't try to win over the haters; you are not a jackass whisperer.

source: - "Rise to Your Own Occasion: 7 Essential Practices of Brilliant Women" by Jami Young, www.huffingtonpost.com. November 4, 2014.

Topics: Winning, Trying, Jackasses, Daring Greatly, My Haters

You can't get to courage without walking through vulnerability.

Topics: Walking, Vulnerability

Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.

Topics: Acceptance, Self, World

I've found what makes children happy doesn't always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.

Topics: Children, Adults, Courageous

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.

Topics: Inspirational, Running, Courage

If you own this story you get to write the ending.

Topics: Writing, Stories, Responsibility For Your Life

Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.

Topics: Courage, Motivation, Inspiration

Here's what is truly at the heart of wholeheartedness: Worthy now, not if, not when, we're worthy of love and belonging now. Right this minute. As is.

Topics: Inspiring, Heart, Minutes, Worthy Of Love, Wholeheartedness

Spirituality emerged as a fundamental guidepost in Wholeheartedness. Not religiosity but the deeply held belief that we are inextricably connected to one another by a force greater than ourselves--a force grounded in love and compassion. For some of us that's God, for others it's nature, art, or even human soulfulness. I believe that owning our worthiness is the act of acknowledging that we are sacred. Perhaps embracing vulnerability and overcoming numbing is ultimately about the care and feeding of our spirits.

Topics: Art, Believe, Compassion, Wholeheartedness, Soulfulness

Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you've got all the answers, then don't call what you do 'faith.'

Topics: Answers, Mystery, Minus, Extremism

Let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen, to love with our whole hearts, even though there's no guarantee... to practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror... to say 'I'm just so grateful because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive'... to believe that we're enough. Because when we work from a place, I believe, that says, 'I'm enough', then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves.

Topics: Gratitude, Believe, Grateful, I'm Alive

Shame cannot survive being spoken. It cannot tolerate having words wrapped around it. What it craves is secrecy, silence, and judgment. If you stay quiet, you stay in a lot of self-judgment.

Topics: Self, Silence, Quiet

If you're not in the arena also getting your ***** kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback.

Topics: Arena, Ass, Feedback

It's hard to practice compassion when we're struggling with our authenticity or when our own worthiness is off-balance.

Topics: Struggle, Compassion, Practice

When the people we love stop paying attention, trust begins to slip away and hurt starts seeping in.

Topics: Hurt, People, Attention

Every time we choose courage, we make everyone around us a little better and the world a little braver. And our world could stand to be a little kinder and braver.

Topics: Our World, World, Littles, Betterment, Courageous Choices

I'm not a parenting expert. In fact, I'm not sure that I even believe in the idea of 'parenting experts.' I'm an engaged, imperfect parent and a passionate researcher. I'm an experienced mapmaker and a stumbling traveler. Like many of you, parenting is by far my boldest and most daring adventure.

Topics: Believe, Adventure, Ideas, Stumbling

Are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be?

Topics: Children, Growing Up, Adults

Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments - often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we're too busy chasing down the extraordinary moments. Other times we're so afraid of the dark we don't dare let ourselves enjoy the light. A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude and inspiration

Topics: Gratitude, Inspiration, Believe, Joyful Life, Joyful Moments

When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.

Topics: People

'Crazy-busy' is a great armor, it's a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we're feeling and what we really need can't catch up with us.

Topics: Crazy, Feelings, Needs, Numbing

Cool is the emotional straightjacket. It makes us less available for connection which makes us less equipped for leadership roles.

Topics: Emotional, Connections, Roles, Leadership Roles

We are a culture of people who've bought into the idea that if we stay busy enough, the truth of our lives won't catch up with us.

Topics: Ideas, People, Culture

We need to change what we say and what we allow to be said in front of us.

Topics: Needs, Said, Need A Change, Power Of Words

There is no such thing as creative and non-creative people, only people who use their creativity and people who don't.

Topics: Creativity, People, Creative

Vulnerability is the cornerstone of confidence.

Topics: Vulnerability, Cornerstones

We can talk about courage and love and compassion until we sound like a greeting card store, but unless we're willing to have an honest conversation about what gets in the way of putting these into practice in our daily lives, we will never change. Never, ever.

Topics: Love, Compassion, Practice, Love And Courage, Greeting Card

Living a connected life ultimately is about setting boundaries, spending less time and energy hustling and winning over people who don't matter, and seeing the value of working on cultivating connection with family and close friends.

Topics: Winning, People, Hustle, Spending Less, Time And Energy

Who we are matters immeasurably more than what we know or who we want to be.

Topics: Want, Who We Are, Matter

Rest and play, are as vital to our health as nutrition and exercise

Topics: Exercise, Play, Nutrition, Nutrition And Exercise

Sufficiency isn't two steps up from poverty or one step short of abundance. It isn't a measure of barely enough or more than enough. Sufficiency isn't an amount at all. It is an experience, a context we generate, a declaration, a knowing that there is enough, and that we are enough.

Topics: Two, Knowing, Poverty

We can only belong when we offer our most authentic selves and when we're embraced for who we are.

Topics: Self, Who We Are, Authentic Self

Vulnerability is not weakness.

Topics: Weakness, Vulnerability

When you get to a place where you understand that love and belonging, your worthiness, is a birthright and not something you have to earn, anything is possible.

Topics: Birthright, Anything Is Possible, Worthiness

There is no creativity without vulnerability.

Topics: Creativity, Vulnerability

Empathy fuels connection; sympathy drives disconnection.

Topics: Empathy, Connections, Fuel, Disconnection

If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging.

Topics: Believe, Want, Worthy, Worthy Of Love, Experience Love

Shame cannot survive being spoken. It cannot survive empathy.

Topics: Empathy, Shame

What makes something better is connection.

Topics: Connections, Something Better

A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don't function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick.

Topics: Hurt, Fall, People

In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen.

source: - David Almond (2013). “Skellig”, p.99, Hachette UK

Topics: Order, Connections

Shame works like the zoom lens on a camera. When we are feeling shame, the camera is zoomed in tight and all we see is our flawed selves, alone and struggling.(page 68)

Topics: Struggle, Self, Feelings, Zoom

If we want to live and love with our whole hearts, and if we want to engage with the world from a place of worthiness, we have to talk about the things that get in the way- especially shame, fear and vulnerability

Topics: Heart, And Love, World, Live And Love, Worthiness

The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.

Topics: Creativity, Unique, World

If we want to cultivate hopefulness, we have to be willing to be flexible and demonstrate perseverance. Not every goal will look and feel the same. Tolerance for disappointment, determination, and a belief in self are the heart of hope.

Topics: Perseverance, Determination, Disappointment, Hopefulness

If we want to be able to move through the difficult disappointments, the hurt feelings, and the heartbreaks that are inevitable in a fully lived life, we can't equate defeat with being unworthy of love, belonging and joy. If we do, we'll never show up and try again.

Topics: Hurt, Disappointment, Moving

We cannot give our children what we don't have. Where we are on our journey of living and loving with our whole hearts is a much stronger indicator of parenting success than anything we can learn from how-to books.

Topics: Motivational, Children, Book, Indicators

The question isn't so much, Are you parenting the right way? as it is: Are you the adult you want your child to grow up to be?

Topics: Children, Growing Up, Adults

There is no intimacy without vulnerability. Yet another powerful example of vulnerability as courage.

Topics: Powerful, Example, Intimacy

When you numb your pain you also numb your joy.

Topics: Pain, Joy, Numb

Share with people who have earned the right to hear your story.

Topics: People, Stories, Share

In many ways, September feels like the busiest time of the year: The kids go back to school, work piles up after the summer's dog days, and Thanksgiving is suddenly upon us.

Topics: Summer, Dog, School, Dog Days, School Work

If we share our shame story with the wrong person, they can easily become one more piece of flying debris in an already dangerous storm.(page 10)

Topics: Flying, Storm, Stories, Wrong Person

Faith minus vulnerability is fundamentalism

Topics: Minus, Vulnerability, Fundamentalism

Let go of who you think you should be in order to be who you are. Be imperfect and have compassion for yourself. Connection is the result of authenticity.

Topics: Letting Go, Thinking, Compassion, Compassion For Yourself

To live with courage, purpose, and connection - to be the person whom we long to be - we must again be vulnerable. We must ... show up, and let ourselves be seen.

Topics: Long, Connections, Purpose

When we deny our stories, They define us. When we own our stories, we get to write the ending.

Topics: Writing, Stories, Deny

Knowledge is only rumor until it lives in the bones.

Topics: Rumor, Bones

When failure is not an option, we can forget about creativity, learning, and innovation.

Topics: Failure, Learning, Creativity, Failure Is Not An Option

Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous... I define vulnerability as emotional risk, exposure, uncertainty. It fuels our daily lives.

Topics: Emotional, Risk, Weakness

Vulnerability is the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experience.

Topics: Meaningful, Heart, Human Experience

People may call what happens at midlife 'a crisis,' but it's not. It's an unraveling - a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you're 'supposed' to live. The unraveling is a time when you are challenged by the universe to let go of who you think you are supposed to be and to embrace who you are.

source: - Brené Brown (2010). “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are”, p.11, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Motivational, Letting Go, Live Life, Unraveling

Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it. Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.

Topics: Motivational, Acceptance, Self

If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, sculpt, dance, decorate, act, sing - it doesn't matter. As long as we're creating, we're cultivating meaning.

Topics: Motivational, Art, Writing, Collages

Many people think of perfectionism as striving to be your best, but it is not about self-improvement; it's about earning approval and acceptance.

Topics: Acceptance, Thinking, Self, Perfectionism

Lean into the discomfort of the work.

Topics: Discomfort

I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter. To be on that list, you have to love me for my strengths and struggles.

Topics: Struggle, Names, People

Why, when we know that there's no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No - the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.

Topics: Real, Perfection, People

Through my research, I found that vulnerability is the glue that holds relationships together. It's the magic sauce.

Topics: Magic, Together, Glue

Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It's the fear that we're not good enough.

Topics: Powerful, Not Good Enough, Emotion

I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive.

Topics: Grateful, Mean, Alive, So Grateful

For me, the opposite of scarcity is not abundance. It's enough. I'm enough. My kids are enough.

Topics: Kids, Opposites, Scarcity

There's no evidence that vulnerabilty is weakness.

Topics: Weakness, Evidence

Men walk this tightrope where any sign of weakness illicits shame, and so they're afraid to make themselves vulnerable for fear of looking weak.

Topics: Men, Weakness, Vulnerable

When we're defined by what people think we lose the courage to be vulnerable.

Topics: Thinking, People, Vulnerable

Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are.

source: - Brené Brown (2011). “불완전함의 선물”, Cheongha/ Tsai Fong Books

Topics: Letting Go, Thinking, Embrace, Perfectionism, Unraveling

Laughter, song, and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration, or healing: We are not alone.

Topics: Motivational, Spiritual, Song, Song And Dance, Spiritual Connection

Squandering our gifts brings distress to our lives. As it turns out, it's not merely benign or 'too bad' if we don't use the gifts that we've been given; we pay for it with our emotional and physical well-being. When we don't use our talents to cultivate meaningful work, we struggle. We feel disconnected and weighted down by feelings of emptiness, frustration, resentment, shame, disappointment, fear, and even grief.

Topics: Motivational, Meaningful, Disappointment, Benign, Meaningful Work

At the end of my life I want to be able to say I contributed more than I criticized.

Topics: Want, Able, Ends

You cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behaviors.

Topics: People, Shame, Behavior, Belittle

Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.

Topics: Inspirational Life, Giving, Connections, Daring Greatly, Unlovable

Social media has given us this idea that we should all have a posse of friends when in reality, if we have one or two really good friends, we are lucky.

Topics: Good Friend, Reality, Media, Posse, Really Good Friends

After doing this work or the past twelve years and watching scarcity ride roughshod over our families, organizations, and communities, I'd say the one thing we have in common is that we're sick of feeling afraid. we want to dare greatly. We're tired of the national conversation centering on "What should we fear" and "Who should we blame?" We all want to be brave.

Topics: Fear, Tired, Past, Centering

I believe that owning our worthiness is the act of acknowledging that we are sacred. Perhaps embracing vulnerability and overcoming numbing is ultimately about the care and feeding of our spirits

Topics: Believe, Overcoming, Care

But I don't think it's as dangerous, scary, or terrifying as getting to the end of our lives and wondering, what if I would have shown up?

Topics: Thinking, Scary, What If, Wondering What If

Guilt is just as powerful, but its influence is positive, while shame's is destructive. Shame erodes our courage and fuels disengagement.

Topics: Powerful, Guilt, Fuel, Disengagement, Shame And Guilt

I'm never more courageous than when I'm embracing imperfection, embracing vulnerabilities, and setting boundaries with the people in my life.

Topics: People, Imperfection, Courageous

I only share when I have no unmet needs that I'm trying to fill. I firmly believe that being vulnerable with a larger audience is only a good idea if the healing is tied to the sharing, not to the expectations I might have for the response I get.

Topics: Believe, Healing, Ideas, Unmet Needs

If you put shame in a petri dish, it needs three ingredients to grow exponentially: secrecy, silence, and judgment. If you put the same amount of shame in the petri dish and douse it with empathy, it can't survive.

Topics: Empathy, Silence, Ingredients

We cannot grow when we are in shame, and we can't use shame to change ourselves or others.

Topics: Use, Shame, Grows

I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments, gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith.

Topics: Gratitude, Inspiration, Believe

Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.

Topics: Weakness, Dangerous, Myth

Want to be happy? Stop trying to be perfect.

Topics: Perfect, Trying, Want, Want To Be Happy, Trying To Be Perfect

I spent a lot of years trying to outrun or outsmart vulnerability by making things certain and definite, black and white, good and bad. My inability to lean into the discomfort of vulnerability limited the fullness of those important experiences that are wrought with uncertainty: Love, belonging, trust, joy, and creativity to name a few.

Topics: Creativity, Black And White, Love Is

I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness - it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude.

Topics: Gratitude, Attention, Finding Happiness, Extraordinary Moments

It's not about 'what can I accomplish?' but 'what do I want to accomplish?' Paradigm shift.

Topics: New Beginnings, Want, Accomplish, Paradigm Shift

I now see how gifts like courage, compassion, and connection only work when they are exercised. Every day.

Topics: Compassion, Connections

If we are going to find our way out of shame and back to each other, vulnerability is the path and courage is the light. To set down those lists of *what we're supposed to be* is brave. To love ourselves and support each other in the process of becoming real is perhaps the greatest single act of daring greatly.

Topics: Real, Light, Support, Daring Greatly, Becoming Real

If you can't say it to me in front of my kids, don't say it.

Topics: Kids

To become fully human means learning to turn my gratitude for being alive into some concrete common good. It means growing gentler toward human weakness. It means practicing forgiveness of my and everyone else's hourly failures to live up to divine standards. It means learning to forget myself on a regular basis in order to attend to the other selves in my vicinity. It means living so that "I'm only human" does not become an excuse for anything. It means receiving the human condition as blessing and not curse, in all its achingly frail and redemptive reality.

Topics: Gratitude, Mean, Blessing, I'm Only Human, Vicinity

Compassion is not a virtue -- it is a commitment. It's not something we have or don't have -- it's something we choose to practice.

Topics: Commitment, Compassion, Practice

Cruelty is easy, cheap and rampant.

Topics: Easy, Cruelty

Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional. Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose; the level to which we protect ourselves from being vulnerable is a measure of our fear and disconnection.

Topics: Emotional, Choices, Risk, Daring Greatly, Disconnection

Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.

Topics: Emotional, Knowing, Risk, Wholeheartedness

We can have courage or we can have comfort, but we cannot have both.

Topics: Comfort, Have Courage

We don't have to be perfect, just engaged and committed to aligning values with actions.

source: - Brené Brown (2012). “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead”, p.151, Penguin

Topics: Perfect, Action, Committed

Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable. It means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you're feeling. To have the hard conversations.

Topics: Mean, Feelings, Mindfulness, Daring Greatly

We're all so busy chasing the extraordinary that we forget to stop and be grateful for the ordinary.

Topics: Grateful, Ordinary, Busy

Empathy doesn't require that we have the exact same experiences as the person sharing their story with us...Empathy is connecting with the emotion that someone is experiencing, not the event or the circumstance.

Topics: Empathy, Events, Stories, Connecting

Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.

source: - Brené Brown (2010). “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are”, p.15, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Motivational, Morning, Mean, Worthy Of Love, Worthiness

Healthy striving is self-focused: "How can I improve?" Perfectionism is other-focused: "What will they think?"

source: - "The Gifts of Imperfection". Book by Brené Brown, 2010.

Topics: Thinking, Self, Healthy, Perfectionism

The most powerful teaching moments are the ones where you screw up.

Topics: Powerful, Teaching, Screw Ups

Every single person has a story that will break your heart. And if you're paying attention, many people... have a story that will bring you to your knees. Nobody rides for free.

Topics: Heart, People, Attention, Break Your Heart

A good life happens when you stop and are grateful for the ordinary moments that so many of us just steamroll over to try to find those extraordinary moments.

Topics: Gratitude, Good Life, Grateful, Extraordinary Moments, Ordinary Moments

Effort + the courage to show up = enough.

Topics: Effort, Enough, Shows

I believe in the healing power of laughter. I believe laughter forces us to breathe.

source: - Interview with Chantal Pierrat, www.marandapleasantmedia.com.

Topics: Laughter, Believe, Healing, Power Of Laughter

The question isn't so much "Are you parenting the right way?" as it is: "Are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be?"

source: - "Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead". Book by Brené Brown, January 17, 2013.

Topics: Children, Growing Up, Way