Brené Brown quotes help us discover the infinite power that lies within the ability to let down our defenses and release our facades. In this week's blog post, I'm sharing her healing perspectives on shame, vulnerability, and courage.
Brené Brown's main message
Brené Brown's central message is that our fear of not being good enough, the feelings of shame and unworthiness, prevent us from fully connecting and living a life we truly love.
These types of emotions are usually so subtle that we fail to recognize that we are being driven by them somehow. I'm 36 and just beginning to realize how I've operated within the realm of shame for most of my life, even though so often I felt like I was "in control" and confident.
Social anxiety, perfectionism, and busyness are just a few of the possible signs that we are operating from shame. Shame that we aren't good enough if we say the wrong thing, make a mistake or don't accomplish as many things in a day as we can.
Brené Brown's work really encourages us to take our masks off and have the courage to open ourselves up, even if it might hurt. Being vulnerable is an act of bravery. By opening up, we may experience hurtful criticism, but the freedom and joy that will come from stepping into your authentic self will override all of it.
The following Brené Brown quotes are some of my favorites. I hope you find some new perspectives to take with you on your own journey back to love.
Brené Brown quotes on shame
1. "Shame is that warm feeling that washes over us, making us feel small, flawed, and never good enough."
2. "Shame loves secrecy. The most dangerous thing to do after a shaming experience is hide or bury our story. When we bury our story, the shame metastasizes."
3. "If you put shame in a petri dish, it needs three ingredients to grow exponentially: secrecy, silence, and judgement. If you put the same amount of shame in the petri dish and douse it with empathy, it can't survive."
4. "If we share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive."
5. "When perfectionism is driving us, shame is riding shotgun and fear is that annoying backseat driver."
6. "We think to ourselves, I'm the only one with a muffin-top? Am I the only one with a family who is messy, loud, and out of control? Am I the only one not having sex 4.3 times per week (with a Calvin Klein model)? Something is wrong with me. I am alone."
7. "Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change."
8. "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."
9. "We desperately don't want to experience shame, and we're not willing to talk about it. Yet the only way to resolve shame is to talk about it. Maybe we're afraid of topics like love and shame. Most of us like safety, certainty, and clarity. Shame and love are grounded in vulnerability and tenderness."
10. "What we don't need in the midst of struggle is shame for being human."
11. "We're afraid that people won't like us if they know the truth about who we are, where we come from, what we believe, how much we're struggling, or, believe it or not, how wonderful we are when soaring."
Brené Brown quotes on vulnerability
12. "I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. To be human is to be in vulnerability."
13. "Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don't exist in the human experience."
14. "Vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it's also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love."
15. "We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known."
16. "When you shut down vulnerability, you shut down opportunity."
17. "Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness."
18. "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?'"
19. "Vulnerability is the only bridge to build connection."
20. "If we stop long enough to create a quiet emotional clearing, the truth of our lives will invariably catch up with us."
21. "Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It's having the courage to show up when you can't control the outcome."
Brené Brown quotes on courage
22. "Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage."
23. "When we find the courage to share our experiences and the compassion to hear others tell their stories, we force shame out of hiding, and end the silence."
24. "Caution: If you trade in your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief."
25. "You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness."
26. "We've lost touch with the idea that speaking honestly and openly about who we are, about what we're feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is the definition of courage."
27. "Sometimes choosing being real over being liked is all about playing it unsafe. It means stepping out of our comfort zone."
28. In a society that says, 'Put yourself last,' self-love and self-acceptance are almost revolutionary.
29. "What's the most courageous thing you could do for yourself when you feel small and hurt?"
30. "Do you know how incredibly brave it is to say "I don't know" when you're pretty sure everyone around you gets it?"31. "As we struggle to be authentic and brave, it's important to remember that cruelty always hurts, even if the criticisms are untrue."
32. "The problem is that when we don't care at all what people think and we're immune to hurt, we're also ineffective at connecting. Courage is telling our story, not being immune to criticism. Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection."
EXPLORE FURTHER
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this article and found something to take away with you.
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With love,
Jessica
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