Scary topics, eh?
I recently finished reading “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown.
Her first TED Talk is one of the top 5 most viewed TED Talk’s ever (with more than 35 million views)… funny enough, she was petrified after giving the talk and didn’t want anyone to see it!
Brene Brown is a PhD shame and vulnerability researcher. She researches these scary, mostly avoided topics, to see how they affect us as individuals and as cultures. This book is written in a very easy to read, comfortable language, yet it is based on hard, scientific data. There are sections on leadership, parenting and just living. Reading this book has helped me a lot in my journey to accept myself as I am and accept others as they are.
Everyone is so afraid. Everyone puts up shields, fronts. Some are quiet and don’t want to share their full selves (or even a bit) with others. Some are loud and talk constantly because they want to control the conversation because they’re afraid of what the other person might say. People act like they’re happy and put together when they aren’t. People put on an angry front when they’re actually hurting and lonely inside. People are afraid to be genuine and raw. They’re afraid of getting hurt. So we never get a chance to learn who they really are.
Although these behaviors are totally human, they aren’t helping us. Being “unreal” hurts who we truly are and it keeps us from truly connecting to others.
I would have loved to put some quotes into this blog, but I’m traveling across Kenya and wasn’t able to pack the book. Hopefully I can add some later.
I strongly urge you to read this book! Let’s all be REAL!!
For a quick dose of Brene Brown, check out her awesome TED Talk’s below.
The Power of Vulnerability, her first TED Talk:
Listening to Shame, her second TED Talk:
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