Over the last couple of weeks, I have learned about a person named Brené Brown who researches shame, courage, and vulnerability. The reason why I am writing about her is because she was able to move me and change my thinking on how to approach situations in life. I think that it is worth it to learn more about her because of how inspiring of an individual she is.
Dr. Brené Brown is an American academic and podcaster who studies shame, vulnerability, and courage. Her 2010 TEDx talk in Houston about “The Power of Vulnerability” is one of the five most viewed TEDx talks and it was followed by another popular talk called “Listening to Shame”. She has also authored 6 #1 New York Times Best Sellers including The Gifts of Imperfection (2010), Daring Greatly (2012), Rising Strong (2015), Braving the Wilderness (2017), Dare to Lead (2018), and Atlas of the Heart (2021). She also hosts two podcasts called Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead where she does solo episodes or interviews guests. Dr. Brown also has a documentary film on Netflix called Brené Brown: The Call to Courage and a 5 part docu-series on HBO Max called Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart.
I started by watching her TED Talks which left me wanting more from this woman who seemed to be researching something people rarely talk about. Shame and vulnerability have such negative connotations in society while courage is the trait everyone talks about and wants to have. However, the real truth is that real courage cannot come without vulnerability. Although it is not the most comfortable experience, it is the most truthful one. Shame is a universal experience that can be healed by empathy and acknowledgment of each person’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This pushed me to watch her Netflix documentary which talks about courage and how to be courageous in today’s world. I enjoyed listening to her work and taking in this new perspective on shame, courage, and vulnerability.
The reason why I am writing about her is because I feel that her message on embracing vulnerability is one that has helped me through a difficult time and I hope it can help you too. I think that she is an inspiring woman to whom you can connect to because she is authentic and talks about difficult experiences that can help you live your life better. She talks about how being vulnerable is the most courageous thing that you do and this is the pathway that will lead to you having a deeper connection with the people around you as well as being the most authentic person you can be. I think that it is worth it to listen to her and read her work if you are curious about these topics, want to gain a new perspective, and or just learn something new about yourself.