Yes, I am on the Brene Brown bandwagon. I first heard of her when I saw her TED talk, which is apparently how many people heard of her. It was right when I was in the midst of my divorce and some of the worst emotional times in my life, so the idea of being vulnerable really spoke to me. I first read the gifts of imperfection, and then found myself impressed and enthralled with a lot of her research and ideas.
Enter Daring Greatly. I ordered this book off of Amazon along with a myriad of other self-help books when I felt I was ready to start making a better me. You see, I grew up with a mother who very much believed that books are the answer to everything. Her answer to many questions was "look it up", which in the prehistoric pre-internet days meant to look at our worn out set of encyclopedia's or go to the library. So when I awoke from my stupor of a bad marriage and discovered I had lost a lot of who I was, looking up how to heal seemed completely the right thing to do.
Daring Greatly is all about facing the regular challenges of life head on, and being willing to take the risks that make us vulnerable and open to criticism in pain. This is a challenge for me. I felt that I had been through enough pain, and that maybe I should just quietly raise my daughters and then read books and watch plays until such time came to put me into a home. I had been leading a somewhat disengaged life. I was still close enough to some friends and family, but was quite keen on planning my life of solitude once my children were older. Why? Because that seemed like the least painful way to go. Reaching out to connect to people, not just for romance, but really connect, seemed like too much of a risk. I had my little circle of friends that I knew would be there for me, and that would be enough.
This was also a struggle with work. Do my job, and stay under the radar. I had tried before to excel at work, and I fell flat on my face. In her book Brene Brown talks about feeling like there is never enough, and that we are never enough. This is like a slap in the face for me. I have felt this most of my life. Not smart enough, not good enough, not talented enough. What is most surprising is that I do not put these labels or expectations on anyone else. I hold myself to a standard that I would tell anyone else is impossible to maintain. So, several years ago I accepted that I was working towards what was impossible, and instead really ceased to work toward anything at all.
I have slowly started to change that attitude. Books like this are slowly starting to help me open up. I began to do things I love more. I began to try harder at work. I went back to school and began working on a PhD. I went back full force into theatre reviewing. I started reaching out to more friends. I met more people.
And, I have experienced some more heartache. I have had people turn, exit, and leave me feeling raw. But, I have also had others open up and bring me needed understanding and peace. I have further clarified some of my dreams and desires. I have made plans that are more realistic and also more enjoyable.
Mostly, I have dared to be less afraid. I have tried to remind myself that I cannot control how others perceive me. I know some will always think less of me, but that speaks more to them than it does to me. I know that some may find that I waste my time or do things wrong, but again, that is their perception. I am trying my best to be my real self. I appreciate books that help me honestly look at myself and make choices that lead to a better me.
Daring Greatly is a novel by Brene Brown that was first published in 2012.
Enter Daring Greatly. I ordered this book off of Amazon along with a myriad of other self-help books when I felt I was ready to start making a better me. You see, I grew up with a mother who very much believed that books are the answer to everything. Her answer to many questions was "look it up", which in the prehistoric pre-internet days meant to look at our worn out set of encyclopedia's or go to the library. So when I awoke from my stupor of a bad marriage and discovered I had lost a lot of who I was, looking up how to heal seemed completely the right thing to do.
Daring Greatly is all about facing the regular challenges of life head on, and being willing to take the risks that make us vulnerable and open to criticism in pain. This is a challenge for me. I felt that I had been through enough pain, and that maybe I should just quietly raise my daughters and then read books and watch plays until such time came to put me into a home. I had been leading a somewhat disengaged life. I was still close enough to some friends and family, but was quite keen on planning my life of solitude once my children were older. Why? Because that seemed like the least painful way to go. Reaching out to connect to people, not just for romance, but really connect, seemed like too much of a risk. I had my little circle of friends that I knew would be there for me, and that would be enough.
This was also a struggle with work. Do my job, and stay under the radar. I had tried before to excel at work, and I fell flat on my face. In her book Brene Brown talks about feeling like there is never enough, and that we are never enough. This is like a slap in the face for me. I have felt this most of my life. Not smart enough, not good enough, not talented enough. What is most surprising is that I do not put these labels or expectations on anyone else. I hold myself to a standard that I would tell anyone else is impossible to maintain. So, several years ago I accepted that I was working towards what was impossible, and instead really ceased to work toward anything at all.
I have slowly started to change that attitude. Books like this are slowly starting to help me open up. I began to do things I love more. I began to try harder at work. I went back to school and began working on a PhD. I went back full force into theatre reviewing. I started reaching out to more friends. I met more people.
And, I have experienced some more heartache. I have had people turn, exit, and leave me feeling raw. But, I have also had others open up and bring me needed understanding and peace. I have further clarified some of my dreams and desires. I have made plans that are more realistic and also more enjoyable.
Mostly, I have dared to be less afraid. I have tried to remind myself that I cannot control how others perceive me. I know some will always think less of me, but that speaks more to them than it does to me. I know that some may find that I waste my time or do things wrong, but again, that is their perception. I am trying my best to be my real self. I appreciate books that help me honestly look at myself and make choices that lead to a better me.
Daring Greatly is a novel by Brene Brown that was first published in 2012.
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