This stuff ain’t for sissies

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown

OK, raise your hand if you’ve seen Brene Brown’s viral TED talks.

TED Talk the First (that’s it, just above there) 

TED Talk the Second 

Yeah, I’ve seen ’em, too. (After two people from completely different realms of my life mentioned her within the same week, I decided that was an indication I should check this stuff out. And I gotta tell you: it was at the perfect moment. [And I gotta tell you: there’s probably not an imperfect moment to hear these ideas.])

If you’re intrigued by Brown’s research about how we need to be vulnerable in order to really fully live our lives, then this book is just the ticket. 

I found it fascinating, inspiring, terrifying, and eye-opening. (Why terrifying? Because vulnerability is not for the weak of heart, people!)

Here’s the other thing to know about Brown: she’s a great storyteller. So even though, yes, she’s an academic researcher, she puts the soul back into the data.

There are so many good ideas packed into this book, it’s hard to isolate them. But here’s what I carried away:

Vulnerability shows strength, not weakness.

If we numb the pain, we also numb the joy.

And my friends, that’s all I’m gonna say. This book has life-changing capacities. ’nuff said.