When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated. This is why we sometimes attack who they are, which is far more hurtful than addressing a behavior or a choice.
Bren BrownRead
If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prioritizing safety over authenticity can lead to various negative emotional and psychological consequences.
This quote by BrenΓ© Brown emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself rather than conforming to societal expectations for the sake of security. When individuals suppress their authentic selves in pursuit of safety, they may encounter a range of detrimental feelings, including anxiety and depression, ultimately losing touch with their sense of self and well-being.
Themes
AuthenticitySafetyEmotionsMental HealthSelf
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech on self-acceptance.
More from Bren Brown
All quotes βPerfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from taking flight.
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Social media has given us this idea that we should all have a posse of friends when in reality, if we have one or two really good friends, we are lucky.
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What we know matters but who we are matters more.
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Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.
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Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.
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