Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It's the fear that we're not good enough.
Brene BrownRead
The moment someone asks you to do something you don't have the time or inclination to do is fraught with vulnerability.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote speaks to the vulnerability we feel when asked to take on tasks that we are not ready or willing to do.
Brene Brown highlights the emotional and psychological discomfort that arises when we are put in a position to meet someone else's demands, especially when we feel unprepared or unwilling to accept those demands. This vulnerability can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety, as we grapple with our own limits and the expectations of others. A deeper understanding of our boundaries and a willingness to assert them is crucial in managing these pressures and maintaining healthy relationships.
Themes
VulnerabilityBoundariesRelationshipsSelf-AwarenessStress
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on personal boundaries, this quote could illustrate the importance of knowing when to say no.
More from Brene Brown
All quotes βI think our capacity for wholeheartedness can never be greater than our willingness to be broken-hearted. It means engaging with the world from a place of vulnerability and worthiness.
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Men walk this tightrope where any sign of weakness illicits shame, and so they're afraid to make themselves vulnerable for fear of looking weak.
Brene BrownRead
I hesitate to use a pathologizing label, but underneath the so-called narcissistic personality is definitely shame and the paralyzing fear of being ordinary.
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I'm not a parenting expert. In fact, I'm not sure that I even believe in the idea of 'parenting experts.' I'm an engaged, imperfect parent and a passionate researcher. I'm an experienced mapmaker and a stumbling traveler. Like many of you, parenting is by far my boldest and most daring adventure.
Brene BrownRead
I've learned that men and women who are living wholehearted lives really allow themselves to soften into joy and happiness. They allow themselves to experience it.
Brene BrownRead
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When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom.
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Each betrayal begins with trust.
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