Fullness Friday with quotes from Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

As love addicts, our biggest fear is abandonment. That's why, to cope with the uncertainty of being vulnerable, our brain reacts by producing anxiety, which can either push us to cling to someone, or to pull away, but never feel secure.

Brené Brown, an American professor and researcher, has spent a lot of her professional life researching, writing, and speaking about vulnerability.

Here is a couple of great quotes by Brené Brown:

Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.

Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.

If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.

I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. With that definition in mind, let’s think about love. Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow—that’s vulnerability.

Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough

It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.

I’m not perfect and I’m not always right, but I’m here, open, paying attention, loving you, and fully engaged.

There is no intimacy without vulnerability.

Shame resilience is about moving from shame to empathy—the real antidote to shame.

We love seeing raw truth and openness in other people, but we’re afraid to let them see it in us. We’re afraid that our truth isn’t enough—that what we have to offer isn’t enough without the bells and whistles, without editing, and impressing.

Trust is a product of vulnerability that grows over time and requires work, attention, and full engagement. Trust isn’t a grand gesture—it’s a growing marble collection.

I highly recommend grabbing her books "Daring Greatly" and "The Gifts of Imperfection". They can help you tremendously on your journey.

Yours truly,

Michelle & Co.