Today Perry Marshall sent me an email entitled “The #1 enemy you will conquer in your life is SHAME” that caught my attention.

In this TED video, Dr. Brene Brown from the University of Houston outlines key lessons she learned about herself and all of us about how we attempt to live in a messy and vulnerable world. We all desire connection with others, yet we like to control things to present ourselves as we think we should be, instead of who we really are. Shame is universal and is the fear of disconnection. Yet we need to be vulnerable and be seen for who we really are in order to achieve the connections we so much desire.

What she uncovered in her research caused her to seek therapy for a year to help sort out her strong need for control versus what she had discovered about vulnerability that is needed to live a full life.

One of the keys she uncovered was that people who have a sense of worthiness really believe that they are worthy. They have a strong sense of love and belonging. They have the courage to be imperfect and to be compassionate with themselves first in order to connect with others.

Unlike control, vulnerability is also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, and of love.

Unfortunately, we tend to numb vulnerability. But you can’t numb emotions selectively. Know that “I am enough” and let yourself be seen as who you really are and start living life to the fullest.

Dr. Brene Brown explains these concepts in a very compassionate way in the following TED video.

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