The Gifts of Imperfection (Being Late to the Brené Brown Craze)

I’ve been hearing the Brené Brown buzz for a while. In fact, I have a paperback copy of Daring Greatly on my home bookshelf that I have been steadily avoiding for years. I can’t really tell you why I’ve been avoiding her. Maybe it’s because she’s been too popular. Perhaps my little heart can’t take one more “too good to be true” self-help guru. Perhaps it’s because Oprah is a fan. When her work came up in some research on giving and accepting feedback, I finally decided she could no longer be ignored. I guess that happens when someone is talking about something you are incredibly interested in, darn her!

I decided to start small with Brené in the most literal sense. I chose her book The Gifts of Imperfection because it’s a slim one hundred and thirty-seven pages. Obviously, I didn’t want to invest too much time and effort into someone I was skeptical about. The premise of the book did intrigue me. The cover teases, “let go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embrace who you are.” That sounded good to me, but I was fearful that she’d just throw a bunch of surface-level vague notions of “be yourself” at me with no real action plan.

I pride myself on being an honest person, and I am happy to tell you that Brené was not what I expected. First, she’s a researcher, and her work is grounded in research- both her personal work and the work of other professionals. I didn’t know anything about her going into this book and was so thrilled to read within the first few pages that she’s not just some well-meaning (or money-grabbing) lady with a book deal. In fact, she has dedicated an entire chapter to describing her work and her research process. Gold star! She does an excellent job of presenting research in a readable and relatable way. She does this by using real-world examples and reframing complex ideas. For instance, she writes new and improved definitions for terms that can be difficult to understand based on her qualitative research. She’s talking to people and using their experiences and words to inform her work. She is also very transparent about how the ideas presented in her research take shape in her personal life. Brené talks about her own shame, guilt, joy, and fear.

Brené also impressed me by providing information about concrete actions I can take to improve areas of my life that need development. I appreciate that I can start working on myself today because of reading her book. I have already incorporated a few of her ideas into my daily life and intend on trying out other pieces of advice from the book.

Another thing that I loved about this book is that Brené mentions other researchers and authors by name and references their work. Because of her diligence and transparency, I have a great list of books to follow up on in different areas that I want to develop. I also plan on reading some of her other works because I was impressed by this one.

This tiny book packed a powerful punch. If you have an interest in developing in any of the following areas, this book is for you:

• Authenticity
• Self-Compassion
• Resilient Spirit
• Gratitude and Joy
• Intuition and Faith
• Creativity
• Play and Rest
• Calm and Stillness
• Meaningful Work
• Laughter, Song, and Dance

P.S. some of these themes aren’t what I initially expected. She was pleasantly surprising me all over the place!

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown

ISBN: 9781592858491

Publication Date: 2010-08-27

Brené Brown's game-changing New York Times bestseller, The Gifts of Imperfection, has sold more than 2 million copies in more than 30 different languages and is celebrating its 10th Anniversary in print. Forbes magazine named Gifts one of the "Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life." Through this self-help classic we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world and helping us to believe we are worthy of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love. A motivational and inspiring guide to wholehearted living, rather than just the average self-help book, with this groundbreaking work Brené Brown, Ph.D., bolsters the self-esteem and personal development process through her characteristic heartfelt, honest storytelling. With original research and plenty of encouragement, she explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an "imperfect" life and embracing living authentically. Brown's "ten guideposts"  are benchmarks for authenticity that can help anyone establish a practice for a life of honest beauty--a perfectly imperfect life. Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to "dig deep" and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can't hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.

 

Rising Strong by Brené Brown

Call Number: BF637 .S4 B8118 2015

ISBN: 9780812995824

Publication Date: 2015-08-25

"The physics of vulnerability is simple: If we are brave enough often enough, we will fall. The author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection tells us what it takes to get back up, and how owning our stories of disappointment, failure, and heartbreak gives us the power to write a daring new ending. Struggle, Brene Brown writes, can be our greatest call to courage, and rising strong our clearest path to a wholehearted life"-- Provided by publisher.
"With her 2010 TED talk on the power of vulnerability (over 18 million views), her bestselling books on the transformative gifts of shame and vulnerability, and her inspiring call for wholehearted living, Brene Brown has changed the cultural conversation. Her work has been embraced by Oprah Winfrey and corporate leaders alike making her a highly sought after public speaker. For Brene, the conversation about vulnerability and shame naturally evolves into a discussion of bravery--its origins, its catalysts, its chemistry. How we are brave. What constitutes bravery. What activates the impulse to be brave. And how to recognize where our own "hero’s journey" begins--in the depths of failure, disappointment, heartbreak, and grief--and how, once we grapple with our story, we are able to rise from those depths and determine how we want our story will end"-- Provided by publisher.

 

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

Call Number: BF 575 .A85 B76 2012

ISBN: 9781592407330

Publication Date: 2012-09-11

Based on twelve years of research, thought leader Dr. Bren Brown argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection.