Brené Brown is relatable and full of wisdom. When I saw her Ted Talk on YouTube (titled: The Power of Vulnerability) I immediately ordered two of her books. In Rising Strong, Brené Brown shares her insights from her research on shame and overcoming adversity. This book has been pivotal for me to move forward in my writing. Her examples and inspiration have helped me get unstuck. I also watched her newly released Netflix special feature The Call to Courage. She uses quotes and illustrations from the book and brings all the ideas together in an encouraging way.
Here are some quotes that got my attention:
“The goal of the process is to rise from our falls, overcome our mistakes, and face hurt in a way that brings more wisdom and wholeheartedness into our lives.”
– from Rising Strong by Brené Brown
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. …We own our stories so we don’t spend our lives being defined by them or denying them.”
– from Rising Strong by Brené Brown
I created this little journal guide to help me take notes on my life and my experiences.
From Chapter FOUR – The Reckoning
Dead Reckoning = the Navigational Term. The process of calculating where you are right now.
To recognize our emotion we must develop awareness.
We must know how our thinking, feeling, our physiology and our behavior are connected.
Where am I right now?? What is my DEAD RECKONING?
- What is setting me off?
- What is my strong emotional reaction?
- Why do I feel overwhelmed?
- How does my body feel?
- My stomach? My breathing? My shoulders? My back?
- What does that tell me?
- When did I start shutting down?
Be honest and curious. Do not judge.
Write down everything that I can or talk text into my phone.
I am enjoying her writing and insights.
I highly recommend her book Rising Strong and please watch her Ted Talks on YouTube!
All photos are either taken by Mary Edwards or myself. The rest are uploaded from the site Unsplash.com.