Brown, B. (2007). I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Making the Journey from “What Will People Think?” to “I Am Enough”. New York, USA: Penguin.

I Thought It Was Just Me Summary - Accept Your Flaws - Pickyreads I Thought It Was Just Me Summary - Accept Your Flaws - Pickyreads

Shame is a visceral emotion whose exact characteristics are difficult to describe, but at its core, it has to do with a feeling of not being good enough. Articulating such an experience can be difficult – after all, discussing shame requires us to, at least to a certain degree, relive the pain it causes. In “I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)” , bestselling author Brené Brown shows us the importance of our imperfections in building healthy relationships with others and with our own selves. Practising critical awareness (i.e. knowing why something exists, how it works, how our society is impacted or impacting on that something and who benefits from it),However, achieving this kind of comprehension is not easy. To do that, you need to possess the ability to put yourself in the shoes of the other person and see things from their perspective. Shame Resilience Theory (SRT) was developed by Dr Brené Brown. Brené wrote about the theory in her book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Making the Journey from “What Will People Think?” to “I Am Enough” and has spoken about it several times in her talks, including – Based on this information, the author put together the following definition: shame is a deeply painful sensation that stems from the belief that we’re not good enough, and that this shortcoming will prevent us from being accepted by and belonging to a group. The importance of empathy: The author emphasizes the importance of empathy in reducing feelings of shame, and provides tips for developing empathy and becoming a more compassionate person. However, if we allow ourselves to get trapped into a constant avoidance of our true feelings, we are bound to become more alienated.

I Thought It Was Just Me Summary - Four Minute Books I Thought It Was Just Me Summary - Four Minute Books

That being said, when the author interviewed over 300 people about how they experience shame, she discovered a theme; shame is a negative feeling connected to a sense of rejection and the exposure of aspects of ourselves that we tend to hide. Indeed, the exact characteristics of shame are hard to describe, so it is no wonder most people do not recognize its roots. However, what we can say for sure is that at its core, shame is connected with the feeling or thought of not being good enough. Brené Brown is a bestselling author and a research professor at the University of Houston. Her TEDXHouston Talk is one of the videos with the highest number of views on TED.com. “I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t) Summary” This book, for me, was like how it is in college when you take your first class in psych and suddenly you see psychosis everywhere. I see shame and shaming everywhere now - in how people comment on the internet, talk about politics, treat kids, work together, tell stories about themselves... It really does pervade everything. of fear, shame often works in overdrive to hide this truth. Popular author and research professor Brené Brown insists that “Shame is the intensely painful feeling that we are unworthy of love and […]Brené calls this critical awareness. For example when she noticed her audience dose off during a talk she gave, she said she knew they only had a short lunch break and that the promised pizza was most peoples’ major incentive to be there in the first place. Thus, she prevented going into shame mode and kept her cool. And this section put a spotlight on some areas in which I need to work: "Shame often prevents us from presenting our real selves to the people around us--it sabotages our efforts to be authentic. How can we be genuine when we are desperately trying to manage and control how others perceive us? How can we be honest with people about our beliefs and, at the same time, tell them what we think they want to hear? How do we stand up for what we believe in when we are trying to make everyone around us feel comfortable so they won't get angry and put us down?" (p. 242) The only way to beat shame is having friends and support networks with whom we can share our experiences without being judged. The Role of Anger

I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) - Brené Brown

At its core, this is a way for people to regain control over their “weak” emotions by showing power. If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?Outlining an empowering new approach that dispels judgment and awakens us to the genuine acceptance of ourselves and others, I Thought It Was Just Me begins a crucial new dialogue of hope. Through potent personal narratives and examples from real women, Brown identifies and explains four key elements that allow women to transform their shame into courage, compassion and connection. Shame is a dark and sad place in which to live a life, keeping us from connecting fully to our loved ones and being the women we were meant to be. But learning how to understand shame’s influence and move through it toward full acceptance of ourselves and others takes away much of shame’s power to harm.

I Thought It Was Just Me: Women Reclaiming Power and Co…

This author's focus on sociological perspectives does not work for me, personally, and I will take care to steer clear of anything written by 'sociologists' in the future. Her diatribe, early in this book, on being more empathetic and less judgmental seemed out of place, unnecessary, and insulting (was she shaming the shamers? Or shaming the people reading this book, already riddled with feelings of inadequacy, and already sensitive to the feelings of others? I have no idea). And from experience, sharing shame stories may be a great thing, but sometimes the sharer really needs a professional ear. No matter how well meaning we may be, we are not qualified to say or do the right things to encourage healing.

What is I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t) About?

Overall, "I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)" is a powerful and insightful book that provides valuable insights into the experiences of shame and vulnerability. The author's writing style is accessible and the book is filled with concrete examples and practical tips, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to overcome shame and live a more fulfilling life. Who is the author of I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)? Which leads me to despair when I think about where our society is today. Brown quotes Mavis Leno as follows - 'If you want to make a difference, the next time you see someone being cruel to another human being, take it personally. Take it personally because it IS personal.' I see so much fighting over the rights of people we've never met, which is important, but there is a reluctance to connect authentically to the people in front of us, because that it is too uncomfortable when we don't have a keyboard and thousands of miles to hide behind. Sharing our shame with someone is painful, and just sitting with someone who is sharing his or her shame story with us can be equally painful." pg 147 Researcher Brené Brown gives readers another self help title on how to handle the difficult emotion called shame. We will become more alienated if we allow ourselves to become caught in a perpetual avoidance of our genuine feelings. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and seek the empathy you need to heal rather than become a victim of these destructive behaviors.