Vulnerability Fuels our Daily Lives

Out of all the audiobooks that I have read lately, one that is really having a positive impact on my daily life is The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage by Brené Brown.



Brené Brown is a Texan academic who came to fame after recording a Ted talk in which she proposed that to have a life filled with love you need to show courage, or if you prefer, you need to be courageous.

The problem is that when we show courage, it usually means that we are doing things that make us feel vulnerable. Most people think that being vulnerable means that we are weak; and, who wants to be weak? But is it really true? 

The whole idea of vulnerability and its importance in our daily lives became extremely popular few years ago after Brown's presentation. Her Ted talk became one of the most successful Ted talks of all time with more than 10 million people who have seen it online. If you have not done that, I highly recommend you do it.

"In my research," Dr. Brown says, "the word I use to describe people who can live from a place of vulnerability is wholehearted." Being wholehearted is a practice-one that we can choose to cultivate through empathy, gratitude, and awareness of our vulnerability armor.

There are many other excellent ideas and issues that are discussed in Brené Brown's audiobook. This includes one idea that although most of us are familiar with it, we generally prefer to ignore it: "We can only love someone else to the degree we love ourselves". She goes on to show you how this is probably so, showing parents that the things that they are negative to in their children are actually things that they find hard to accept in themselves. When I heard her saying discussing this idea and its consequences on our daily lives, I was speechless because everything sounded it so true, at least in my life.  

As I mentioned in a previous post (click here to read post), a very important feature that is often overlooked in a review of audiobooks is the quality of the recording and the quality of the narrator's delivery. In this case, both are top-notch. Brené Brown is an excellent speaker; very enthusiastic and engaging. The audiobook is ~6 h and 31 min - but, you would think is actually shorter because it's so absorbing and involving. The live audience is totally engaged with Dr. Brown and she does a good job of letting the listener know what is happening in the room visually. She engages just as her message advocates.... she lays it out there. 

So far, this audiobook is having a positive influence in my life. It is making me realize that vulnerability plays a key role in our ability to live a balanced and love-filled life.

 I highly recommend the audiobook of The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage, I guarantee you that you will no regret listening to this audiobook.