About
the Book:
Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I
Am Enough".
Researcher, thought leader, and New
York Times bestselling author Brené Brown offers a liberating
study on the importance of our imperfections – both to our
relationships and to our own sense of self.
We spend too much precious time and energy
managing perception and creating carefully edited versions of
ourselves to show to the world. As hard as we try, we can't seem to
turn off the tapes that fill our heads with messages like "Never
good enough!" and "What will people think?"
Why? What fuels this unattainable need to look like we always have
it all together? At first glance we might think it's because we
admire perfection, but that's not the case. We are actually the most
attracted to people we consider to be authentic and down-to-earth. We
love people who are "real" – we're drawn to those who
both embrace their imperfections and radiate self-acceptance.
The quest for perfection is
exhausting and unrelenting. There is a constant barrage of social
expectations that teach us that being imperfect is synonymous with
being inadequate. Everywhere we turn, there are messages that tell us
who, what and how we're supposed to be. So, we learn to hide our
struggles and protect ourselves from shame, judgment, criticism and
blame by seeking safety in pretending and perfection.
Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of
interviews, I Thought It Was Just
Me
(But It Isn't)
shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections
are what connect us to one another and to our humanity. Our
vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to
keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this
together.
Dr. Brown writes, "We need our lives back. It's time to
reclaim the gifts of imperfection – the courage to be real, the
compassion we need to love ourselves and others, and the connection
that gives true purpose and meaning to life. These are the gifts that
bring love, laughter, gratitude, empathy, and joy into our lives."
What people say:
"Brené
Brown's
ability to explore shame and resilience with humor, vulnerability and
honesty is both uplifting and liberating. If we want to change our
lives, our relationships or even the world, we must start by
understanding and overcoming the shame that keeps us silent. This
important and hopeful book offers a bold new perspective on the power
of telling our stories." —
Professor
Jody Williams,
1997 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient; Campaign Ambassador, International
Campaign to Ban Landmines
"Brown
offers insights and strategies for understanding shame and overcoming
its power over women... An interesting look at a debilitating emotion
that stunts the potential of too many women." —
Booklist
"Brown
is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about her subject and has a
smooth writing style." —
Library Journal
"Shame
is a profoundly debilitating emotion. It drives our fears of not
being good enough. We can learn to feel shame about anything that is
real about us – our shape, our accent, our financial situation, our
wrinkles, our size, our illness, or how we spend our day. I
Thought It Was Just Me
is an urgent and compelling invitation to examine our struggles with
shame and to learn valuable tools to become our best, most authentic
selves. Grounded in exceptional scholarship and filled with inspiring
stories, this is one of those rare books that has the potential to
turn lives around." —
Harriet
Lerner,
Ph.D. author of The Dance of Anger
"Brené Brown
has written an insightful and informative study of a subject that
leaves many women feeling trapped and powerless. Her analysis of how
women are often caught in shame, is in itself liberating, and her
thoughtful suggestions will help readers continue to free themselves
from emotional debilitation in ways they may not even realize are
possible. I Thought It Was Just Me can be a
doorway to freedom and self-esteem for many, many readers."
— Martha Beck, Ph.D.,
columnist, O, The Oprah Magazine, and author of Finding Your Own
Northstar
"This
is an important and inspiring book that offers understanding and
validation to the painful feelings that come with the beliefs that we
are not good enough or we should be different than who we are. Brené
Brown
walks us on a path that releases the shackles of inadequacy and leads
us to embracing our authentic selves."
— Claudia
Black,
Ph.D. author of It Will Never Happen To Me
About the Author:
Brene Brown,
Ph.D., L.M.S.W., is an American writer and
research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of
Social Work. She has spent over two decades studying how courage,
vulnerability, shame, and empathy affects the way people live, love,
parent, work, and build relationships. A dynamic public speaker, she
frequently presents on the topic of shame resilience at conferences
and public events.