“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”

“What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?”

“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”

“I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our as*es kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.”

“Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.”

“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”

“Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It’s tough to do that when we’re terrified about what people might see or think.”

“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.”

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”

“I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter. To be on that list, you have to love me for my strengths and struggles.”

“Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.”

“If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.”

“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.”

“When you get to a place where you understand that love and belonging, your worthiness, is a birthright and not something you have to earn, anything is possible.”

“Somehow we’ve come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we’re very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It’s as if we’ve divided the world into ‘those who offer help’ and ‘those who need help.’ The truth is that we are both.”

“We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”

When we’re looking for compassion, we need someone who is deeply rooted, is able to bend and, most of all, embraces us for our strengths and struggles

“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.”

“The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”

“To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees – these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude and grace.”

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”

“Many people think of perfectionism as striving to be your best, but it is not about self-improvement; it’s about earning approval and acceptance.”

“If we share our shame story with the wrong person, they can easily become one more piece of flying debris in an already dangerous storm.”

“Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”

“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!”

“To me, a leader is someone who holds her- or himself accountable for finding potential in people and processes.”

“Numb the dark and you numb the light.”

“The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.”

“Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.”

“We’re a nation hungry for more joy: Because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude.”

“Compassionate people ask for what they need. They say no when they need to, and when they say yes, they mean it. They’re compassionate because their boundaries keep them out of resentment.”

“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.”

“Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.”

“Don’t try to win over the haters; you are not a jackass whisperer.”

“Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.”

“Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.”

“When I look at narcissism through the vulnerability lens, I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary. I see the fear of never feeling extraordinary enough to be noticed, to be lovable, to belong, or to cultivate a sense of purpose.”

“‘Crazy-busy’ is a great armor, it’s a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what we really need can’t catch up with us.”

“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”

“A lot of cheap seats in the arena are filled with people who never venture onto the floor. They just hurl mean-spirited criticisms and put-downs from a safe distance. The problem is, when we stop caring what people think and stop feeling hurt by cruelty, we lose our ability to connect. But when we’re defined by what people think, we lose the courage to be vulnerable. Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.”

“When the people we love stop paying attention, trust begins to slip away and hurt starts seeping in.”

“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”

“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.”

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”

“It’s hard to practice compassion when we’re struggling with our authenticity or when our own worthiness is off-balance.”

“Want to be happy? Stop trying to be perfect.”

“Everyone wants to know why customer service has gone to hell in a handbasket. I want to know why customer behavior has gone to hell in a handbasket.”

“Perfectionism is a self-destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.”