Looking for the best Brene Brown quotes on vulnerability, courage, and shame? Find your new favorite in this collection of empowering and inspiring quotes from one of today’s greatest thought leaders!
Ok, I’ll admit it.
I am a total Brene Brown fangirl.
I’m also a quote junkie and completely obsessed with Brene Brown quotes.
Who is Brene Brown?
If you don’t know who Brené Brown yet, she is a true inspiration and one of today’s top thought leaders. She is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and a leading expert on vulnerability, shame, and empathy.
Her books, including “Daring Greatly” and “The Gifts of Imperfection,” have not only been New York Times bestsellers but also have changed the lives of many readers. Her TED talks, such as “The Power of Vulnerability” and “Listening to Shame,” have been viewed millions of times, and it’s clear to see why. She is also the host of the extremely successful podcast, Unlocking Us.
People are drawn to Brené Brown’s quotes because they are relatable, authentic, and offer a sense of understanding and validation. Brene Brown’s quotes are often filled with humor and wit, making them easy to remember and share with others.
Her work is relatable across demographic and cultural boundaries, which makes her quotes widely appealing. I think her ability to make complex research concepts easily understandable is one of the reasons she has become so popular.
Simply put, Brene’s writing makes you feel less alone in the world.
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Brene Brown Vulnerability Quotes
Which of these Brene Brown quotes on vulnerability resonates with you?
“Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.”
“What we know matters, but who we are matters more.”
“The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.”
“We don’t have to be scary when we’re scared. Let’s choose awkward, brave, and kind. And let’s choose each other.”
“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.”
“Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.”
“I define vulnerability as uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. With that definition in mind, let’s think about love. Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can’t ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment’s notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow — that’s vulnerability.”
“To know that you can navigate the wilderness on your own–to know that you can stay true to your beliefs, trust yourself, and survive it–that is true belonging.”
“Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.”
“Never underestimate the power of being seen.”
“Numb the dark and you numb the light.”
“Vulnerability is not weakness. I define vulnerability as emotional risk, exposure, uncertainty. It fuels our daily lives.”
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
“To create is to make something that has never existed before. There’s nothing more vulnerable than that.”
“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.”
Brene Brown Quotes on Vulnerability
Some more of the best Brene Brown vulnerability quotes:
“If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
“One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we place on “going it alone.” 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.”
“Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.”
“Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.”
“I believe that owning our worthiness is the act of acknowledging that we are sacred. Perhaps embracing vulnerability and overcoming numbing is ultimately about the care and feeding of our spirits.”
“When we feel good about the choices we’re making and when we’re engaging with the world from a place of worthiness rather than scarcity, we feel no need to judge and attack.”
“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we are all in this together.”
“Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable. It means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you’re feeling. To have the hard conversations.”
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”
“When you shut down vulnerability you shut down opportunity.”
Brene Brown Quotes on Courage
Here are some eye opening Brene Brown courage quotes:
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
“The willingness to show up changes us, It makes us a little braver each time.”
“Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending—to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes. This is what happened. And I will choose how the story ends.”
Courage is like—it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging.”
“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?”
“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.”
“Our work is to get to the place where we like ourselves and are concerned when we judge ourselves too harshly or allow others to silence us. The wilderness demands this level of self-love and self-respect.”
“When we combine the courage to make clear what works for us and what doesn’t with the compassion to assume people are doing their best, our lives change.”
“Courage is Contagious”
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.”
“You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”
Courage Quotes
Picking a favorite Brene Brown courage quote is an impossible task!
“Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”
“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”
“I believe that what we regret most are our failures of courage, whether it’s the courage to be kinder, to show up, to say how we feel, to set boundaries, to be good to ourselves. For that reason, regret can be the birthplace of empathy.”
“Brave leaders are never silent around hard things.”
“Courage gives us a voice and compassion gives us an ear. Without both, there is no opportunity for empathy and connection.”
“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 asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.”
“When we are willing to risk venturing into the wilderness, and even becoming our own wilderness, we feel the deepest connection to our true self and to what matters the most.”
Those who have a strong sense of love and belonging have the courage to be imperfect.
“Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as ordinary courage.”
“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.”
“Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’”
“We desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership and who are self-aware enough to lead from their hearts, rather than unevolved leaders who lead from hurt and fear.”
“Raising children who are hopeful and who have the courage to be vulnerable means stepping back and letting them experience disappointment, deal with conflict, learn how to assert themselves, and have the opportunity to fail. If we’re always following our children into the arena, hushing the critics, and assuring their victory, they’ll never learn that they have the ability to dare greatly on their own.”
Brene Brown Quotes on Shame
Here’s a collection of some of the best Brene Brown shame quotes:
“What we don’t need in the midst of struggle, is shame for being human.”
“Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough.”
“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.”
“We desperately don’t want to experience shame, and we’re not willing to talk about it. Yet the only way to resolve shame is to talk about it.”
“Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.”
“We judge people in areas where we’re vulnerable to shame.”
“Shame resilience is the ability to say, ‘This hurts. This is disappointing, maybe even devastating. But success and recognition and approval are not the values that drive me. My value is courage and I was just courageous. You can move on, shame.”
“You cannot shame or belittle people into changing their behaviors.”
Brene Brown Shame Quotes
“Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.”
“Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed and rare.”
“Shame is that warm feeling that washes over us, making us feel small, flawed, and never good enough.”
“You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”
“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.”
“We live in a world where most people still subscribe to the belief that shame is a good tool for keeping people in line. Not only is this wrong, but it’s dangerous.”
How to Use These Brene Brown Quotes
So you’ve picked out your favorite Brene Brown quote…now what? Here are a few ideas of what you can do with inspirational quotes:
- Share them on social media.
- Write your favorite quote in your weekly or monthly planner.
- Add your quote to your vision board
- Incorporate your favorite quote into your morning routine.
- Turn your favorite quote into a wallpaper for your phone.
- Post your quote near your workstation as a daily reminder.
- Create a Pinterest board just for your favorite quotes.
- Write your favorite Brene Brown quote in your journal and reflect on it.
- Print the quote and frame it!
Brene’s words provide comfort, encouragement, and practical advice for living a more authentic and fulfilling life, so be sure to use them as daily inspiration!
More Brene Brown
Many people find Brene Brown’s books help them to better understand themselves, their relationships, and the world around them.
Like I said before, I’m a total fangirl. Brené’s work has had a. huge impact in my personal growth journey. If you want to dive deeper than just her quotes, I’d definitely recommend reading her books:
- The Gifts of Imperfection (my personal fave!)
- Braving the Wilderness
- Daring Greatly
- Atlas of the Heart
- Rising Strong
Check out some of my other favorite self discovery books by other authors too!
More Inspiring Quotes
I’m a true believer that words have power. If you love quotes like me, you might also like these quote collections:
- Gratitude Quotes
- Self Care Quotes
- Bucket List Quotes
- Self Love Quotes
- Motivational Quotes and Captions
- Intentional Living Quotes
- Travel Quotes
- Good Vibes Quotes and Captions
- Mindset Quotes
- Success Captions and Quotes
- Monday Motivation Quotes
- Peace Captions and Quotes
SAVE THESE BRENE BROWN QUOTES ON VULNERABILITY, SHAME, AND COURAGE TO PINTEREST FOR FUTURE INSPO!
