Shame!

Shame is basically the belief that we are not good enough or worthy of love. Shame is universal. We all have had experience or time where we have felt less than or unworthy. I think most women have times where they compare themselves to other women and don’t feel they measure up. Many men feel they are not good enough in their jobs, or as husbands or fathers. All of us have things from our past or things about us that we don’t want others to see.

And here’s the interesting thing about shame, although we all have it, we don’t like to talk about it, and the less we talk about it, the more power we give it. That’s powerful for me. We all have it, we’d rather keep it in the dark, but in the darkness it grows.

One of the biggest remedy to shame is authentic relationships. Brene Brown, shame expert and author of Daring Greatly, says

“Most people believe vulnerability is weakness. But really, vulnerability is courage. We must ask ourselves, are we willing to show up and be seen?”

This looks like finding a safe place to share what you are feeling, areas you are feeling inadequate in, or a past you are running from. If you are struggling with this silently, find a friend, a church, a counselor, or a group to share with and take the power away from shame. Show up today…you are worthy of that!