Shame....

Shame. It's a simple enough word. We all at one time or another have felt it.It's universal and one of the most primitive human emotions that we experience.  But what does it exactly mean when we feel shameful of something we did or feel.  Shame is basically the fear of being unlovable. Shame= I am bad.  Shame is all about fear. We're afraid that people won't like us if they know the truth about who we are, where we come from, what we believe, how much we're struggling, or, believe it or not, how wonderful we are when soaring.  And while it feels as if shame hides in our darkest corners, it actually tends to lurk in all of the familiar places, including appearance and body image, family, parenting, money and work, health, addiction, sex, aging, and religion. To feel shame is to be human.

Shame needs three things to grow: Secrecy, silence, and judgment.  When something shaming happens and we keep it locked up, it festers and grows. It consumes us. To let go of shame, we need to release it. Shame loses power when it is spoken. 

To release the shame, NAME IT. TALK ABOUT IT. OWN YOUR STORY. TELL YOUR STORY. YOUR BOOK. 

***BOLD TEXT IS FROM THE BOOK, "The Gifts of Imperfections," Brene Brown***