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Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone | Bren Brown
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A timely and important new book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection "True belonging doesn't require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are." Social scientist Brene Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives--experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging. Brown argues that we're experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, "True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that's rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it's easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it's a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It's a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts." Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, "The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand." Praise for Brene Brown's Rising Strong "[Brown's] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we've all had but haven't quite known how to articulate. . . . [She] empowers us each to be a little more courageous."--The Huffington Post
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Kristy_K
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I‘m not a huge self-help reader, but Brené Brown is someone I‘ve heard talked about a lot. I can see why so many are drawn to her. Both her writing and ideas seem accessible. As with all books in this genre, there are passages that resonate or stood out more than others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#52bookclub24 #astickeronthecover

Librarybelle I‘ve not read her yet, but I‘m curious about her books. So many love her works! 8mo
Crazeedi My daughter loves her books @Librarybelle I have not read 8mo
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 8mo
5feet.of.fury I‘ll have to give it a chance someday. I DNF‘d the audio 2 minutes in when she said her favorite author was JK Rowling… 8mo
Kristy_K @5feet.of.fury I think this was written in 2017, so I‘m not sure if she‘d still say that. From her writing, and what I‘ve looked up of her before reading this, she would not agree with Rowling‘s anti-trans vitriol. I‘m not sure if she‘s spoken out about it though. 8mo
Kristy_K @Librarybelle @Crazeedi Everyone‘s love of her works is what initially got me curious! I kept hearing her name and books come up. 8mo
67 likes7 comments
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MyNamesParadise
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Pickpick

Finished this 1 yesterday! I‘d been reading it 4 group therapy & it led to some good discussions! The V in the BRAVING acronym really stuck with me. The V stands for Vault & it‘s about keeping people‘s confidences. I thought I was good at that but it made me realize that if I reveal someone‘s confidences to another person, then that other person could decide that I‘m untrustworthy & I definitely don‘t want that to be the case! Made me check myself

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Sarahreadstoomuch
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I know some people are super fans of Brene Brown…. And I don‘t count myself in those numbers, I have enjoyed her books. They make me pause and think about my actions, my intentions, and my introspective thoughts. I may not be drinking her kool aid, but I‘m receiving what she has to say, and I think it will help me be better as a person, and as a manager/colleague at work .

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Sunwren
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I thought this book was very helpful, I sometimes crave these types of book when I‘m particularly stressed out. This one did not disappoint.

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Lafi3146
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Short!

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DivineDiana
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The more I read Brene Brown‘s books, the more I grow in looking at the world differently. Easy to understand. Real life examples to illustrate teaching. Quick read. Long lasting lessons to ponder.

marleed I agree. My favorite advice from her is to preface the frustration you describe to family, friends, coworkers with ‘The story I‘m telling myself‘. It so clearly reminds both teller and listening that this is what is true from the teller‘s unedited perspective. 2y
DivineDiana @marleed Thank you! That‘s a good one, and it is one that I never heard! 2y
61 likes1 stack add2 comments
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DivineDiana
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Decided I could fit a short audio in before the end of the month. Chose this one and almost finished.

54 likes2 stack adds
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marleed
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I can always count on Brené Brown to write the words that - when I absorb and practice them - make me a better person.

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Average C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

JamieArc Looks like you had a great reading month! I‘m reading Mad Honey right now and am flying through it. 2y
marleed @JamieArc it‘s a really good book! 2y
LKK526 @JamieArc @marleed I thought the facts about bees were fascinating 2y
marleed @LKK526 me too! I really like the research Jodi puts into the stories she builds. 2y
LKK526 I just love your ratings. Agree about Boys From Biloxi but I would give it a 4. Something was missing and I couldn‘t put my finger on what exactly. Killers of a Certain Age on my TBR 2y
61 likes5 comments
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marleed
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First this book was published in 2017, and it breaks my heart that her advise for a nation divided by politics remains so meaningful today. Next what rang important to me was when she spoke to kids all-too-often fitting in at school, in sports, with friends and we make our peace with that…. But fitting-in is is not good enough for family - children must Belong to family. ↓

marleed If you noticed the quilt in this pic - isn‘t it incredible!? My new grandson has a nursery with a national parks theme so my ever-so-talented-fabric-artist of a sister created this work-of-art for him. Best compliment was when the BFF of my DIL saw it and said - that quilt puts my ovaries in overdrive! 2y
Bookzombie It‘s a gorgeous quilt and I love the nursery theme. 2y
marleed @Bookzombie Thankyou - pics don‘t do it justice because the quality and weight of the fabric are something to sink into! I can‘t wait to watch this little guy tuck little forest animals into those pockets. 2y
MemoirsForMe Beautiful! 2y
63 likes4 comments
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rsteve388
Pickpick

This was a very thoughtful and well laid out book. I have so much to take from this book and apply to myself and my leadership style. It was good to get a reminder of what kinda of leader I want to be. #Scarathlon2022 #Scarathlon #TeamMonsterMash 5 pts + 1 pts for Participation.

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rsteve388
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#LLFS @Deblovestoread Thank you so much for this beautiful swap package. I loved the wrapping paper. It was beautiful and the books and little treats are perfect. Thank you so much! Happy Fall.

Deblovestoread So glad you like everything! I‘m not back home until later tonight but opening my swap is the first thing I plan to do when I get there. 2y
rsteve388 No worries @Deblovestoread I hope you like your package as well. 2y
26 likes2 comments
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ClairesReads
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Nothing super new here from Brown, but sometimes in a full noise week you just need a bit of a pick me up. This commute audio gave me enough pep to do all the things, and that's all that I ask of it.

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SarahBookInterrupted
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I love Brene Brown! She has a great written voice and she is pretty badass. This book was inspiring and thought provoking. The last line of the book is awesome. I used it for a inspirational blog post ( https://www.bookinterrupted.com/post/thought-thursday-sarah-s-sayings-12 ) “I am the wilderness!” That‘s right. Thank you Brene Brown and Maya Angelou for inspiring this work. If you‘re looking for true belonging then this book is a must read.

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Chelseabillups30
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❤️🌈🧡🌈💛🌈💚🌈💙🌈💖🌈💜

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dariazeoli
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“The point is that we are all vulnerable to the slow and insidious practice of dehumanizing, therefore we are all responsible for recognizing it and stopping it.”

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Theexplorer
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Everyone should consider reading “Braving the Wilderness” by Brené Brown. There‘s so much good stuff on cultivating true belonging.

I loved it! I plan to read it again and again through the years.

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DieAReader
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#WeekendReading #20in4 #BookNookBuddies2022 #BookSpinBingo

More🧠food that I may take a second look at later on.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3y
Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
CoverToCoverGirl 👏👏🙂…. 🧹 🧹🧹🧹 I‘m choking here. Where are my goggles 🥽? 3y
DieAReader I‘ll let you borrow mine for now🥰…🥽😝 3y
39 likes4 comments
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ohhkatie86
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One day I will give myself enough time to slowly and throughly enjoy library books. Today (and technically the next two weeks) is not that day. Lol!
Still very thankful for my local library!

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mcctrish
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I forgot my glasses at home today 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ thank god for audio books to listen to while I just sat on my prep with my eyes closed to give my whole face a rest from squinting

mcctrish @zezeki that‘s on my list, I love her on audio 3y
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Smartypants
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October was definitely a month for personal growth, for so many reasons. Thank you Brene Brown for this little gem on belonging. A great read! #personalgrowth

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Erin.Elizabeth10
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I liked this book, but I have listened to most of Brené Brown‘s podcast, Unlocking Us, so it was a lot of repeat information!

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Kaarin
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I‘m still wrestling with some of what she said & don‘t know if I‘m totally on board. But there‘s wisdom here.

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LaurenMags
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Mehso-so

Had to read for book club. Wasn't anything to write home about.

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Julz422
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Pickpick

I finally finished a book in 2021 😭 this year has still been so tough. This book was easy to read and a lot like her other work, but speaks more to our political climate. I wish I could give a copy of this to everyone. Grateful for her work

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Julz422
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I have not been able to finish a book so far this year. I blame teaching in a pandemic. This one is short so I can hopefully check it off the list.

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Natalierenae
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“Sometimes the most dangerous thing for kids is the silence that allows them to construct their own stories—stories that almost always cast them as alone and unworthy of love and belonging.”

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dariazeoli
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I‘m posting one book per day from my ever-increasing TBR. No description. No explanation. Just books to read. Join the fun if you want.

Day 78.

#fromthetbrstacks

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Andrea313
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Gorgeous, snowy day out there and all I want to do is finish these two! Looking forward to the end of the work day... #CurrentlyReading #RoyalRead

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Mesica25
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Pickpick

Very insightful.

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JLaurenceCohen

You're better off watching Brown's TED Talk than reading this book. The analysis is a bit thin and she repeats ideas from other books she has written.

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saresmoore
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2020: the year I kicked panic disorder‘s ass, had a bébé, and drafted a whole damn book. It‘s been a helluva year and it makes me very cursey, but there have been some awesome things to come out of it. I‘m feeling thankful and full and ready for a new year, please, very much.

alisiakae 💞🙌🏽 4y
CaliforniaCay ❤🧡💛 4y
BiblioLitten Such a positive note! 💕 (I love a Moira Rose reference😁) 4y
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saresmoore @BiblioLitten She is simply the best! 😄 4y
vivastory You're such an inspiration, Sara! It's been such a pleasure getting to know you via Litsy & I couldn't be happier than to see this. 👏 4y
Moray_Reads Congratulations, Sarah. Considering everything that's been happening in 2020 these achievements are even more impressive! Love to you and all the family 4y
vivastory @Moray_Reads This is so true. I really feel like at the end of the year all of us who survived this dumpster fire of a year deserve a massive round of applause 4y
BarbaraBB You made it all happen yourself, you can be so proud! And your positivity and your smile are the best! 💕 4y
Megabooks So happy for you!! 👏🏻💙💙 4y
Cathythoughts Well done ✨ 4y
emilyhaldi Quite impressive achievements for the year 2020!! ❤️ 4y
AmyG You are awesome! 🙌🏻 4y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads Thank you, friend! My love to you and yours during this special season. Will you be able to spend some time with family or will it have to be virtual this year? 4y
saresmoore @vivastory Aw, shucks! Thank you, Scott! 4y
saresmoore @BarbaraBB Oh, thank you, friend! You brought tears to my eyes! 💗 4y
saresmoore @Megabooks @Cathythoughts @emilyhaldi @AmyG Thank you, all, for sharing in my joy! 💓 4y
MicheleinPhilly This is just delightful on so many levels. Much ❤️ to you and yours my gorgeous friend! 😘 4y
saresmoore A shoutout to @micheleinphilly because I don't think I could have done it without Pickles and pickles!! And also @LauraBeth because, friend, you are an inspiration and I can't thank you enough for your words that helped me open my heart to what life had in store. 4y
jmtrivera You're amazing. Congrats! 💜 4y
KVanRead Amazing 😍😍😍 4y
LeahBergen Woohoo!! 👏🏻👏🏻 I‘m so happy for you, my friend! 😘😘 4y
LauraBeth @saresmoore literally just made me cry! Back at you - you‘re one of my favorite people ❤️❤️ 4y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore we are allowed to meet family over the Christmas period but it's only 3 households per “bubble“. I'm not seeing them in person so that my parents/brother, my sister's family and my other brother can get all together. It's tough since I've only seen them once this year but it makes sense as they're all in the same area. I'll stay in Edinburgh with my partner and we'll see his family in Boxing Day. How is your Christmas looking? 4y
Kalalalatja That is so wonderful to hear! 💕 4y
MaureenMc Outstanding! 🙌 4y
Bookzombie Awesome! 💗💗💗 4y
wordslinger42 That is amazing!!! 4y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads Oh, that is such a tough call! I am glad to know that you won‘t be alone, though. This year is going to be really hard for so many. My mom was the last of my immediate family to move to Wilmington in March, so we‘ve all been isolating together and will be able to do some gatherings for Christmas. 4y
Jas16 ❤️🙌🏽❤️ 4y
sprainedbrain You‘re incredible! 🥰 4y
ValerieAndBooks Love this post 💖!! And I think Clara is taking after her dad in looks 😊 4y
batsy You absolutely rock, Sara. I admire you tremendously! And this picture is gorgeous. Love to you and your family 💗 4y
saresmoore @ValerieAndBooks It‘s funny you say that because, in this particular photo, she looks almost identical to some of his baby pictures! 4y
saresmoore @batsy Thank you, friend. ♥️♥️♥️ 4y
readordierachel Yay for all of this! 4y
britt_brooke Love everything about this especially those baby cheeks! 😍 4y
saresmoore @britt_brooke Her cheeks are epic! 4y
Centique You are a superstar! 🌟🌟🌟 That is a huge lot of things to accomplish, let alone in one year. Give yourself many pats in the back 💕 4y
Suet624 So much love for this post. You inspire so many of us, Sara. Best wishes to you. 4y
valeriegeary That is a Year! 🙌🏻👑🥂 4y
99 likes41 comments
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ItsAnotherJen
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Pickpick

What stuck with me from this book was that “people are hard to hate close up.” How true is this?
We may disagree with people, but when you get up close and personal and begin to understand them for who they are deep down, it is very difficult to feel any kind of animosity towards them. People on both sides of any argument or conflict are just that..people.

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm LOVE this quote! 😍 Thanks for sharing! 4y
Trashcanman Time to kiss the tar on the highway. 😊 4y
Freespirit I love this too 💕💯 4y
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rjsthumbelina ❤️ Brene's my favorite! 4y
NikkiM5 I am listening to one of her audiobooks this month. And I love her podcasts ❤️ 4y
ItsAnotherJen @Trashcanman thats a lyric from a Lorde song 4y
Trashcanman @ItsAnotherJen yup, I promise. 4y
99 likes1 stack add7 comments
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SolitaryBookLover
Pickpick


I don‘t even know where to begin.

I cannot stress this enough. This book is important. So important I have ordered my own copy to highlight and take notes in the margin.
My learning experience in the wilderness has begun.
I need to develop my strong back but also work on soft front.
I need to honour my wild heart.
Thank you.

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Jen_Reads
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I am not sure how I feel about this one yet.

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CampbellTaraL
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A really good read, especially right now with all the polarization in the U.S. I appreciate that Brown is honest about the fact that it is hard to take a stand, to disagree without resorting to dehumanizing language, and to trust others. When you understand what it means to be comfortable with yourself, the difference between fitting in and belonging becomes clear.

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sarahlandis
Pickpick

“People are hard to hate close up: move in.“

I think Brene Brown has some sort of a spell over me where I am incapable of disagreeing with her and just immediately take all of her words for truth. I wish I was able to think really critically about her work, because I feel like that helps me understand my beliefs better, but I just can't with her.

sarahlandis I cried through the entire chapter on collective joy and collective pain. I loved being able to pick out direct references from Daring Greatly. I think Daring Greatly had more of an impact on me, but there were still so many to learn from Braving the Wilderness. If I had to make a fair assessment- Daring Greatly had more to do with the self, when Braving the Wilderness has more to do with all the rest of humans. 4y
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Books88
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Today was a great day for my TBR pile!

This was a quick listen full of astute observations and helpful insights on human nature and how to better oneself.

JaclynW Love Brene Brown! How does this compare to her other books? 5y
Books88 This was actually my first book that I've read by her, but it made me interested in her other ones! 5y
95 likes2 comments
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josie281
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My desk is highly decorated with books today unintentionally. Isn‘t it lovely?

42 likes1 stack add
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GatheringBooks
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Aswenson
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My first Brene Brown! What‘s your favorite of hers?

EKonrad Probably Daring Greatly but all of the ones I‘ve read have been amazing! 😊 5y
Aswenson @EKonrad Good to know! Thanks for recommendation. 🙂 5y
30 likes1 stack add2 comments
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janerzy
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Pickpick

There will be times, when standing alone feels too hard, too scary, and we‘ll doubt our ability to make our way through the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure. This is when you‘ll reach deep into your wild heart, and remind yourself, I can navigate and brave the wilderness, “stand alone” - staying true to my beliefs and trusting myself, and speak truth to bullshit. This, is true belonging. And I eventually become the wilderness...

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Smarkies
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Pickpick

Tagging this book as #somethingyouaregratefulfor for #nonfiction2020 . The book tackles how to belong whilst being part of a community in these times of extreme partisanship.
Some points for me to ponder in this book as I seem to have tabbed alot of pages.

BookishMe Hi!! I have been trying to reach you via email/ WA! so very sorry for my extreme tardiness. Would like to confirm your address before returning your long long overdue book ;o 5y
Smarkies @BookishMe Hi Santhi. Did not get your WA but have just sent you an email to your loving earth address. 5y
BookishMe Thanks... I have replied to the email and will keep you updated. 5y
20 likes3 comments
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Court7
Mehso-so

Audiobook

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BookBelle84
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Pickpick

Not my favourite of Brene Browns but still lots of useful insights and ideas.

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brandybear22
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Cheers!
It was a really long day and I‘m kind of exhausted. Gave two small presentations, but also I was on all day talking to Mostly pediatricians. Really long drive in the car, so I finished up who spoke on the way up, which I‘ll be discussing in my leadership book club tomorrow.