Rising Strong

I have just finished the most amazing book.  And, I’m already starting to re-read it! 

I came across Rising Strong by Brené Brown, while in search of ways to be more vulnerable, and strengthen my relationships.  During my search, I happened across the Ted Talk YouTube video below, and immediately checked Rising Strong out at my local library.

 

 

What I love about Brené Brown is that she’s a story teller.  Throughout the book, she’ll tell you a story either involving herself, or another individual she’s interviewed, and how she or that individual learned their lesson involving the topic at hand.  Which, in my opinion, made the lesson so relatable.  I’m not good with common sense, or conceptual thinking, so I learn really well using this methodology.  You can tell me something till your blue in the face, but, unless I can relate to it, and see how I’m doing that very same thing, I won’t pick up on the things I need to change.  And, unfortunately, that comes across like I don’t care.  Which, is not the case.

Brown describes the way we evaluate or self-reflect certain feelings, and how we break those feelings down into truth, as rumbling.  I just love that term.  Because, when you’re dealing with yourself, it’s so much harder to see the truth, than it is seeing it in someone else.  I know personally, I have to fight myself to see the truth.  Sometimes I can’t see past my hurt feelings.  Other times, I’m so convinced and focused on what I think the issue in my life is, that I can’t see things for what they truly are. 

Brown also discusses how we sometimes end up face down in the arena of life, and that’s ok.  Because we see an entirely different view from down there.  But, once we’ve rumbled with our emotions and learned our lesson, we need to be vulnerable and courageous enough to pick ourselves up, and move forward.  Simply, to do it all over again.  To me, the book promoted not shying away from our struggles, but rather stepping towards them to allow ourselves to get to know ourselves better. 

I admit I’m emotionally immature, and I don’t deal with my emotions in a healthy way.  I either push them down, telling myself they don’t matter, I avoid them by trying to lighten the mood, or sometimes, when my emotions have reached a full boil, they come spewing out like Old Faithful.  This book just really helped me see that there are healthy ways of dealing with my emotions, and it’s actually ok to struggle with them.