Braving the Wilderness by Brené Brown

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest of True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

"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."

"Even in the context of suffering- poverty, violence, human rights violations, not belong in our families is still one of the most dangerous hurts. That's because it has the power to break our heart, our spirit, and our sense of self-worth."

"Moyers: Do you belong anywhere?
Angelou: I haven't yet.
Moyers: Do you belong to anyone?
Angelou: More and more. I mean, I belong to myself. I'm very proud of that. I am very concerned about how I look at Maya. I like Maya very much. I like the humor and courage very much. And when I find myself acting in a way that isn't... that doesn't please me- then I have to deal with that."

"When we feel isolated, disconnected, and lonely, we try to protect ourselves. IN that mode, we want to connect, but our brain is attempting to override connection with self-protection. [...] In Rising Strong, I wrote about how the brain's self-protection mode often ramps up the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening, creating stories that are often not true or exaggerate our worst fears and insecurities. Unchecked loneliness fuels continued loneliness by keeping us afraid to reach out."

"We have to find our way back to one another or fear wins. If you've read my work before, you'll know that it is not going to be easy. [...]
High lonesome can be a beautiful and powerful place if we can own our own pain and share it instead of inflicting pain on others. And if we can find a way to feel hurt rather than spread hurt, we can change."

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"This is who I am."
"This is where I am from."
"This is my mess."
"This is what it means to belong to myself."
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"Durkheim explained that collective effervescence is an experience of connection, communal emotion, and a 'sensation of sacredness' that happens when we are part of something bigger than us."

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Publisher Information: Random House, 2017.