What is Shame?

I’m sure you have heard the word ‘shame’ no less than a thousand times, but do you know what it means? According to Brené Brown, shame is “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.”

Shame isn’t just an uncomfortable emotion, it can be a deeply painful one. Shame about your body may fuel your eating disorder. Shame about your OCD may prevent you from seeking out the help you deserve. Shame can be paralyzing, and a ‘shame storm’ can often feel similar to an anxiety attack.

So what do we do about it? Brené Brown says that the antidote for shame is empathy, not just for others, but for ourselves. How can we talk to ourselves with more kindness? How do we own our story? And how can we allow other people into our lives to love us for who we are, not who we try and present ourselves to be?

To hear about shame from Brené Brown you can watch her TED Talk below:

Brene Brown explains shame and vulnerability.

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