When this is the introduction of the book, tell me, how are not drawn to read further?
I have been a Brene Brown fan for over a decade now and have read her books, watched her TED Talks multiple times, and now enjoy listening to her podcast.
To give you an example the group “Places We Go When Things are Uncertain or Too Much” talks about and discuss in detail the emotions of
-Stress
-Overwhelm
-Anxiety
-Worry
-Avoidance
-Excitement
-Dread
-Fear
-Vulnerability
Each group provides some similarities and relationships between the emotions. The table of contents provides an excellent starting point. You can go in order reading from the first group onwards, or, you can simply start reading about the emotion bothering you or one which excites you the most.
Personally, emotions attract and fascinate me. I am always trying to understand what triggered me, why I acted a certain way, and how did it influence my actions and response. This book was interesting as it laid out the groundwork for me to understand the why. There were so many “Now I get it” moments that after a while I stopped keeping count. For example, I learned that resentment is a part of envy family and not anger. Who knew?
Each emotion is explained in detail using examples and some are from Brown’s own life which makes it more interesting to read. I was amazed to read how people you merely cross paths with can have an enormous effect on your life. Would you believe it if I tell you, that a small gesture can mold you in a completely different way?
I would highly recommend reading this book if you want to understand your own emotions as well as those who surround you. Don’t expect to read it in one go or even finish it in a few days. Each page and each word will take time to sync in. Every single page is full of wisdom and there are endless takeaways. It will be like working on your inner self, inner healing, which is not always easy but once you start, every single step helps.
Here are some interesting quotes from this book:
As it turns out, being able to see what’s coming doesn’t make it any less painful when it arrives.
Comparison says, “Be like everyone else, but better.”
Disappointment is unmet expectations. The more significant the expectations, the more significant the disappointment.
To form meaningful connections with others, we must first connect with ourselves, but to do so, we must first establish a common understanding of the language of emotion and human experience.
