I’m not ashamed to admit it. I have a bit of a girl crush.

Not an – I want to kiss her – crush. More like – I want to grab coffee together every few weeks and have meaningful conversations about life – crush. Can you relate? Maybe you have also followed someone’s blog or watched him or her on TV and thought, in another life – we would absolutely be friends. 

Although this crush of mine lives in a different city and has been a bit busy since her TED Talk hit 10 million views and Oprah interviewed her in this 2-part series, it doesn’t change the way I feel.

If you know me or have read A Fresh Chapter since the beginning, you’ll know I’ve been smitten with Brene Brown’s work for over 2 years. I even had the opportunity to meet her in Vancouver back when her TED talk only had a few hundred thousand views  – Serendipity & Shock – My Moment With Brene Brown.

Brene’s work continues to have such a powerful impact on me that our #StartFresh series would not be complete without her. (If you’re new to A Fresh Chapter & want to learn more about this series, head on over here: Start Fresh with A Fresh Chapter.)

Who is Brene Brown? If you haven’t heard of her, check out the TED Talk that sparked a movement: The Power Of Vulnerability.

When I watched this talk for the first time, these two ideas absolutely rocked my world:

• Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection.
• Courage is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘heart’, and the original meaning of courage was to ‘tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.’

As soon as the talk finished playing at my kitchen table, my thoughts went a little something like this…

Shut the *$(%) up. In order to find the connection I’ve been seeking my whole life, I have to learn to be vulnerable, imperfect, and tell the story of who I really am? No way. Not doing it. That’s great for her, but HELL no. It’s not going to work for me. 

Can I let you in on another one of my secrets? Her words got under my skin and I found myself moving a little closer to courage and vulnerability with each passing month. Now, every time I allow myself to be vulnerable with you or with the people I meet in person, amazing connections happen. When I admit to feeling scared or overwhelmed, people show up to support me. When I’m real with you, you end up sharing powerful stories with me.

Am I perfect at embracing imperfection and vulnerability? Nope. But, I’m a work in progress and so are you…

Brene’s latest book, Daring Greatly, is a NYT Best Seller and a ‘must read’ for parents, business executives, and any of us trying to pave a new path in pursuit of a big dream. The title came from this quote, which inspires me almost daily…

If you are intrigued, here are some resources to help you #startfresh with Brene Brown:

• Daring Greatly – The book
• Brene Brown – The website
• Brene Brown on the Good Life Project – The interview with Jonathan Fields
• Listening To Shame – The 2nd TED Talk

What do you think? Are you a fan of Brene Brown’s work too? Or do you have a crush of your own that you would like to share? I’m always looking for fresh thinkers to profile on our series and I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments….

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