Speaking Shame: Daring Greatly Into the Dark

Описание: From Silence to Courage: Why Speaking Shame Changes Everything
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on shame—not avoiding it or reframing it too quickly, but noticing what happens when we allow it to be named. As Brené Brown writes in Daring Greatly, shame thrives in secrecy. The moment we give it language, its grip begins to loosen. And yet, so much of our energy goes into avoiding the very conversations that could set us free.
There’s a line that keeps resurfacing for me: “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” That feels like the work. Not bypassing discomfort, but meeting it with courage.
To be vulnerable, we must build resilience to shame. We cannot dare greatly if we are terrified of being seen. Shame convinces us that visibility is dangerous—so we hedge, polish, minimize, or don’t share at all. Or we do share boldly, and if the response disappoints, shame rushes in to tell us we never should have tried.
Here’s the trap: when self-worth is tied to external validation, creativity suffocates. Innovation quietly dies under the weight of approval. In organizations and relationships alike, shame turns into fear, fear into risk aversion, and risk aversion kills innovation every time.
One distinction matters deeply:Guilt says, “I did something bad.”Shame says, “I am bad.”
Guilt can motivate accountability and repair. Shame is corrosive—it drives blame, withdrawal, anger, or shutdown. The bridge from shame to healing is empathy.
Shame resilience means recognizing our triggers, practicing critical awareness, reaching out instead of retreating, and speaking shame out loud. It’s the ability to move through discomfort without abandoning our values—and to come out with more courage, compassion, and connection than we had before.
🌿 https://www.emberhart.com/speaking-sh...
Perhaps the invitation of Daring Greatly is not to eliminate shame, but to learn how to move through it together. When we do, we make room for something quieter and stronger to emerge: authenticity, creativity, and real human connection.
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