The Gifts of Imperfection

I just finished reading “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown. Now I have a book I will recommend to everyone. I’ve been waiting for something like this.

I was not surprised by some of the topics Brené covered in her book, but her approach to them and her definition of some key words were unique and transformative.

If you have some time, you should take her inventory, which assesses your strengths and opportunities for growth: Wholehearted Inventory

Her main theme is for people to live out, or practice courage, compassion, and connection.

Out of the three gifts of imperfection, the one I struggle with the most is compassion. The definition she gives for this word is to suffer with. As she mentions, this is not our default setting, and like most, I default to the self-protect mode. It is something I will be working on. It does come natural to have compassion for the people you love, but the real goal is to have compassion for everyone. This is how you learn to accept and love, rather than fear and hate.

One of the quotes I enjoyed the most was the following:

“Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”

There is a beauty in having a real connection with someone. I am honored to have this with my wonderful wife who is perhaps the only person I can be seen, heard, and valued without judgment. That is one of the many reasons I married her. I hope to nurture more connections with friends. It is healthy to have this with more than one person.

The rest of the book covers 10 guideposts. I would recommend you get this book and read it to find out what they are. If you want to grow and achieve some level of improvement in your life, then this book is for you.

The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown.