149 Brené Brown Quotes On Courage, Self-love & Vulnerability
If you are one of many people who like to read inspirational quotes, I think that the below Brené Brown quotes will offer you more inspiration on various life’s topics.
Brené Brown is a professor at the University of Huston where she does her academic researches. She is well known for the TED talk “The Power of Vulnerability”, which has a record of more than 35 millions views.
Brené Brown has been creating her career based on studying many topics such as courage, vulnerability, empathy and shame. She is the author of six bestselling books: The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, Braving the Wilderness, and Dare to Lead and most recently Atlas of the Heart.
The following collection of Brené Brown quotes that I have collected for you is a reminder for us that our self-worth is not based only on what we have achieved, but also on our determination to authentically show up and create our own place in society.
I hope that these empowering Brené Brown quotes will offer you the inspiration needed to have more courage, to accept your true self, and to make a progress.
Also, I hope that you let this inspirational collection be as your guidance towards the wonderful journey of self-discovery. I really believe that these quotes will motivate you to discover your strengths and enjoy a life of happiness and success.
Best Brené Brown Quotes
1. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
2. “Love is the greatest thing we do. It’s the reason we’re here. We’re here to love.”
3. “Being vulnerable is the ultimate act of courage.”
4. “Empathy is not just something that happens to us. Empathy is an action that we take.”
5. “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”
6. “Leadership is about courage. It’s about finding the courage to show up and have difficult conversations, to take risks and embrace change.”
7. “We can’t practice compassion with other people if we can’t treat ourselves kindly.”
8. “Learning to love and be kind to ourselves is a lifelong journey.”
9. “Perfectionism is not self-improvement. Perfectionism is, at its core, about trying to earn approval and acceptance.”
10. “Vulnerability is the key to connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness.”
11. “The heart of leadership is connection, and connection is about empathy, curiosity, and emotional courage.”
12. “We need to stop with these false separations with tough and tender. Tough and tender can coexist and to me that’s kind of the equation for badassery.”
13. “The willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time.”
14. “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
15. “What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think, or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?”
Brené Brown Quotes on Courage
16. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.”
17. “Courage, the original definition of courage, when it first came into the English language — it’s from the Latin word ‘cor’ meaning ‘heart’. And the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.”
18. “Living a life of daring greatly means cultivating the courage to be vulnerable, to set boundaries, and to let ourselves be seen.”
19. “When we dare to drop the armor that protects us from feeling vulnerable, we open ourselves to the possibility of love, belonging, and joy.”
20. “I define vulnerability as emotional risk, exposure, uncertainty. It fuels our daily lives. And I’ve come to the belief — this is my 12th year doing this research — that vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage — to be vulnerable, to let ourselves be seen, to be honest.”
21. “We cannot practice courage without the vulnerability of knowing what’s at stake.”
Quotes on Vulnerability
22. “The most important thing is to remember that vulnerability is not weakness, it’s courage.”
23. “The simplest definition for vulnerability is really uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. Vulnerability is about the willingness to show up and be seen when you have cero control over the outcome.”
24.“You cannot selectively numb emotion. You can’t say, here’s the bad stuff. Here’s vulnerability, here’s grief, here’s shame, here’s fear, here’s disappointment. I don’t want to feel these… So when we numb those, we numb joy, we numb gratitude, we numb happiness. And then, we are miserable, and we are looking for purpose and meaning, and then we feel vulnerable, so then we have a couple of beers and a banana nut muffin. And it becomes this dangerous cycle.”
25. “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”
26. “Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”
27. “I’m doing work with Pete Carroll in the Seattle Seahawks; we’re talking about vulnerability [and] I asked the same question to that group of players, ‘Give me an example of courage on the field or off that doesn’t require vulnerability.’ And it was so funny to me ‘cause they had to huddle for a minute and then they kinda came back and said, ‘There is no courage without vulnerability, not on or off the field. If you’re not all in, if you’re not putting yourself out there, you just can’t be brave.’ And so I think the job is dispelling the mythology about ‘vulnerability is weakness.’”
28th of 149 Quotes
28. “Vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it’s also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love.”
29. “When we shut ourselves off from vulnerability, we distance ourselves from the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives.”
30. “Vulnerability is not knowing victory or defeat, it’s understanding the necessity of both; it’s engaging. It’s being all in.”
31. “Vulnerability is a risk, but it’s the only path to deeper connections and meaningful experiences.”
32. “They [people from her research] believed that what made them vulnerable made them beautiful. And they didn’t talk about vulnerability being comfortable, nor did they really talk about it being excruciating — as I had heard earlier in the shame interviewing. They just talked about it being necessary. They talked about the willingness to say, ‘I love you’ first, the willingness to do something where there are no guarantees, the willingness to breathe through waiting for the doctor to call after your mammogram. They’re willing to invest in a relationship that may or may not work out. They thought this was fundamental.”
33. “Vulnerability is the cornerstone of all emotions and feelings.”
34. “We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.”
Work Quotes From Brené Brown
35. “We can’t do meaningful work without embracing vulnerability.”
36. “At work, I think we armor up more because there’s less trust, there’s less confidence. And I think we slip into kind of who we think we’re supposed to be at work. And we armor up using things like cynicism, perfectionism — needing to be the knower and be right versus the learner and get it right.”
37. “When we dare to show up and be seen, we can change the world with our work.”
38. “The things we do for love and belonging, the things we do for work, are the things that define us.”
Brené Brown Quotes on Leadership
39. “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.”
40. “Leadership is about creating a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.”
41. “Leadership is not about being the boss. It’s about creating safety for everyone to show up, do their best work, and develop their full potential.”
42. “Who we are is how we lead. Self-awareness, kindness, vision, accountability, trust, just basic skills of being a good human being to other human beings.”
43. “The leader who doesn’t lead from the heart is only managing.”
44. “Leadership is a choice and it’s not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in our charge.”
45. “So to me, leadership, it may start with what we understand and know, but they are skills. They’re skills that are observable, measurable, teachable. We can practice them and it takes a tremendous amount of courage to put yourself out there and practice things. So you do have to build really some trust with the groups that you’re trying on new ways of showing up with.”
46th of 149 Quotes
“Leadership is a practice, not a position.”
47. “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes.”
48. “The most transformational leaders that I work with have very clear boundaries and respect people when they set them and encourage them, applaud them, and appreciate them.”
49. “Leadership is tough. It requires the willingness to fail in a pretty public way. And if you are in a culture where there are great power differentials based on who you are, gender, race, ability, I’m gonna have a hard time accepting your results. That leadership only works for the best folks because who’s defining those folks?”
50. “If you want to make a difference, the next time you see someone being cruel to another human being, take it personally. Take it personally because it is personal!”
51. “Leadership is about cultivating the ability to hold uncertainty and the willingness to learn, grow, and adapt.”
52. “The most effective leaders are the ones who are aware of their own emotions, and are able to manage them.”
53. “True leadership is about taking risks and embracing change.”
Quotes on Love
54. “Real love involves truth, accountability, and transformation. Without these elements, it’s not real love.”
55. “Love is not a noun, it’s a verb. Love — the feeling — is the fruit of love the verb or our actions.”
56. “We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.”
57. “Love is never absent. When we’re in the midst of struggle and pain, it’s hard to remember that, but it’s always there. The real work is to learn how to access it.”
58. “Love and trust, in the absence of empathy, are transactional — You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.
59. “I define love as an action that you take, a commitment that you make, and a promise that you keep to treat someone in a loving way.”
60. “The practice of love is the practice of letting people in.”
61. “Love is not painless. It involves vulnerability and the possibility of being hurt.”
62. “Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them.”
63. “Love and belonging are irreducible needs of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.”
Quotes on Connection by Brené Brown
64. “Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued.”
65. “Empathy is the birthplace of love and compassion, and it’s the path to connection.”
66. “Love and belonging, those are irreducible needs of all people. We’re hardwired for connection.”
67. “Connection is why we’re here; it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”
68. “In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen.”
69. “Connection is the ability to recognize our shared humanity and to invite others into a sense of belonging and worthiness.”
70. “Connection is the key to empathy. When we can connect with others, we can understand their perspectives and experiences.”
71. “Connection requires vulnerability and the courage to be authentic and genuine.”
Brené Brown Quotes on Self-Love
72. “Loving ourselves means accepting our imperfections.”
73. “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”
74. “When we work from a place that says, ‘I’m enough’ then we stop screaming and start listening, we’re kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we’re kinder and gentler to ourselves.”
75. “Self-love is never arrogance. It’s the birthplace of human connection and respect.”
76. “Self-compassion leads to resilience.”
77. “The process of shame resilience is about accepting and owning our stories.”
78. “Choosing to practice gratitude and joy can be an act of resistance to negativity and despair.”
79. “True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself.”
80. “The power of self-compassion is the power to heal and transform.”
Quotes on Change
81. “Change requires action, and action requires courage.”
82. “The only way to change people’s behavior is to connect with them where they are.”
83. “The ability to hold space for other people and to stay present to the uncomfortable and emotional parts of our own lives is what gives us the capacity to change.”
Gratitude Quotes
84. “Gratitude is a practice that shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present.”
85. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”
86. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
87. “Gratitude is not a single event or an emotion; it’s a practice.”
88. “Gratitude is the recognition of goodness in our lives and a thankful response.”
89. “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for joy, resilience, and healing.”
90. “Gratitude does not change the scenery. It merely washes clean the glass you look through so you can clearly see the colors.”
91. “Gratitude doesn’t change the tough stuff. It makes it feel manageable.”
92. “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
Brené Brown Sayings on Shame
93. “Shame is an epidemic in our culture, and it’s hampering our ability to live wholehearted lives.”
94. “Shame hates to have words wrapped around it. If we talk about it, it loses its grip on us.”
95. “Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.”
96. “The thing about shame that makes it so difficult is it needs three things to thrive in our lives… with secrecy, silence and judgment it grows exponentially.”
97. “Shame is highly, highly correlated with addiction, depression, violence, aggression, bullying, suicide, eating disorders.”
98. “Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.”
99. “And shame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection: Is there something about me that, if other people know it or see it, that I won’t be worthy of connection?”
100. “Shame cannot survive being spoken.”
101. “Vulnerability and shame go hand in hand. You simply cannot experience vulnerability without risking shame.”
102. “Shame is a universal experience. No one is immune to it.”
103. “Shame is the most powerful master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough.”
104. “We all have a story of shame. I think the difference between those who suffer and those who don’t is that the people who don’t suffer have learned to tell a different story.”
105. “Shame is a soul-eating emotion.”
106. “Shame is like a virus that is highly contagious. If one person is feeling shame, it’s almost impossible for them not to transfer that shame to others.”
107. “Shame is toxic. When toxic shame is at the core of our self-worth, it creates a sense of profound disconnection.”
Quotes on Belonging
108. “Belonging is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”
109. “Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us.”
110. “Belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary.”
111. “Belonging is the answer to the existential longing we all feel for a sense of connection and purpose.”
112. “Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance.”
113. “Belonging is the experience of feeling seen, heard, and valued for who we are and the experience of being a part of something greater than ourselves.”
114. “When we belong to ourselves and are connected to others, we’re equipped to reach new levels of creativity and self-expression.”
115. “The story of belonging is the story of being seen, and the story of being seen is intimately connected to the story of being loved.”
116. “Belonging to ourselves means being called to stand alone, authentically, in the wilderness.”
117. “Belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are, it requires us to be who we are.”
Perfectionism Quotes from Brené Brown
118. “Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving for excellence. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it’s a shield.”
119. “Perfectionism is the belief that if we do things perfectly, look perfect, and live perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame.”
120. “Perfectionism is a self-destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, live perfectly, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.”
121. “Perfectionism is not the key to success. In fact, research shows that perfectionism hampers achievement. Perfectionism is correlated with depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis or missed opportunities.”
122. “Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from being seen.”
123. “Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from being seen and taking flight.”
124. “Perfectionism is not a pursuit of the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough.”
Quotes on Empathy
125. “Empathy fuels connection. Sympathy drives disconnection.”
126. “Empathy is not sympathy. Empathy is feeling with people.”
127. “Empathy is the capacity to understand or share the feelings of another.”
128. “Empathy begins with recognizing our own story and enduring struggles in one another.”
129. “Empathy is not just about listening to people’s stories and feeling with them, it’s also about recognizing the emotions they’re feeling and using that recognition to create meaningful change.”
130. “Empathy is the cornerstone of connection and requires a willingness to lean in, see the world as others see it, and acknowledge their feelings.”
131. “Empathy is a choice, and it’s a vulnerable choice because in order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling.”
132. “Empathy is a learnable skill, and we’re all capable of developing it. It’s like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it becomes.”
Quotes from Articles, Podcast, and Social-Media
133. “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.”
134. “You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability.”
135. “Courage is like — it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging.”
136. “The more you practice empathy, the more empathetic you become.”
137. “Compassion is not a virtue; it is a commitment.”
138. “When we deny our stories, they define us. When we own our stories, we get to write a brave new ending.”
139. “Hope is a function of struggle.”
140. “The most powerful thing you can do when you’re in a shame spiral is to reach out and tell someone you trust.”
141. “You can’t claim to care about the welfare of children and not support women’s autonomy, safety, and health.”
Brené Brown Short Quotes
142. “The only way to make meaning is to let certain things go.”
143. “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”
144. “Whatever pain you can’t get rid of, make it your creative offering.”
145. “The opposite of play is not work — the opposite of play is depression.”
146. “Change is not easy, but it’s worth it.”
147. “You cannot get to courage without vulnerability.”
148. “Love is a choice you make every day.”
149. “Good leaders ask questions instead of giving orders.”
Final Thoughts
In the above collection of Brené Brown quotes, you will find much wisdom that can help you on your way into a more fullfiling life by offering you inspiration to have more courage, to embrace your vulnerabilities, to live a more true life to yourself, and to build stronger bonds with yourself and other people in your surrondings.
I hope you will save this collection and let it be your source of inspiration that can help you enjoy a life of daring greatly, embracing who you are, and welcoming the power of your vulnerabilities.
With Brené Brown inspirational words, your journey in life will be more exciting as you will have the power to embrace who you really are and find out the great potential that exists inside you.
