Secret confession: In the last few years, I’ve had problems with “privilege white people” new age/self help/ awareness work 🤷🏼♀️😐(I try to be not judgmental, but when the message is “just think it and it will be”... damn) and tbh, it makes me a little nauseous when colleagues or teachers speak in BB’s quotes. But when I kept hearing about it, I bought it to see if I could stomach it, I realized it IS my story- and it gave me chills and tears.
She put words to the fact that I’ve never “belonged” to any group, and have had to stand up to the norm and forge my own way. Yes, it helped me study people and their situations, learn how to survive and stand up, heal and serve in others’ healings- but I felt alone, and it wasn’t comfortable. And when the newest “self help guru” comes in and tries to sell the 4/5 step process to wealth or happiness- or I went to have VIP nights with national teachers telling me to just “think positive” or “I don’t know...refinance your house?” I realized I was in the wrong place for inspiration. I’ve needed grit and depth, people who have perspective from real life, trauma, hard shit- without victimization or someone just “taking care of it for them.”
How do you heal when you belong no where or to no one?? That your family dynamics are convoluted and sick- everyone else tells you you won’t be anything, don’t belong, are intimidated by you, hate you because you won’t suffer with them, etc. Well, higher power, persistence, and piss and vinegar, of course. But that’s lonely. And ouchie with humans. So I’ve clawed on- and went deep. Made it my life’s work- and learned things to help myself and others heal. I’ve held space for some hard stuff. And amazing beauty and transformation. But it wasn’t easy- and sometimes, still isn’t. When you subscribe to truth-you piss people off, and many go away. Thank goodness we finally have the research and we are talking about this work. Thanks, BB for “not moving.” I’ve been searching for something current I could sink my teeth into that I can relate to. This is it- good present day warrior work. If you haven’t checked it out, so worth it! 💕❤️#brenebrown #healing#trauma #wilderness #brave#standalone