summary ofThe Gifts of ImperfectionBook by Brené Brown, PhD

first KEY POINT

The gifts of imperfection and what to do with them

The media and society bombard you with images and messages telling you who, what, and how you should be. Society teaches you to believe that you would no longer feel inadequate if you could only look perfect and lead a flawless life.

Brené Brown channels her expertise on shame, authenticity, and belonging by explaining the secret of wholesome living in ten carefully curated steps she calls the ten guideposts.The trouble with imperfections is that you mostly feel fear, shame, and unworthiness, and it takes a lot to feel otherwise. But once you accept your imperfect state, you open a door for courage, compassion, and connection to work their magic.Courage is putting your heart out there and risking discrimination or mockery. And no, this doesn't come easy; it takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable; that's true heroism.Compassion describes the ability to feel someone else's pain and understand what they're going through. To be truly empathetic, you must first accept your struggles.According to Brené Brown, a connection is an energy link between people when they feel accepted. We crave bonds as humans, but they are not without risk.These three tools take practice and lots of it. The key to courage, compassion, and connection is looking at life and the people around you and being open to building relationships with them. This summary is a helpful guide in that direction.