Daring Greatly, Being STRETCHED and Jumping into the Arena

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Daring Greatly
What is daring greatly? I “met” Brene Brown through her TED talks. She speaks on ThePower of Vulnerability here  and her talk on Listening to Shame here.  Both are worth your time to listen.
TED talks are wonderful conversations about life, the world and curiosity. People present in less than 20 minutes a peek into their research, their experiences and/or their learning. Their mission is to spread ideas. I always learn something new when I watch a TED talk.
Brene studies and writes about such fascinating topics as shame, vulnerability and courage. She listens deeply to people and the journalist in me loves the questions she asks others to explore.
Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, graduate school of social work. She has written several books: The Gifts of Imperfection and I Thought I was Just Me. My daughter, Valerie gave me her latest book, Daring Greatly, at Christmas. (Thanks Val!)
I just finished Daring Greatly. Don’t you love it when a book, idea or even a blog post drops into your heart seemingly out of nowhere at just the right moment on your journey?  Thank You, Lord!
This book nourished my one word for the year: STRETCH.
The subtitle for this book is: “How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love parent and lead.”
Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it is engaging and taking part in life. It is embracing the risk and the emotional exposure we face every day not as options but as a way of living. If we step into our vulnerability, allow risk taking to stretch us, we find courage.  “When we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time and we turn our backs on our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make.”
Brene writes:

“Wholehearted living is about engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It mean cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think, ‘No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.” It’s going to bed at night thinking, ‘Yes I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.’”

Oh, there is a lot to this book that I will revisit as I grow and learn and am stretched.

Just last week I wanted to talk with someone about an idea I had. At first I was excited but then the self-doubts crept in – What if he laughed? What if they thought it was a dumb idea? I am not really worthy of this and why should they want me?

Fear stopped me. Then I thought about how this situation made me vulnerable. Here I was risking embarrassment to suggest an idea.  Once I described or reframed the circumstance as the emotion of feeling vulnerable, the fear left.
Vulnerability helped me find courage.
I did go to him and suggest the idea. He liked it and I may have a new exciting opportunity ahead of me.
God created vulnerability to help us. It is strength, not a weakness.
God is using vulnerability to live out my word of the year: STRETCH.
God is asking me and all of us to dare greatly.
The phrase Daring Greatly comes from a speech by Theodore Roosevelt given in 1910:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,

because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,

and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

 

How has being vulnerable helped you to find courage in life?

 

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Comments

  1. blankJean Wise says

    Thanks for coming over from SITS> Isn’t that a great list of blogs? Glad you liked the post. Google Brene’s TED talks. I bet you will like them. Glad we connected today

  2. blankJean Wise says

    The word STRETCH came to me during the night. Which was odd since I rarely remember dreams and things I think of then but this one stayed with me. Could be a scary word but once I realized it wasn’t fear, but vulnerability, it all changed. Thanks for stopping by today

  5. blankJeanine Tribley says

    What a beautiful post and just what I need to read/hear this morning. God always leads me to the places and people I need to connect with to make changes in my life. I will definitely order this book as soon as possible. Fear has held me back in the past, and at times I overcome….I have become stronger due to my Faith, but I will have a very long way to go.

    Thanks so much for this!

    All the best,

    Jeanine

  6. blankSavvy WorkingGal says

    This will make a great read for my strenth challenge. Also, I love your word – stretch. I’m jotting that one down for next year.

  9. blankJean Wise says

    Hi Dolly, I just saw you tweeted last night but I taught last night and have been in and out most of today. Looking forward to staying home tomorrow. I haven’t read other than excerpts Brene other books but once I reframed my situation as feeling vulnerable, I felt empowered and less fearful. It was an amazing differences. Praying you have a delightful faithfilled weekend!

  10. blankJean Wise says

    Nancy, I sense you and I are on the same spiritual path. Once I reframed my situation as feeling vulnerable there was less fear. I really amazed and empowered me. new experience for me. I hope this helps you too, dear friend.

  11. blanksoulstops says

    love the Brene Brown book on imperfections and her new one sounds wonderful also…Congrats on not giving into fear and on the possibility of a new adventure, Jean 🙂

  12. blankNancy Ruegg says

    Your definition of vulnerability gives this word a new twist: “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it is engaging and taking part in life. It is embracing the risk and the emotional exposure we face every day not as options but as a way of living.” That means: Get out there! Give God the chance to do something spectacular! Sitting on the sidelines just won’t do. Because of this post, Jean, my head is up, and my courage is buoyed to press on!

  15. blankJean Wise says

    Hi Summer, I lived in Bucyrus for nine years so know Ashland area very well. I am in NW Ohio now. Healed enough to be vulnerable – that is a great line. Thanks for commenting today!

  16. blankJean Wise says

    Hi Mia, I like your definition of daring greatly. It does takes a long time to let go of our meager attachments we cling to and jump into our Father’s arms but how sweet it is when we leap

  18. blankSummer says

    Hi Jean,

    I always enjoy my visits to your “place.” I’m coming over from soli deo gloria sisterhood. Yes, vulnerability has been one of the most important words of my ministry at my Anglican church. I’ve healed and learned and then taught from Terry Wardle’s inner healing prayer teaching at Ashland, OH seminary…healed enough to be vulnerable.
    Summer Gross

  19. blankMia says

    Hi Jean
    Daring greatly for me meant being totally open and honest to our Pappa God. It took me quite a leap into the unknown to do that, but the reward is so great!
    Much love
    Mia