You should read these Brené Brown quotes. They'll inspire you to speak your mind and do it with heart. To be brave enough to belong to yourself, wherever you go, as you stand up for what’s right. They're from an interview with Marie Forleo, which is so good.

“You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great.” — Maya Angelou, in an interview with Bill Moyers, 1973

After you read these quotes, watch the video they came from: right here.

How you treat others stems from how (clear, courageous, connected) you are with yourself. And when you can hold the space for difficult conversations without losing yourself or shaming others, you've done love. You've done your part in making this world a kinder, braver place.

15 Brené Brown Quotes about “Braving the Wildnerness”

1. “Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence that you don’t belong, because you will always find it. Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence that you’re not enough, because you will always find it. Our worth and our belonging are not negotiated with other people. We carry those inside of our hearts.” — Brené Brown

2. “I know who I am; I’m clear about that, and I’m not going to negotiate that with you… I may fit in for you, but I no longer belong to myself, and that is a betrayal I’m not willing to do that anymore.” — Brené Brown

3. “If you need me to be someone different than who I am, it’s not gonna be successful.” — Brené Brown

4. “True belonging is a spiritual practice, and it’s about the ability to find sacredness in both being a part of something but also the courage to stand alone.” — Brené Brown

5. “You belong everywhere and nowhere, and that is liberation.” - Brene Brown

6. “I’m not going to let my imperfection move me away from the conversation because it’s too important.” — Brené Brown

7. “Opting out of speaking out because we may get criticized (to me) is the definition of privilege.” — Brené Brown

8. “Dehumanization is not a social justice tool. It is emotional offloading, it is gratuitous, it is self-indulgent; it is a way to offload our anger, our fear, and our rage, but it has nothing to do with social justice.” — Brené Brown

9. “When we use dehumanizing language, it says much more about us than the people that we’re railing against, and… it chips away at our soul.” — Brené Brown

10. “Shame never drives positive behavior. What shame drives is rage, anger, rationalization, and blame.” — Brené Brown

11. “When you shame people, it hurts you.” - Brene Brown

12. “Shame begets shame in the same way that violence begets violence. It’s not the answer.” — Brené Brown

13. “If the only two tools that you have in your tool bag are shame or coddle, that’s a sorry-ass tool bag.” — Brené Brown

14. “It really is going to take a million acts of kindness and consciousness to change this.” — Brené Brown

15. “At the end of the day, at the end of the week, at the end of my life I want to be able to say that I contributed more than I criticized.” — Brené Brown

. . .

Tell me:

Which of these quotes is your favorite?

Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know!

With love,

Jen

P.S. Tell yourself the things you need to hear, before you let anyone else decide for you how you're going to feel. Get my book Morning Affirmations for hope and possibility first thing in the morning. So you can contribute to the world *you* want to live in.