Many people think of perfectionism as striving to be your best, but it is not about self-improvement; it's about earning approval and acceptance.

We are a culture of people who've bought into the idea that if we stay busy enough, the truth of our lives won't catch up with us.

If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.

Vulnerability is not about winning, and it's not about losing. It's about having the courage to show up and be seen.

If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.

Empathy fuels connection; sympathy drives disconnection.

When we can let go of what other people think and own our story, we gain access to our worthiness—the feeling that we are enough just as we are and that we are worthy of love and belonging. When we spend a lifetime trying to distance ourselves from the parts of our lives that don’t fit with who we think we’re supposed to be, we stand outside of our story and hustle for our worthiness by constantly performing, perfecting, pleasing, and proving. Our sense of worthiness—that critically important piece that gives us access to love and belonging—lives inside of our story.