I think that shame is a universal, paralyzing, painful emotion.

Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is cor - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart." Over time, this definition has changed, and today, we typically associate courage with heroic and brave deeds. But in my opinion, this definition fails to recognize the inner strength and level of commitment required for us to actually speak honestly and openly about who we are and about our experiences -- good and bad. Speaking from our hearts is what I think of as "ordinary courage.

We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time.

When we lose our tolerance for vulnerability, joy becomes foreboding.

When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.

Through my research, I found that vulnerability is the glue that holds relationships together. It's the magic sauce.

Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.