Social media has given us this idea that we should all have a posse of friends when in reality, if we have one or two really good friends, we are lucky.

Shame hates it when we reach out and tell our story. It hates having words wrapped around it - it can't survive being shared. Shame loves secrecy... When we bury our story, the shame metastasizes.

Courage originally meant "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart

What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.

That's really part of being a grounded theory researcher - putting names to concepts and experiences that people have.

One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we place on "going it alone." Somehow we've come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we're very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It's as if we've divided the world into "those who offer help" and "those who need help." The truth is that we are both.

Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.