truth, courage, and naked hearts

 

My wonderful research assistant, Saba, made this on Wordle. It's based on the data we collected when we asked people to define vulnerability. We normally don't make word clouds, but it's always helpful to step back and look at words and language through a fresh lens. Plus I'm crazy for fonts and design.  

I'm using the data to develop a working definition of vulnerability. Stay tuned. 

PS I'm pretty sure I have the best job in the world! 

Update on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by Brené Brown

Y'all asked for some close-ups of the Wordle. Here's what we have!  

Comments

[kat]

can you post a bigger picture so i could read the fine print? thanks and love!

[April]

How awesome! :-)

[jay stailey]

Am looking forward to hearing you speak in person at the Texas School Improvement Conference on Wednesday. jay

[B]

Love this! And I absolutely love your work.

[Angela Garry]

I'm a huge fan of Wordle for pointing out the importance of words. I'm also rapidly becoming a huge fan of your work, and am devouring every page of your website with relish. Your work on shame and vulnerability is something that I know I will be referring to (and using) from now onwards - particularly in my MSc course in Integrative Psychotherapy where shame and vulnerability play such an enormous role in a client's story. Thank you for this site, your blog, your books and your video.
Angela Garry

[Ross]

You may see yourself as a map maker, but your work is having a profound effect on people. Yes... I suspect you've got one of the best jobs in the world.......Thank goodness someone's doing this work.

[Carla Gibson]

You are right... you do have the best job in the world. And the world benefits!

[Leila Worthy]

Hey Brene, just wanted to tell you that I have been inspired by your research and your blog. I first heard of you after seeing your TED talk. I was in the processs of looking into grad schools as a therapist and social work had been mentioned to me, but I wasn't sure if it was the right choice. You were one of a few factors that inspired me to apply and I will be starting grad school next year at USC.
Would love to hear you speak if you ever make it to San Diego!

Sincere thanks
Leila

[Marthe]

As a word-geek and typgraphy lover - this is my idea of heaven. Imagine walking on these kind of clouds! ;)

[Cristi mercedes]

It seems to me that all of those words are the stuff of our lives. I'm home today thinking & resting. I find I like my work in the field yet do not feel like I belong with the group I work with - to play with words I feel "at two" with my coworkers. I am coming to the conclusion that I need to let go of working there and build a new life. It's scary and I find myself saying, can I really do this? So seeing the word vulnerability jumping out at me along with all the other words reminds me that vulnerability entails more than just fear. It entails hope, freedom, joy, and most importantly authenticity, which is what I've been striving for at work. Thanks for the reminder!

[Meghan @ Life Refocused]

LOVE that! So awesome to look at data in that visual way.

[Christine @ Coffees and Commutes]

The work that you do inspires me so much. Truly, I'm always thinking about how I can change my life to make this kind of difference for others.

[Carey]

Brene, I love the work you are doing. I hadn't heard of Wordle and think it is awesome! What a great way to help visualize words, phrases, and ideas. Thanks for sharing!

[Em]

I'm literally in the middle of writing a post about being vulnerable, because I'm struggling hard with it.

I was looking for art to go with it and up pops your page. Not that I'll use Saba's Wordle, but it is ver cool. And timely.

[Merry ME]

this is very cool.

[hlc]

The enlarged version has different words or at least different placement than the first whole one. It only matters if you are trying to read the first one (which I was). For instance, under the V of vulnerability it says "letting fear..." but those words are not in the enlargement. Similarly 'letting love" from the enlargement (above the b in vulnerability) is not in the original. It is a cool idea but a frustrating exercise.

[Aubrey]

I love the visual...seeing everyone's different perspectives on vulnerability...resounding, validating, and awesome! Neat exercise, thanks for sharing! :)

[Colleen]

Have you seen this one, Dr B? It's called The Knots Prayer

Dear God:
Please untie the knots
That are in my mind,
My heart and my life.
Remove the have nots,
The cannots and the do nots
Erase the will nots,
May nots,
Might nots that may find
A home in my heart.
Release me from the could nots
Would nots and
Should nots that obstruct my life.
And most of all,
Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind,
My heart and my life all of the “am nots”
That I have allowed to hold me back,
Especially the thought
That I am not good enough.
Amen

Author Known to God

[Michelle Sevigny]

Ah!! How coooool.....

[Heather Van Uxem Lewis]

This is wonderful! I am eager to read you culminating definition. I am using your work in my dissertation.

[Debbie Nereson]

I LOVE Wordle. This is a great way to look at what makes up vulnerability!

[Marisa]

I was hoping to print the graphic to hang on my fridge....Any chance you will be making a wordle magnet? :)

[Em]

Oooh. A wordle magnet!

[Isadora]

Fantastic ... I await the final results of the definition.
Great,
Isadora

[Halley | Brochure Printing]

That's a huge word cloud. I think I'm going to try Wordle now, thanks for the inspiration! :)

[Katie]

I hope you will publish this in a form we can print out - like your badges! I'd love to share this with my clients

[Melanie]

I want to learn how to do that! I like that knots prayer too, even better to goddess.

[Robin Higgins]

I have just finished reading both of your books and have been touched and inspired by the stories of both shame and resilience. One thing that I thought might come out more in your interviews about wholeheartedness was human's connection to the earth. It seems to me that our sense of belonging comes not only from community with others, but also our sense of belonging in this eco-system. The best advice I ever had for grieving was to lie down in the forest and let the earth hold me. At that point I felt that I was no different from the trees and stars and I could feel the enormous healing of just dissolving into nature/ my nature/ the nature of all existence. I find that my connection with both earth and my self/soul is nurtured by time alone. Paradoxically, my sense of belonging with my children and family and friends increase after I have been on a solo retreat. You mention stillness, and I believe that sense of spaciousness and tender heart is nurtured when we are willing to BE by ourselves.

[LoriW]

Great word cloud. I have to disagree though--I have the best job in the world! I am a registered nurse/lactation consultant working with the new families and new life everyday! What a blessing and what a blessing you, Brene' and your work have been in my life. Thank you for helping me to define myself, my work, and my place in the world.

[Claire Grove]

Hello Brene,

Thank you for bringing light to a subject that I now realize has affected me since I was a young girl struggling to be good enough and pretty enough for my dad. I took the "perfect" route through pageants, modeling and becoming a physician to hide behind the shame. Your books have provided a great sense of enlightenment of why I have handled many things in my life. I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm glad it has begun.
I was in my writing class last night and the instructor asked for themes in our lives. One woman mentioned guilt and several heads nodded in class. So I thought it was good timing to mention one of my themes - shame. When I called out "shame," there were many gasps in the room. The lady next to me gasped the loudest and turned to me with a look of shock. After reading your books, I expected that reaction. But after class, that same lady next to me showed me what she was writing - a story on how her mother emphasized being perfect and beautiful. The irony.

Thank you for shedding light on this common, haunting subject. I'm flying from Orlando to Houston just to hear you speak at the Texas Women's Conference.

All the best,

Claire

[Jan]

Just received my copy of "I Thought It Was Just Me." Will read it on the plane to Denver. Still plugging away at "The Gift of Imperfection," but find I have to reread quite often to soak it all in. Your work has begun to set me free and I am very grateful to you. I'll look forward to your work on vulnerability. I've spent my entire life with my "dukes up" (opposite, in my view, of being vulnerable) and I'm very, very tired.

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[Helen]

Hey Brene - love the collection of words here, I love how vulnerability means different things to different people. I've also been thinking about a definition of vulnerability for a while now - do you think it's something to do with the healthy boundaries that we have in all our relationships, and perhaps we feel vulnerable when we're placed in a position where we have to reevaluate or change those boundaries? We numb when we don't want to change - we don't want to reevaluate the boundaries and standards that we have set for ourselves?

Your thoughts?

[Cathy | Treatment Talk]

Hi Brene,

I really like the word cloud, and will have to check out Wordle. There is always something new to try which makes it fun. Love your books and website.

[Fin]

My 8 year old nephew was looking over my shoulder when the following conversation took place:

Wyatt: That's the biggest word I have ever seen. How do you say it?
Me: VUL-NER-A-BIL-I-TY
Wyatt: That's six syllables! What does it mean Auntie?
Me: It means being able to risk being yourself.
Wyatt: Why is that risky?
Me: Because some people may not like you for being who you are.
Wyatt: If you are not you then who are you?
Me: Sometimes people pretend to be someone different then they really are.
Wyatt: Why would you do that?
Me: Because people are sometimes afraid they won't be liked.
Wyatt: I don't want to be an adult Auntie. You are afraid all the time. I'm only scared of monsters not of other kids not liking me.
Me: I'm afraid of monsters too.
Wyatt: See, always afraid. I like you.
Me: Thank you Wyatt, I like you too.
Wyatt: Teach me something harder next time ok?
Me: Okay!

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