Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
In response to all the tension in the U.S. of which the 2016 election became a lightening rod, Brené Brown went to her research to find what it takes to bring people back together so that individuals and society can keep moving forward together rather than apart.
She develops an acronym BRAVING that describes the types of traits individuals need to have in order to trust others and to be someone others can trust in you. She also outlines four habits that can bring people together while still protecting individuals’ boundaries.
I’m the type of person who likes to have an owners manual of sorts to figure out how to do something; I hate having to do it on my own. I also despise conflict. So as things have become more tense in society, I’ve sometimes been at a loss for how to engage with others and not just turn away or bury my head in the sand. She addresses both how to confront toxic ideas and also protecting your boundaries. I appreciated that she recognizes that some people just aren’t worth engaging with. That someone who is not open to discussion or has a closed mindset is not going to be open to hearing ideas that disprove what they believe.
After reading this book I feel like I know how to protect myself but also engage with others who may or may not agree with me. Having this knowledge, I feel better prepared to not just stick in my comfort bubble or echo chamber.