Manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted

There is no greater threat to the critics

and cynics and fearmongers

than those of us who are willing to fall

because we have learned how to rise.

With skinned knees and bruised hearts;

we choose owning our stories of struggle,

over hiding, over hustling, over pretending.

When we deny our stories, they define us.

When we run from struggle, we are never free.

So we turn toward truth and look it in the eye.

We will not be characters in our stories.

Not villains, not victims, not even heroes.

We are the authors of our lives.

We write our own daring endings.

We craft love from heartbreak,

Compassion from shame,

grace from disappointment,

courage from failure.

Showing up is our power.

Story is our way home. Truth is our song.

We are the brave and brokenhearted.

We are rising strong.

Written By Brene Brown

Reading this for the first time in my therapists' office, it tugged on a heartstring. Bringing it home and rereading it again on a day, I was struggling Manifesto of the Brave, and Brokenhearted struck me a little differently. The words are powerful and resonate with the reader differently depending on your life's current events.

It is my hope that you too will find strength in Brene's words.