Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection”
I am slightly embarrassed to say that I have been a mental health therapist for almost 10 years and I just recently read Brené Brown’s “The Gifts of Imperfection.” I listened to the audiobook and before I even finished, I bought a copy for myself. This is a book I will read or listen to regularly.
For those not familiar with Brené Brown and her work, I jokingly call her “the Lord and Saviour” of mental health professionals. She is a social worker and researcher whose work has focused on shame and vulnerability. I often recommend watching her TED talks The Power of Vulnerabilility and Listening to Shame. If you enjoy those, she also has two podcasts on Spotify: Dare to Lead (focusing on leadership skills) and Unlocking Us (a variety of topics for our own growth). But wait! There’s more! She has two film specials on HBO and Netflix and she has written a variety of books. Check her out, she’s amazing.
Back to “The Gifts of Imperfection.” Brown uses storytelling in all of her work to make it easy to read and understand. She shares her own experiences as examples of being vulnerable or feeling shame.
My main critique of the book is that the title does not encompass the breadth of the book. Perfectionism is of course covered, but the main focus of the book is what she calls “Wholehearted Living.” She has created 10 “Guideposts” for Wholehearted Living
Within each Guidepost, Brown explains what to let go and what to cultivate. More importantly, she gives suggestions on HOW to cultivate each Guidepost.
Guidepost #1
Cultivating Authenticity: Letting Go of What People Think
Guidepost #2
Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism
Guidepost #3
Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness
Guidepost #4
Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark
Guidepost #5
Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty
Guidepost #6
Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison
Guidepost #7
Cultivating Play and Rest: Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth
Guidepost #8
Cultivating Calm and Stillness: Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle
Guidepost #9
Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self-Doubt and “Supposed To”
Guidepost #10
Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting Go of Being Cool and “Always in Control”
If you are intrigued by the guideposts, I would recommend taking the “Wholehearted Inventory” on Brown’s website. This will give you feedback on how you are already living with these guideposts, and where you could focus attention for growth.
“The Gifts of Imperfection'' is easy to read and understand. Brown’s use of her own life’s struggles makes it easy to relate to. This will be a book I suggest to clients, friends, and family.
