How to Listen to Pain

In this thought-provoking Q and A, Greater Good's book review editor Jill Suttie asks author Brene Brown about the intricacies of her book 'Rising Strong.' One of the key points of the book is how we all react -- or 'listen' -- to the intense pain we may feel when we experience shame in our lives. And it is how we respond to those feelings that can either hinder our emotional well-being, or lead us to a new sense of courage and genuineness.

Why do we feel shame and how does shame change us?

According to BrenĂ© Brown, a researcher at the University of Houston, shame is an “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” It’s an emotion that affects all of us and profoundly shapes the way we interact in the world. But, depending on how we deal with it, shame can either shut us down or lead us to a new sense of bravery and authenticity.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/1227/how-to-listen-to-pain-jill-suttie/