Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Kindle & Audible: US or CA
Morning Readers & Happy Friday!
This was definitely my favorite book of the week, and one of my top 3 for the month so far. It’s funny because this doesn’t read like a ‘self-help’ book, instead Brené focuses on self-understanding, and recognizing what our emotions are, naming them and where they come from in order take control of our agency and how we connect with them in order to better connect with ourselves and others.
I love that she references Elizabeth Gilbert, author of my recent review Big Magic, and quotes her “You are afraid of surrender because you are afraid to loose control. But you never had control, all you had was anxiety” (ugh, this one hit HARD), and her examination of ‘group think’ has, unfortunately, gives a lot of context to many modern situations. It was funny that this book paired so well with another book I started, Babel, and both look into the building and history of words and terminology, I adored the epistemology lessons in both!
I think my biggest takeaway from this book is just how important it is to be able to name your emotions. To name the turmoil inside, identify the contributors in order to better connect with a centered self. That’s not to say that it’s easy, I genuinely needed this book this week, and it didn’t make the heartbreak that I was going through any less painful, but it did remind me that being heartbroken is an infinite mix of disappointment, grief, anger, hopelessness, sadness, and fear. So many emotions that can get lost in this one, that we forget how to process it and move through it with understanding, meaning and intent.
Again, one of those books where you can’t just pick one quote:
“We don’t always regulate or manage our emotions and experiences in a way that allows us move them productively and our self awareness is diminished… Naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power, it gives us the power of understanding and meaning.”
“Vulnerability is not weakness, it is our greatest measure of courage”
“Comparison is the crush of conformity from one side and competition from the other. It is trying to simultaneously fit in and stand out. Comparison says be just like everyone else but better… It’s not be yourself and respect others for being authentic. It’s fit in but win.”
“If I have to ask, it’s not worth it… If you’re not asking for what’s important to you, maybe you think you’re not worth it”
“Children with high levels of hopefulness have experience with adversity. They’ve been given the opportunity to struggle, and in doing that they know how to believe in themselves and their abilities. Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child”
“We have to belong to ourselves as much as we need to belong to others. Any belonging that asks us to betray ourselves is not true belonging.”
“Belonging is being somewhere you want to be, and they want you. Fitting in is being somewhere you want to be but they don’t really care one way or another. Another student said belonging is being accepted for you, fitting is in being accepted for being like everyone else… If I get to be me I belong, if I have to be like you, I fit in.”
“I’m growing more convinced that the pursuit of happiness may get in the way of more meaningful experiences like joy and gratitude…what makes children happy in the moment is not always what leads them to developing deeper joy, grounded confidence and meaningful connection.”
One thought at the back of my head that kept coming up, if you are looking to write a book, this one would actually be perfect for authors looking to express and pinpoint emotion in a way that drives characters and a better connection for readers!
What ever it is your going through, I hope you keep on getting through, Happy Reading all!
-Anna R.
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Kindle & Audible: US or CA
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