Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

by Brené Brown Narrated by Brené Brown

Overview

A timely and important new book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection

"True belonging doesn't require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are." Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging.

Brown argues that we're experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, "True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that's rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it's easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it's a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It's a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts." Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, "The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand." 

Praise for Brené Brown's Rising Strong

"[Brown's] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we've all had but haven't quite known how to articulate. . . . [She] empowers us each to be a little more courageous."—The Huffington Post

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Brené Brown’s Rising Strong

“[Brown’s] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we’ve all had but haven’t quite known how to articulate. . . . [She] empowers us each to be a little more courageous.”—The Huffington Post

“It is inevitable—we will fall. We will fail. We will not know how to react or what to do. No matter how or when it happens, we will all have a choice—do we get up or not? Thankfully, Brené Brown is there with an outstretched arm to help us up.”—Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last

“With a fresh perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with oneself.”—Publishers Weekly

Library Journal

10/01/2017
Brown (The Gifts of Imperfection; Rising Strong) contends that one of the major crises in today's culture is the feeling of being disconnected, which evidences itself in perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the erosion of civility. True belonging, states the author, is a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity, and four steps to accomplishing this include moving in, being civil, holding hands (connecting), and having a wild heart (standing up for oneself and one's beliefs). Mixing research, storytelling, and honesty, the author leads readers in becoming courageous and finding meaning in uncertainty. VERDICT Bound to be another best seller. A solid option for all collections.

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile

It's hard to imagine a Brené Brown audiobook narrated by anyone other than Brené Brown. While her performance isn't perfect or polished, it's authentic—a strength that is no more clearly demonstrated than in a passage that includes her singing. And therein lies the power of her performance, especially when combined with the subject matter. In her latest work, Brown explores the nature of belonging. The discussion is built on earlier and continued research on shame, vulnerability, resilience, and courage. Her narration is driven by the desire to communicate and enlighten, so she makes her points emphatically and uses pauses to give listeners moments to consider what she's said. The result is a timely and thoughtful listen during times of division—within individuals and society. A.S. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2017-09-03
How to foster fellowship through fearlessness and visibility.In her latest book, following three bestsellers, Brown (Univ. of Houston Graduate College of Social Work; Rising Strong, 2015, etc.) turns her attention to cultivating community and the power of belonging in the midst of an era of disconnection. Openly sharing her own history of insecurity, self-destructiveness, vulnerability, and maturation while her quarrelsome parents repeatedly relocated, the author admits to finding inspiration from those she believes have "shaped the world with their courage and creativity," a list that includes J.K. Rowling and Maya Angelou. Through the result of an extensive research study, Brown discovered, despite the increasing distractions of contemporary daily life, an innate and persistent need for people to experience a real connection to others and how that need can be compromised by a fear of conflict or intolerance from loved ones or respected peers. The author examines the pain of loneliness and how anxiety and uncertainty can undermine focused efforts to engage socially. Also emerging from her fieldwork data are a few elements of true belonging, which encourage readers to get closer to those who are different, set boundaries, propagate trust and truth in yourself and others, learn the art of listening, and be "more curious than defensive, all while seeking moments of togetherness." She writes that time and patience are required to cultivate the unique kind of courage necessary to achieve each of these goals, but the tools are accessible and the rewards are great. Grounded by moving interviews, case studies, her experience spearheading four educational companies, and a winning combination of perceptiveness and humor, Brown's enthusiastic narrative urges readers to discover their own "wilderness" by culling the strength and determination (and risk) necessary to truly live "from our wild heart rather than our weary hurt." Nothing truly groundbreaking, but an enthusiastic, practical guide to achieving a healthy sense of interconnectedness within one's culture and community—and likely another bestseller for Brown.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169123494
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	314,331

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Excerpted from "Braving the Wilderness"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Brené Brown.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group.
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