Emotion Quote by Brené Brown
“All the stuff that keeps you safe from feeling scary emotions? They also keep you from feeling the good emotions. You have to shake those off. You have to become vulnerable.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Daring Greatly, Brené Brown, 2012
Safety mechanisms that block negative feelings also block positive ones; embracing vulnerability is essential for authentic emotional experience.
In simple terms: Safety blocks both bad and good feelings; be vulnerable.
Key Takeaway
Allow yourself to feel fully.
Themes
vulnerability
emotional health
authenticity
Mood
courageous
reflective
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- therapy
- creative work
- leadership
- self‑growth
Key Concepts
psychology
self-awareness
risk-taking
Questions to Reflect On
- What emotions are you avoiding?
- How might openness improve your connections?
A Different Perspective
Vulnerability can expose you to judgment and rejection.
![“I'm a girl who has been tamping down her emotions and keeping them tightly guarded her whole life. And that works really well for me. [...] And now I felt like my shell had a dangerous crack in it. Without much more effort on his part, it would split wide open and my enormous river of emotions…” quote by James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/275/james-patterson-171_cracks_i-m-a-girl-who-has-been-tamping-down-her_48205.jpg)
![“Music [is] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To burn with all the emotions you didn't get to experience in the ordinary run of school, TV, and loading the dishwasher after dinner.” quote by Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/44b/joe-hill-1162_dinner_music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grab_5424.jpg)