--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, vulnerability led to anxiety…" description: "\"“For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame, which led to disconnection, which led to Bud Light.”\" — Brené Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg" --- # For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame… ![“For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame, which led to disconnection, which led to Bud Light.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg) > ““For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame, which led to disconnection, which led to Bud Light.”” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal vulnerability can trigger a cascade of negative emotions, culminating in harmful outcomes like corporate missteps. **In simple terms:** Vulnerability can lead to anxiety, shame, and bad decisions. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage vulnerability early. Themes psychology leadership emotions accountability culture Mood reflective analytical Type insightful educational When to use this quote - team meetings - personal reflection - leadership training - conflict resolution Key Concepts vulnerability cascade emotional intelligence organizational risk Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders turn vulnerability into strength? - What safeguards prevent emotional cascades in teams? A Different Perspective Not all vulnerability leads to negative outcomes; it can also foster growth when handled well. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Vulnerability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) ## Related quotes > [It's anxiety that led to a depression that I've been dealing with since I was 16, 17. That was the first time I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/it-s-anxiety-that-led-to-a-depression-that-i-ve-been-dealing-with/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [“We need to have owned our stories before sharing them is experienced as a gift. A story is only ready to share when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-need-to-have-owned-our-stories-before-sharing-them-is-experienced/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/owning-our-story-can-be-hard-but-not-nearly-as-difficult-as-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-sounds-like-truth-and-feels-like-courage-truth-and/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Faith minus vulnerability is fundamentalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/faith-minus-vulnerability-is-fundamentalism/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Vulnerability pushed, I pushed back. I lost the fight, but probably won my life back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-pushed-i-pushed-back-i-lost-the-fight-but-probably-won/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Vulnerability is not weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-is-not-weakness/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-is-not-weakness-and-the-uncertainty-risk-and-emotional/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-cultivate-love-when-we-allow-our-most-vulnerable-and-powerful/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Ordinary courage is about putting our vulnerability on the line. In today’s world, that’s pretty extraordinary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/ordinary-courage-is-about-putting-our-vulnerability-on-the-line-in/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“We love seeing raw truth and openness in other people, but we're afraid to let them see it in us. We're afraid that our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-love-seeing-raw-truth-and-openness-in-other-people-but-we-re/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Vulnerability is not about fear and grief and disappointment; it is the birthplace of everything we're hungry for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-is-not-about-fear-and-grief-and-disappointment-it-is/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Vulnerability is the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/vulnerability-is-the-core-the-heart-the-center-of-meaningful-human/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Love is a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them - we can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/love-is-a-connection-that-can-only-be-cultivated-between-two-people/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Vulnerability quotes > [“i learned love is about giving. everything. and letting it hurt. i learned vulnerability is always the right choice because it is easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/i-learned-love-is-about-giving-everything-and-letting-it-hurt-i/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“If she wanted this man to trust her, to open up to her, she would have to strip every last piece of herself away,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/if-she-wanted-this-man-to-trust-her-to-open-up-to-her-she-would-have/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [“Yet when we do manage to create ourselves anew, isn’t there always a suspicion that the new identity fits over the old like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-sharon-schwartz/yet-when-we-do-manage-to-create-ourselves-anew-isn-t-there-always-a/) [Lynne Sharon Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-sharon-schwartz/) > [Actually,” I said, hesitant to bring it up, “I was thinking along the lines of a curse that can turn you human.” “Or witch?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/actually-i-said-hesitant-to-bring-it-up-i-was-thinking-along-the/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“You thought I was answering "As you wish" but that's only because you were hearing wrong. "I love you" was what it was, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-thought-i-was-answering-as-you-wish-but-that-s-only-because-you/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [A warrior is not about perfection or victory or invulnerability. He's about absolute vulnerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/a-warrior-is-not-about-perfection-or-victory-or-invulnerability-he-s/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“To love is to be vulnerable; and it is only in vulnerability and risk—not safety and security—that we overcome darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/to-love-is-to-be-vulnerable-and-it-is-only-in-vulnerability-and-risk/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Years ago I was asked this question: Do terrorists fear anything? I said, 'I suspect they would fear a morally strong America.' They would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/years-ago-i-was-asked-this-question-do-terrorists-fear-anything-i/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [You cannot live when you are untouchable. Life is vulnerability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/you-cannot-live-when-you-are-untouchable-life-is-vulnerability/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) > [I will then ask for a plan to immediately protect those vulnerabilities and then fix them.At the same time, we will invest heavily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-then-ask-for-a-plan-to-immediately-protect-those/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“It’s what we wrestle with every single day. The intersection of comfort, danger, and safety. The balancing act between vulnerability and shame. The opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-what-we-wrestle-with-every-single-day-the-intersection-of/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [In order to stretch ourselves we do need to experience the vulnerability of not knowing the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-perry/in-order-to-stretch-ourselves-we-do-need-to-experience-the/) [Philippa Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-perry/) [Browse all 1,045 Vulnerability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulnerability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame, which led to disconnection, which led to Bud Light.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brené Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-which-led-to-shame-which-led-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Vulnerability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-which-led-to-shame-which-led-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/bren-brown-280_quote_for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-whic_1707723.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For me, vulnerability led to anxiety, which led to shame, which led to disconnection, which led to Bud Light.” — Brené Brown", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brené Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“For me, vulnerability led to anxiety,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-which-led-to-shame-which-led-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/for-me-vulnerability-led-to-anxiety-which-led-to-shame-which-led-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```