--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we can share our story with someone…" description: "\"If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.\" — Brené Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/bren-brown-280_empathy_if-we-can-share-our-story-with-someone-w_797444.jpg" --- # If we can share our story with someone who responds with… ![“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/bren-brown-280_empathy_if-we-can-share-our-story-with-someone-w_797444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/bren-brown-280_empathy_if-we-can-share-our-story-with-someone-w_797444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/bren-brown-280_empathy_if-we-can-share-our-story-with-someone-w_797444.jpg) > “If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.” [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. Sharing personal stories with empathetic listeners neutralizes shame, fostering connection and healing. **In simple terms:** Empathy defeats shame. Key Takeaway Seek empathetic listeners for sharing. Themes vulnerability empathy healing Mood hopeful supportive Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - support groups - friendship Key Concepts psychology of shame social support Questions to Reflect On - Who can you trust to listen empathetically? - How does sharing affect your self‑esteem? A Different Perspective Empathy must be genuine; otherwise, shame may persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Empathy and understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-and-understanding/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Shame cannot survive being spoken. It cannot survive empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-cannot-survive-being-spoken-it-cannot-survive-empathy/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame cannot survive being spoken. It cannot tolerate having words wrapped around it. What it craves is secrecy, silence, and judgment. If you stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-cannot-survive-being-spoken-it-cannot-tolerate-having-words/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“If you have realistic ideals and can generally live up to them, your self-esteem will not be threatened. If your ideals are exaggerated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-c-lamia/if-you-have-realistic-ideals-and-can-generally-live-up-to-them-your/) Mary C. Lamia > [“One doesn’t have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and understanding are sufficient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/one-doesn-t-have-to-operate-with-great-malice-to-do-great-harm-the/) [Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/) > [You can be aware and educated and informed, but you've got to place emphasis on being compassionate, having empathy and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-dooley/you-can-be-aware-and-educated-and-informed-but-you-ve-got-to-place/) [Stacey Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-dooley/) > [The age of warrior kings and of warrior presidents has passed. The nuclear age calls for a different kind of leadership… a leadership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/the-age-of-warrior-kings-and-of-warrior-presidents-has-passed-the/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Friendship is a living thing that lasts only as long as it is nourished with kindness, empathy and understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-is-a-living-thing-that-lasts-only-as-long-as-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All people share the same desire to be treated equally. We all go through similar emotional journeys from love to hate, rejection to acceptance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-tai-soon-burgess/all-people-share-the-same-desire-to-be-treated-equally-we-all-go/) [Dana Tai Soon Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-tai-soon-burgess/) > [I'm a believer in forgiveness. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [“The idea that human beings cannot logically recognize suffering in a chicken, or draw meaningful conclusions about how a human would react to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-davis/the-idea-that-human-beings-cannot-logically-recognize-suffering-in-a/) [Karen Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-davis/) > [“Illegitimate hatred loses its power when you see it for what it is. It acts as a vaccine, building immunity against emotional and mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-macdermott/illegitimate-hatred-loses-its-power-when-you-see-it-for-what-it-is-it/) Andrew MacDermott > [“Do I feel empathy for Trump voters? That’s a question I’ve asked myself a lot. It’s complicated. It’s relatively easy to empathize with hardworking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/do-i-feel-empathy-for-trump-voters-that-s-a-question-i-ve-asked/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Humanity is not defined by the languages we speak or the flags we fly, but by the connections we forge through empathy and understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camellia-yang/humanity-is-not-defined-by-the-languages-we-speak-or-the-flags-we-fly/) [Camellia Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camellia-yang/) ## 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. 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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 Empathy quotes > [I have a lot of empathy, and I think that's where mothering starts. You are there to empathise and facilitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/i-have-a-lot-of-empathy-and-i-think-that-s-where-mothering-starts-you/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Cinematography speaks to everything that women do inherently well: It's multitasking, it's empathy, and it's channeling visuals into human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/cinematography-speaks-to-everything-that-women-do-inherently-well-it/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Understanding breeds empathy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/understanding-breeds-empathy/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Making a movie is about following characters and embarking on an adventure with them, seeing their reactions, and seeing what they do, having empathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franck-khalfoun/making-a-movie-is-about-following-characters-and-embarking-on-an/) Franck Khalfoun > [“A novel is not an allegory...it is a sensual experience of another world. If you don't enter that world, hold your breath with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/a-novel-is-not-an-allegory-it-is-a-sensual-experience-of-another/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [I try to treat every job with the exact same level of respect. When I go into it, it doesn't matter what the budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/i-try-to-treat-every-job-with-the-exact-same-level-of-respect-when-i/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) Sindiwe Magona > [Ultimately, my character is defined by the quality of my sensitivity to other people. I exist in equilibrium. I am here to the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/ultimately-my-character-is-defined-by-the-quality-of-my-sensitivity/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [I began to use my sensitivity. 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