--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our stories are not meant for everyone…" description: "\"“Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: “Who has earned the righ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/bren-brown-280_love-u_our-stories-are-not-meant-for-everyone-h_697961.jpg" --- # Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a… ![“Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: “Who has earned the right to hear my story?” If we have one or two people in our lives who can sit with us and hold space for our shame stories, and love us for our…” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/bren-brown-280_love-u_our-stories-are-not-meant-for-everyone-h_697961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/bren-brown-280_love-u_our-stories-are-not-meant-for-everyone-h_697961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/bren-brown-280_love-u_our-stories-are-not-meant-for-everyone-h_697961.jpg) > ““Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: “Who has earned the right to hear my story?” If we have one or two people in our lives who can sit with us and hold space for our shame stories, and love us for our strengths and struggles, we are incredibly lucky.”” [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 stories should be reserved for those who have earned the right to hear them, ensuring safety and respect. **In simple terms:** Share only with trusted listeners. Key Takeaway Choose safe listeners for vulnerable sharing. Themes vulnerability trust empathy Mood thoughtful empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - confidante conversations - support groups Key Concepts psychology ethical communication Questions to Reflect On - Who truly deserves to hear your story? - How do you protect your own vulnerability? A Different Perspective Some may feel excluded if not chosen. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hear Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-story/) [Hearing Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearing-privilege-3133359/) [Love u](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-u/) [People in our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-in-our-lives/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Shame Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-stories-3133358/) [Story people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-people/) ## Related quotes > [Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: "Who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/our-stories-are-not-meant-for-everyone-hearing-them-is-a-privilege-2/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“You don’t want to hear the story of my life, and anyway I don’t want to tell it, I want to listen to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/you-don-t-want-to-hear-the-story-of-my-life-and-anyway-i-don-t-want/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Share with people who have earned the right to hear your story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/share-with-people-who-have-earned-the-right-to-hear-your-story/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“You share with people who've earned the right to hear your story. ...You have to earn the right to hear my story. It's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/you-share-with-people-who-ve-earned-the-right-to-hear-your-story-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“When we stop caring about what people think, we lose our capacity for connection. When we become defined by what people think, we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-we-stop-caring-about-what-people-think-we-lose-our-capacity-for-2/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“If we have one or two people in our lives who can sit with us and hold space for our shame stories, and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-we-have-one-or-two-people-in-our-lives-who-can-sit-with-us-and/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you only hear one side of the story, at some point, you have to question who the writer is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/if-you-only-hear-one-side-of-the-story-at-some-point-you-have-to/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [“If we do have only one afternoon to live, I'd love to hear another story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-wolverton/if-we-do-have-only-one-afternoon-to-live-i-d-love-to-hear-another/) [Barry Wolverton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-wolverton/) > [I never thought that I would do something in life that would make people care to hear my story. 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In life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-tobolowsky/almost-everyone-i-ve-ever-met-likes-to-hear-a-story-from-the/) [Stephen Tobolowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-tobolowsky/) > [I want people to hear my story, they're gonna feel my pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-shmurda/i-want-people-to-hear-my-story-they-re-gonna-feel-my-pain/) [Bobby Shmurda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-shmurda/) > [“It don't take no great skill to write down a story. All you have to do is put one word after the next and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-miller/it-don-t-take-no-great-skill-to-write-down-a-story-all-you-have-to-do/) [Kei Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-miller/) > [I always think that's neat, when you can hear a story told from different points of view, different perspectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/i-always-think-that-s-neat-when-you-can-hear-a-story-told-from/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I really like narrative songs, but I wonder if that's a thing for some people. Once they've heard the story, do they really need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-really-like-narrative-songs-but-i-wonder-if-that-s-a-thing-for-some/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) ## 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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