I didn’t have the information to get from what I feared, to how I actually felt, and to what I really craved: gratitude-fueled joy.

I am enough (worthiness versus shame). I’ve had enough (boundaries versus one-uping and comparison). Showing up, taking risks, and letting myself be seen is enough (engagement versus disengagement).

Social work is all about leaning into the discomfort of ambiguity and uncertainty, and holding open an empathic space so people can find their own way. In a word—messy.

Cultivating Authenticity: Letting Go of What People Think Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty Cultivati

“People will do almost anything to escape this combination of condemned isolation and powerlessness.”

“This hurts. This is disappointing, maybe even devastating. But success and recognition and approval are not the values that drive me. My value is courage and I was just courageous. You can move on, shame.”

‘There are two types of people in the world, those who divide people into two types, and those who do not.’ ”

cultivating trust and connection in relationships as a prerequisite for trying on a less-combative way of engaging with the world.

Shame resilience is key to embracing our vulnerability. We