“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection.” ~Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart This past year, I started the journey of investigating—maybe even befriending—“my” shame.
I use quotes around the “my” because most of the shame is not mine; much of it is internalized sexism, racisim, anti-blackness and homophobia, and/or intergenerational—it was passed down to me.
And while I didn’t choose to internalize or inherit it, it is my responsibility to care for “my” shame, to tenderize it with love and compassion so it may be transmuted.
I get to alchemize and grow flowers rooted within the rich compost of my healing journey, fertilized by ancestral gifts. Shame is one of the most uncomfortable experiences, so much so that we often project our shame onto others to provide some relief from the discomfort.