“It’s hard to practice compassion when we’re struggling with our authenticity or when our own worthiness is off-balance.”

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”

“Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we’re all in this together.”

“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.”

“When the people we love stop paying attention, trust begins to slip away and hurt starts seeping in.”

“A lot of cheap seats in the arena are filled with people who never venture onto the floor. They just hurl mean-spirited criticisms and put-downs from a safe distance. The problem is, when we stop caring what people think and stop feeling hurt by cruelty, we lose our ability to connect. But when we’re defined by what people think, we lose the courage to be vulnerable. Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.”

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”

“You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

“‘Crazy-busy’ is a great armor, it’s a great way for numbing. What a lot of us do is that we stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what we really need can’t catch up with us.”

“When I look at narcissism through the vulnerability lens, I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary. I see the fear of never feeling extraordinary enough to be noticed, to be lovable, to belong, or to cultivate a sense of purpose.”

“Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection.”

“Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.”

“Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.”

“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.”

“Compassionate people ask for what they need. They say no when they need to, and when they say yes, they mean it. They’re compassionate because their boundaries keep them out of resentment.”

“We’re a nation hungry for more joy: Because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude.”

“Worthiness doesn’t have prerequisites.”

“The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.”

“Numb the dark and you numb the light.”

“I’ve found what makes children happy doesn’t always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.”

“Wholeheartedness. There are many tenets of Wholeheartedness, but at its very core is vulnerability and worthiness; facing uncertainty, exposure, and emotional risks, and knowing that I am enough.”

“Maybe stories are just data with a soul.”

“Compassion is not a virtue — it is a commitment. It’s not something we have or don’t have — it’s something we choose to practice.”

“Midlife: when the Universe grabs your shoulders and tells you ‘I’m not f-ing around, use the gifts you were given.’”