Owning our story can be hard but… it’s nothing compared to the exhausting work of running from it. This is the core of true resilience, and honestly, it’s a game-changer once you really get it.
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Meaning
This quote is about radical self-acceptance. It’s the simple but profound idea that while facing your truth is difficult, avoiding it is a far more painful and draining long-term strategy.
Explanation
Let me break this down a bit. From my own experience and working with clients, I’ve seen this play out again and again. “Owning our story” isn’t about celebrating every single mistake. It’s about integrating your experiences—the good, the bad, the messy, the things you’re ashamed of—into your identity without letting them define you in a negative way.
Think of it like this. The “running” she talks about? That’s the real energy drain. That’s the constant self-editing, the people-pleasing, the perfectionism, the anxiety that someone will find out you’re not who you pretend to be. It’s exhausting. Owning it, on the other hand, is a one-time (or a few-time) courageous act that ultimately frees up all that mental and emotional bandwidth you were using to hide.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Wisdom (385) |
| Topics | acceptance (73), growth (413), story (19) |
| Literary Style | reflective (255) |
| Emotion / Mood | calm (491) |
| Overall Quote Score | 82 (297) |
Origin & Factcheck
This is straight from Brené Brown’s 2010 book, The Gifts of Imperfection. It’s a cornerstone of her research on shame, vulnerability, and wholehearted living. You sometimes see it floating around the internet misattributed to other self-help figures, but its true home is in Brown’s work, which is grounded in years of qualitative data.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Brene Brown (257) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The Gifts of Imperfection (46) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Dr Brene Brown is the author of books such as Daring Greatly and The Power of Vulnerability. The TED talk and Netflix production based on her research reached out to millions of audience. She researches effects of courage and vulnerability in shaping people's work and relationships. She leads the Brené Brown Education and Research Group and provides evidence-based insights into practical tools to help people train themselves
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2010; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781592858491; Last edition. Number of pages. |
| Where is it? | Approximate page from 2010 Hazelden edition |