Brené Brown's New Podcast! First Episode Provides Some Help With Corona Crisis
Like millions of other Americans, specifically those craving some direct, honest helpful, scientific yet warm, knowledge and validation around issues like shame and anxiety, I LOVE Brené Brown. If you haven’t already read, The Gifts of Imperfection, I recommend you get it right now, maybe even on audio, and read or listen to it during this quarantine. You can also get quick access to her and listen to one of her Ted Talks. The Power of Vulnerability gives you an introduction to her extensive work around shame and it will leave you feeling empowered.
Last week, Brené Brown also started a podcast. She released the first episode, which talks about dealing with firsts. The reason why this is definitely applicable right now is because she addresses the Coronavirus crisis, and how this is most definitely a first for all of us!
Structure is one thing that helps anxiety and in this first episode of her podcast talks about her consistent structured approach to dealing with first times. She calls it “FFT,” shorthand for “First F%$#ing Time.” Her approach includes :
NAMING the “FFT” when you’re in it because naming and identifying it gives us power
NORMALIZING - once we have named the first time we’re in, we can start to normalize the feelings that we have about it, be it stress, sadness, anxiety, fear, worry, or a cocktail of all the above.
PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE - It is NORMAL to feel these things when going through something for the first time. With some things, the feeling of fear won’t last every time you do the thing because it won’t always be the first time. Of course, for some more serious things, it’s hard to put it in perspective . Brené speaks specifically about the coronavirus crisis in her podcast and explains how she is dealing with it.
REALITY CHECK - What are your expectations?? Do you expect to be PERFECT from the get go? Is that realistic? When you are someone who strives for perfection, it is hard sometimes to settle for anything less. However, it’s not realistic to expect this all the time. Check yourself, readjust your expectations and then you will use a strengths-perspective and celebrate what you have achieved instead of holding yourself to an impossible standard and then being disappointed with the results.
Obviously Brené does a better job discussing her approach, but I wanted to give you a little taste of what you would hear in this first episode. You can listen to that first episode and more here: https://brenebrown.com/unlockingus/
A new episode was released today and two more will be released this week!
I hope her perspective and voice is a salve in a scratchy life patch. I also want to say that I hope all of you and your loved ones are safe and healthy and that I am sending warm thoughts your way. Reach out if you want to talk. Also, use Zoom, Houseparty, Facetime and other online platforms to connect with others and socialize. Also, find great podcasts, places to stream online yoga, ways to meditate and other self-care activities, like Art Lessons on YouTube or Ways to start journaling, so you can take care of YOU while we are inside for longer than usual.