Rising Strong: Everybody falls, but the key is knowing how to get up again

Rising Strong is basically a survival manual for what to do after you’ve hit the dirt. I was immediately captivated by the way Brown breaks down the 'middle' of the story—that messy Act 2 where everything feels like a failure and you just want to skip to the end. Unlike other self-help books that offer quick fixes, she forces you to sit in the discomfort and actually 'rumble' with your emotions. Frankly, some of her personal anecdotes about her husband and her Texan background felt a bit repetitive, but they made the research feel human. It’s a rare book that provides both the words to describe your internal pain and the actual tools to move through it. I finished it feeling like I finally had permission to be imperfect.

Ever wonder why some people bounce back while others stay stuck in their shame? This book dives deep into the mechanics of resilience without sugarcoating how much the process actually sucks. Brown is an incredible storyteller who uses her own 'face down in the arena' moments to illustrate that bravery isn't the absence of fear, but the willingness to engage with it. I found the section on 'the stories we tell ourselves' to be particularly revelatory for my own marriage. While the academic side of me occasionally wanted more hard data and fewer song lyrics, the emotional weight of the work is undeniable. It’s a must-read for anyone trying to live more whole-heartedly in a world that rewards perfectionism.

The chapter on her experience at Pixar was the highlight of the book for me. It perfectly illustrated how the creative process mirrors our emotional lives—both require a willingness to fail spectacularly before finding the way out. Brown’s writing is open-hearted and courageous, pushing the reader to confront the shame that usually keeps us silent. I’ve read a lot of self-help, but this one felt more like a transformative experience than a simple list of instructions. Some might find her focus on 'the rumble' a bit too idealized for the average corporate workplace, but the 'rising strong' manifesto at the end is genuinely inspiring. It’s a book I’ll probably return to once a year just to keep myself grounded.

Wow. This was exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my life. Brené Brown has this incredible gift for taking these massive, scary emotions like shame and grief and giving you the words to actually grasp them. The way she talks about the 'shitty first draft' of the stories we tell ourselves was a total epiphany for me. Look, it’s not always a comfortable read—she really pushes you to look at your own behavior—but that’s exactly why it works. I found her personal stories about her family to be deeply relatable, even the small, seemingly petty ones. It’s a brave, open-hearted book that taught me how to live a little more courageously every day.

Finally got around to reading this after hearing my therapist mention it, and I’m glad I did. The research Brown conducts on qualitative stories is fascinating, and she has a unique way of making social science feel like a gripping narrative. I specifically appreciated the 'permission slips' idea for meetings; it’s a practical way to bring vulnerability into professional spaces. My only real critique is the formatting of the later chapters, which felt a bit disjointed with the random quizzes and bullet points. It breaks the flow of her otherwise beautiful prose. Still, if you’re looking for a way to navigate life's inevitable face-plants with a bit more grace, this is definitely worth your time.

After hearing so much about Brené Brown's TED talks, I expected something a bit more academic, but this was surprisingly intimate. The truth is, the book often feels like reading someone’s private, unedited diary, which can be polarizing depending on what you're looking for. I appreciated the 'rumble' process even if the lingo felt a little too precious at times. She has this way of weaving qualitative research into storytelling that makes complex psychological concepts feel like a conversation over coffee. My only gripe is that the last third of the book gets bogged down in lists and quizzes that felt a bit like a corporate workshop manual. Still, the core message about facing your own 'shitty first drafts' is something I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

Picked this up during a particularly stressful month at work and found it to be exactly the anchor I needed. There’s something about Brown’s voice—even in print—that makes you feel seen and less alone in your struggles. I loved the breakdown of how we try to solve problems from a 'comfortable place' until we realize we have to face the dark middle. To be honest, I did find the repetitive use of her specific terminology like 'MFDs' a bit distracting after a while. It starts to feel like you're learning a secret code rather than just focusing on the psychology. Despite the cheesy quizzes at the end, the insights on vulnerability are profound enough to justify the read.

As someone who loved Daring Greatly, I was worried this would just be a rehash of the same ideas. While there is definitely some overlap, Rising Strong focuses much more on the specific process of getting back up after a fall. The storytelling style is what makes it work; she doesn't just preach from a pedestal but gets down in the dirt with you. I will say that the middle section drags a bit, and her focus on her own Texan accent or church-going habits might not land with everyone. However, the core concept of 'rumbling with emotions' is a powerful tool for anyone dealing with disappointment. It’s insightful, highly readable, and ultimately very human in its execution.

To be fair, I knew I was in for some academic 'truthiness' when I started this, but I didn't expect to be so moved by it. The book is definitely lingo-saturated, and if you aren't ready to 'rumble,' you probably won't get much out of it. But for those of us struggling with the stories we tell ourselves during a crisis, this is life-changing stuff. I loved the focus on mindfulness and the importance of re-framing our initial emotional responses to aversive events. The transition from qualitative research to 80s-style self-help quizzes was jarring, but the gems hidden in the text make it worth the effort. It’s a great resource for being a more emotionally present human being.

Not what I expected at all, and to be fair, I struggled to finish it. While the underlying message of being honest with yourself is fine, it’s buried under 300 pages of what feels like 100-proof arrogance. Brown spends an inordinate amount of time complaining about her privileged life—like being annoyed by an email or having a minor spat with her pediatrician husband. It’s hard to find these 'adversities' relatable when they seem so petty compared to real-world struggles. Also, the 'research' feels incredibly squishy, often relying on song quotes or spiritual leaders rather than rigorous data. If you’re a fan of her earlier work, you might enjoy the 'rumbling' lingo, but for me, it just felt like an over-extended, repetitive blog post.