First Day Dana: King of Efficiency & Queen of Vulnerability

Relationship Advice and Tools from Brené Brown and Tim Ferriss ...


I took a walk this morning and needed a good podcast to accompany me. I browsed a few I had downloaded over the past few months. When I looked closely at a Tim Ferris Show episode with Brené Brown, I noticed the title: Striving versus Self Acceptance, Saving Marriages and More. I smiled, shaking my head to myself and thought, how did the Universe know? 

 In early January, I got together with a few warrior friends for some delicious Pho Ga (chicken pho), which by the way, is an awesome family cooking project you should check out by my friend Anna. In true warrior fashion, we enjoyed some deep discussion about life things while we slurped down Anna's delicious homemade creation. I decided to throw out a question to the group that I had been contemplating for some time, hoping they might have some answers. 

 How do we balance the process of learning how to accept and love ourselves fully with the deeply socialized process of continuously self-improving and optimizing? Can we really do both? What is the tension between the two? Can there be a balance? 

 We had a good discussion that left me pondering further as I developed my intentions for Year of Dana. I've continued to contemplate these questions because of a nagging fear I've had that through my process this year of coming into radical acceptance of the person I am, as I am, that I would somehow lose my genuine desire and drive to be a better human being and leader. That somehow, complacency might creep in. 

 Today, on my first day of Year of Dana, this exact discussion between Tim Ferris, King of Efficiency, and Brené Brown, Queen of Vulnerability, fell right into my lap. Brené and Tim say a bunch of compelling things throughout the podcast, but my greatest takeaway is this, true and meaningful transformation that is long lasting must be driven by and rooted in self love and acceptance. Because, what the fuck is it worth if we try so hard to make ourselves better and at the end of the day, we still don't even like ourselves that much? 

 Thank you, Brené and Tim, for your dana today. 

 I know not everyday of Year of Dana will bring as much meaning and learning as today has. But having such a great first day filled with deep connection and contemplation is a pretty damn good start. 

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