Brene Brown Question

 How can you apply Brene Brown’s ideas toward your persistence in STEM, and inspire others to persist? 

The above question has made me reflect on this past semester. We have spent much time discussing Brene Brown’s book and ted talk towards our majors. Plus our own life decisions lead us to the position where we are at today. For myself, this was difficult. There is not much thought into my actions. In reality, I think to myself “Is this a smart/good decision for my well-being?”. Often I find myself in difficult situations due to those actions, then they tend to make me feel less about myself. Dr. Brown embraces the idea of “shame” or vulnerability. This relates back to the idea of an open vs. closed mindset. I think it is easy for someone to say that they have an open mindset while in college. Since it almost seems to be the correct answer. In reality, I think most people are a closed mindset, like myself. We had this exact topic in a class period. Within my group discussion, they were interested in my story to where I am and liked listening to my struggles and how I face them. The biggest response was to have that open mindset and to not be afraid of that feeling of not being worthy enough since others are feeling the same way. Also while having the courage to speak up about myself and to be proud. Coming back to the question above. I would suggest others take a read into the book, if it is too long, I suggest them to watch the Ted Talk. The ideas themselves have not brought me to where I am today, however, they can become great talking points to help someone discover some meaning behind themselves and the path they which to follow. I hope to inspire others to try and have those opened minded discussions with peers, as that is something I am working on.