"The Gifts of Imperfection" Book Review
Daniel Crosby • November 26, 2024
“The Gifts of Imperfection” by Dr. Brene Brown. Go grab this one if you’ve ever wrestled with feeling inadequate, like you’re not good enough, or you don’t measure up.
If you’ve never felt these things then go buy it and read it because you’re in denial about all the above.
This is a good one folks. It’s one of those books that you’ll read and say, “Wow, yes, she said exactly what I’ve wrestled with for a long time. I didn’t know this was so universal in so many people.”
I tell folks all the time that they need to connect with others and connect with themselves. Afterall, how can we fully connect with others unless we have some understanding of ourselves? This book explores all that in depth as she goes into topics such as Authenticity, Compassion, Resilience, Creativity, Meaningful work, and many more.
I love how she deeply defines each of these ideas in a way that makes it accessible. Like, have you ever really thought about what it means to be truly authentic? Or have you ever considered that Perfectionism is a form of addiction. That one fascinated and convicted me a little.
It’s a short book but every page is packed with revelations that help us untangle the complexity of who we are and who we were created to be. It would be a good gift for someone you know who loves to read and explore. “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Dr. Brene Brown.
Look for beautiful things when you're restless, uncomfortable, or on edge. There's something about acknowledging the good around us that helps us reset and realize that it's not all bad. If you're struggling to see beautiful things in the world, come see me and we can talk more about it. www.danielcrosbycounseling.com
“The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd is a book that will blow your mind. When I picked it up, it’s a very small thin book. Less than 100 pages. I assumed I’d breeze through it in a couple of hours. About a month later I finished digesting it. The truth is we cannot fully live the life God has called us to unless we acknowledge that we do have needs, that these needs are good, and discover the healthy ways of meeting these needs. Chip takes common human needs like Security and Accomplishment and he unpacks what they really are pointing us to in his typical concise but brilliant depth. There’s no fluff here. With chapters just 3-4 pages each, you’re going to want to have a highlighter ready to underline, to ponder these topics, and maybe then to discuss them with someone you know and trust. You’ll come away from this book with a deeper sense what is already fulfilled within you and ones that might be lacking where you need to go do a deep dive with a lot of prayer and introspection. If you liked Chip’s book “The Voice of the Heart,” this is one is your next read. Go grab “The Needs of the Heart” by Chip Dodd.
Two ways a counselor might help you get uncomfortable and grow: 1. Systematic Desensitization is progressively working your way up to do harder things until you reach your goal and the hard things don't feel as hard anymore. 2. Flooding is when you conquer the struggle by going all in and confronting it head on. It's like teaching someone to swim by throwing them in the deep end of the pool. Could these things help you overcome some complacency? Come see me and we can talk more about it. www.danielcrosbycounseling.com
