Books I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power   Brené Brown

"I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t): Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power" by Brené Brown is a transformative book that explores the pervasive impact of shame on people's lives, particularly focusing on women. Drawing from seven years of research and hundreds of interviews, Brown reveals how shame cultures shape feelings of inadequacy, perfectionism, and fear of judgment. The book highlights how societal expectations force people to hide their true selves and seek acceptance through perfectionism, which ironically leads to isolation and disconnection.

Brown introduces the Shame Resilience Theory, which consists of four key elements to overcome shame: recognizing shame triggers, practicing critical awareness of societal pressures, reaching out to others for support, and speaking openly about shame to reduce its power. The book encourages embracing imperfection and cultivating courage, compassion, and connection as antidotes to shame.