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Happy 2013 Moonfrye family!  It’s a sparkling, shiny new year and time for a fresh start.  I love the idea of a clean slate: to mean it symbolizes newness and transformation.  In this spirit, I selected what I think is the perfect book to review here to start us off in 2013 and to make this the year to we all “dare greatly” and in doing so transform the way we live, love, parent, and work.

In her life-changing new book Daring Greatly, researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers advice that encourages us to embrace our vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.

As a mom of twins, I find her message particularly resonates with me as I navigate the parenting maze and my son’s special needs.

Society tells us vulnerability is weakness but Dr. Brown turns that idea on its head explaining that vulnerability isn’t weakness or defeat but rather the source of our potential power and courage.

That concept really strikes a chord when I think about life — challenges and change are inevitable so how can we deal best with life’s up and downs?

The phrase ‘daring greatly‘ is from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech “Citizenship in a Republic” –

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly . . .”

In her book of the same name, Brené Brown (who also blogs – hooray!) tells us that, “Vulnerability is not weakness, and the uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure we face every day are not optional. Our only choice is a question of engagement. Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose.”

Wow, right?

Check out Brené’s book trailer here (I just love her energy and positivism!)

As women and moms, we are all particularly vulnerable to feeling like we don’t measure up or that we aren’t enough (whether it’s thin enough, successful enough, crafty enough,  blogging enough, Mom enough…).  What the book teaches is that all of these normal feelings come from a place of vulnerability.  The good news: in Daring Greatly, the author gives us all the courage to be vulnerable, to take off the armor we use to protect ourselves, and to let ourselves be seen.

Once we embrace being vulnerable, we transform the way we live, love, and parent.

For me, embracing my life and vulnerability means owning up to what I don’t know, to what I can’t get done in a day, to the unexpected, to change, to parenting twins (one with special needs), and to going with the flow.

In 2013, I’m pledging to embrace the gift of the daily opportunity to Daring Greatly and I hope you will, too!   Here’s to 2013! Make it great!

Please come back to Moonfrye soon to check out what I’m reading and reviewing here next month!