Don’t drop your fishbowl!
Let’s play a quick game. Imagine that you’re holding a large fishbowl. Every time that someone does something to earn your trust, no matter how significant or simple, they are allowed to add a specific color marble to your bowl.
Maybe your best friend adds a blue marble because he/she called to see how your doctor’s appointment went this morning. Your spouse made dinner after your long day of work, so he/she adds a brown one. Next your kids, purple for your daughter and green for your son, drop in their marbles when they complete their daily chores and study hard for their exams.
You feel your fish bowl weigh more in your arms as
it gradually fills up with a rainbow of marbles from the people in your life who make an impact.
Black marbles for the kind neighbor who watches your dog while you’re out of town.
The yellow ones are from your child’s teacher because she promptly replies to your concerned emails.
White marbles represent your your mother, who frequently calls just to say, “I love you.”
Orange ones are from the boss who compliments your good work.
The lime green ones come from your motivated exercise instructor who has never missed an early morning class.
Hot pink marbles are placed by the regular cashi
er at your local coffee shop who recognizes you and makes your favorite coffee before you’ve even placed your order.
When you look at your fishbowl, what do you see? Does your bowl contain mostly red marbles, signifying that you deeply trust your spouse? Or are there a lot of blue marbles, showing that your best friend is trustworthy? Perhaps you notice that there are very few purple and green for your children. Maybe your fishbowl is truly a rainbow and no one color dominates?
Reason #1: She is engaging with the audience.
This fishbowl exercise is adapted from Brené Brown’s SuperSoul Session The Anatomy of Trust. Imagine that her world wide research on the topic of trust can be profoundly simplified to a jar of marbles...yet it is such an engaging exercise!
In fact, I’ve never watched Mrs. Brown live; I’ve only seen her on video, but her talks never cease to engage me (and I often feel that they are too short because I’m wrapped up in her teaching). This is one of the top reasons why I can’t wait to listen to Brené Brown as the inspiring keynote speaker at Inbound 2017!
Reason #2: The topics are relatable.
Trust. Courage. Vulnerability. Perfection. Shame. Belonging. Empathy.
As you read those words, I’ll just assume that one jumped out at you and jabbed you in the heart. Ouch.
My word is perfection. What’s yours? We all have one, whether you admit it or not.
Somehow Brené discusses these deeply rooted hurts, fears, troubles and topics with poise. She broaches these “words” by graciously pointing a finger in your face and calling out your flaws....But then she equips you to overcome it. She’s helps you take action and move away from the stronghold that it places over your life. Which leads me to reason #3.
Reason #3: The topics are thought-provoking and action-oriented.
Seriously, who knew that a fishbowl could make you analyze all of your relationships? Brené’s metaphors stretch beyond basic comparisons, yet are simplified enough to be easily understood.
Plus, she’s not like the other speakers who are great at placing our vulnerable sore spots in the limelight. She puts them centerstage and then comes up beside you. Her topics provide applicable steps toward positive progress. She encourages you to take action instead of remain stagnant or oppressed.
And this reason #3 is where I find that Brené Brown really shines by making her audience self-reflect and then showing them how to move forward.
Grab your seat!
I don’t know about you, but I will be taking my seat early at Inbound 2017 to be sure that I don’t miss out on Brené Brown’s keynote speech, which is sure to be inspiring, engaging, relatable, and life-changing! Will you be there too? Connect with us on Facebook so we can make plans to meet you at Inbound!
P.S. Can’t make it to Inbound 2017? Bummer - we will miss you! But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the wisdom of Brené Brown. Check out her extremely popular TED Talks: The Power of Vulnerability and Listening to Shame. Plus a few interviews here.
Can’t get enough? Me either! We’re in luck! Brené Brown offers courses and workshops in parenting, boundaries, apologizing, compassion and expectations on her website Courage Works.