Brown Says Armor Not Fear Prevents Brave Living in New Research Finding

What was said

"It's not fear that gets in the way of us being brave with our lives and our work. It's armor. Everybody's afraid. It's okay to be afraid. What's dangerous is the armor that we reach for to self-protect when we're afraid and how that armor moves us away from love, connection, and our values."

After 25 years of research, Brown identified what she calls the biggest finding of her career: fear itself doesn't stop people from living courageously, but the protective armor they develop in response to fear does. She argues this armor, necessary for childhood survival, becomes the primary obstacle to love and connection in adulthood.