Brené Brown is a superstar of the self-help world.

Since coming to prominence internationally in 2010 through her TEDtalk on vulnerability, Brown has published five best sellers, toured the world as a speaker, hosts two popular podcasts, and leads a personal development enterprise that encourages folks to get vulnerable.

Brown’s CV may tell us that she’s a researcher, teacher, speaker and writer but, first-and-foremost, she is a storyteller.

I’ve not had an easy ride getting to see the world through Brown’s eyes.

I love her message – it makes me feel uncomfortable and I know that’s a good thing for change. I love that her message comes from two decades of research. And I love that she’s human, real, imperfect.

But I’ve started reading The Gifts of Imperfection a number of times and never got past 50 pages. I’ve picked up her other books and thought “That sounds interesting. But, maybe I’ll read it later …”. I listen to her podcasts only to vague out after 10 minutes.

This year I’ve been exploring courage – that thing that helps us to keep going when we are scared witless or the future is uncertain – and, as Brown is the Queen of Courage, I decided that it was time to give a one of her books a proper go.

I chose her third bestseller, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. It not only addresses courage directly (hey, it’s in the subtitle!) but it also gets recommended as a great starting place for reading Brown’s books.

And it is an excellent starting point. It covers the Brené Brown backstory (her Why as well as her How) and is loaded with the research and stories that lead her to believe that vulnerability is at the core of a wholehearted life.

Brown’s research found a very simple distinction. Those who live a wholehearted life believe they are worthy – and it comes through cultivating courage, compassion and connection. This is a life of joy, gratitude and being enough.

Brown spends much of Daring Greatly exploring and debunking the myths of vulnerability and how it shows up in our lives. Her research reveals that all those ways in which we think are protecting ourselves (like when we’re the proud pessimist or persnickety perfectionist, constantly busy, or forever numbing) really don’t help us or anyone else in the long run.

As I read, I kept thinking “Hmmm. This is all sounding very familiar.”

There’s a lot in Daring Greatly to connect with. So much actually, that I found it all a little bit overwhelming at times. I think it’s an ideal slow read – over a few months – and is perfect for discussion with others.

It provides insight and provokes reflection. It nudges the reader into the possibility of a different life – wholehearted, humane, enough.

I’m glad I persevered with Brene Brown. For me, it has deepened the conversations (with myself and others) about what is important in life – cutting through the bull of comparison, scarcity and shame.

I reckon Brené Brown makes life better. And I’m looking forward to reading (and discussing) more of her work.