All revolutions start with a new vision of what’s possible. Brené Brown.
For God, all things are possible. Jesus
In the opening paragraphs of Chapter 11, Brené explains why the Revolution is part-3 of the rising strong process:
Revolution might sound a little dramatic, but in this world, choosing authenticity and worthiness is an absolute act of resistance. Choosing to live and love with our whole hearts is an act of defiance. You’re going to confuse, piss off, and terrify lots of people—including yourself. One minute you’ll pray that the transformation stops, and the next minute you’ll pray that it never ends. You’ll also wonder how you can feel so brave and so afraid at the same time. At least that’s how I feel most of the time…brave, afraid, and very, very alive. Rising strong is the final piece of this transformation.
As we are nearing the end of 40 Days of Rising Strong, it’s time to ask the question: What is truly possible for me?
I encourage us to think about this question in two ways. First way: What is possible within me?
When a negative emotion takes hold of us and the first thought we have is, Why am I so bugged about this? Something’s up, and I need to go on a long prayer walk and figure this out, that’s when the uprising has started. That’s when you know you’ve integrated a new way of thinking. When you dig into your story rather than making one up, that’s when you know you’re in a revolution.
The second version of the question is: What is possible through me?
Having learned to rise strong from an emotional setback, in what ways will this affect your community? There is a saying: Transformed people transform people. The vision for rising strong is not only about personal transformation, it’s also about transforming our families, classrooms, faith communities, cities and nations.
Check out the section The Story Rumble At Work in Chapter 11. In this section Brené shares a list of questions her team works through whenever a hard moment presents itself. I find these questions can be used in any group settings where people work together, such as a family home! She also provides five guiding principles called The 5 Rs: This is How We Work.
Our willingness and ability to rumble during conflicts like a marital fight over money, a teen who has chosen scary friends, or a failed project at work will keep us from caving in and giving up in life’s most terrifying moments.
I hope you feel empowered by the possibility of rising strong in the ordinary events of your life.
Starter Prayer
LORD God, give me a vision for what is possible. Give me courage to keep rising even when the people around me wish it would stop!
Reading Focus for Rising Strong, by Brené Brown
We are now in week 6, of this 6-week study. The focus is Chapters 11 of Rising Strong. The topic is the Revolution– keys learnings and writing a brave new ending.
Awake 