Listening to Our Shame

The medical industry will tell us that stress is a killer. We worry and fret over money, our jobs, marriages, future, the list is long. The vibration of fear is around us constantly. It’s never enough; it needs to be more.

As I look closer at my own life path, I am seeing shame and judgement come up a lot and as I dig deeper, it seems to come up almost as much as stress. What is that? Well, it’s two things; fear of judgement from others and fear of judgement from ourselves. Humans are the only creatures who look back at our pasts and toward our futures, often to the detriment of our present.

I’ve had a blessed life, a fascinating career, and my share of difficult situations. Yet it’s those challenges I’ve been focused on which hold me back. That meeting went too long, I talk too fast, I should have, I didn’t, I wish I hadn’t, I didn’t make enough eye contact, I talked too much, etc.

My dad said it on a call this week; “How do your clients even know what you’re talking about, you talk too fast”. Thanks for the judgement, dad. I’ll carry that around for the next week. Actually, saying it then publishing it here is part of my journey of shedding the judgement of others, even my father.

We damage each other with our judgement; we crush ourselves with the same.

In 2011, Brené Brown shared her findings about topics we don't often like to talk about with her TEDTalk on the Power of Vulnerability. Here’s her 2012 talk about the unspoken epidemic of shame.

Be brave and watch this.


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As a passionate leader, Kneale Mann has extensive experience in project management, leadership development, business, marketing, media, and talent coaching in numerous industries and organizations including; radio, digital marketing, corporate training, real estate, financial services, healthcare and more. He is always open to meeting companies and organizations who want to become even greater.