Dimple Mukherjee's Story:

​

Remembering back to my childhood days, I can now clearly see that in the veil of affluent and luxurious upbringing, Shame carved out its niche.  Feeling “less than enough” was my norm and I was so comfortable with playing small and hiding lest I was noticed.  Being mindful of societal norms lead me down a path just like everyone else’s.  I didn’t seek out my uniqueness and my truth because in doing so, I would be considered a rebel and who wants a backlash from that? Instead, I let rules dictate my life because it was the easiest thing to do back then and in return, these rules consumed me and were the driving force behind my every move.   Can you relate?

It wasn’t until I experienced a few rock bottom moments and ultimately a failed marriage that I realized how much Shame had forced me into a dark place where I stayed for years, alone.  In this struggle, I convinced myself that I wasn’t good enough.  I became paralyzed and consumed by my limiting beliefs and stopped growing. Turning to pain numbing and self-destructive behaviours seemed soothing but little did I know they would ultimately cause me more harm than good.  Shame once again won and this time, at the cost of my emotional and physical health. When I could no longer sustain a life of hiding and self destruction, I started sharing the real me with the world and in doing so, broke out of the reigns of Shame. Best move I ever made.

Here’s the thing about Shame as researched by Dr. Brene Brown, a Shame expert:

Shame is Lethal, Shame is Deadly and Shame thrives in Secrecy. 

More importantly, she also says this:

Shame cannot survive being spoken about.

If you take a minute to think about this truth, it begs the question:

How have you, I and us as a society been contributing to the growth and epidemic of Shame?

Sharing our tender stories of Shame with ones we love and trust is the only way out of isolation and alienation, all of which rob us of belonging and connection- the core ingredients that we need to live a fulfilling life.  When we keep it all in, not only are we leading ourselves astray but we are also contributing to the Shame epidemic prevalent in our communities at this time.

Today, I lead my life from a place of abundance, joy, love, service, freedom, deep rich connections and flow. All because I found the courage to be vulnerable.  You can read my most tender shame story here-the pivotal point in my life journey that lead me to a much better life.

“Perfectly Imperfect You” is what our world needs to grow and evolve so don’t hide and hold yourself back from sharing your truth.   Tell me.  What one tiny Shame story are you ready to let go off? And then, surrender and release.