We live in a vulnerable world, says social researcher Brené Brown. And what do we do in the face of this vulnerability? We numb it.

But Dr. Brown says we cannot selectively numb emotion. When we do, we anesthetize personal joy and gratitude and happiness. In today’s society, we are masters of this numbing, but there are those out there who “lean” into their vulnerability and fragility.

They are our teachers, the ones who can model a way forward to love wholeheartedly and see ourselves for who we are.

The key, says Dr. Brown, is to acknowledge that we are “wired for struggle.” Her solution: let ourselves be seen, deeply and vulnerably, by others; love others wholeheartedly even though there’s no guarantee of reciprocation; practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror; and believe we are enough.

We’re preparing for our interview with Dr. Brené Brown this Thursday morning. If you have a question about vulnerability, courage, authenticity, or shame, post it here in the comments section. I’ll be sure to pass them on to Krista and see if we can get some of them asked during their conversation.