In her now-famous TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability,” professor and author Brené Brown posits that the only way to make true connections is to let our full selves be seen by others. Often, the things we hold back or feel shame around, Brown explains, are the ones that make us human. Brown reassures us that vulnerability is a strength rather than a weakness: In acknowledging every part of who we are, even the difficult ones, we can fortify our relationship with both ourselves and others.