It’s OK That You’re Not OK with Megan Devine

adrienne maree brown: Can We Give Ourselves Permission to Be Free?

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Dec 11, 2023

adrienne maree brown, author of Emergent Strategy and Pleasure Activism, dives into profound conversations about grief, love, and the complexity of being oneself. She explores how self-sabotaging habits can trap us, the importance of embracing our feelings, and the liberating beauty of authenticity—even if it drives some people crazy. Through humor and emotional honesty, she discusses connecting with our grief to honor our loved ones and foster resilience amidst life's challenges.

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INSIGHT

Nothing to Fix, Yet Change Possible

Embracing "there is nothing to fix" shifts how we relate to our bodies and grief.
This perspective allows gentleness towards self while acknowledging ongoing change is possible.

ADVICE

Sobriety from Self-Sabotage

Identify patterns of self-sabotage beyond substances, including behaviors hiding your true self.
Practice sobriety from these patterns by tuning into your true desires and creative impulses.

ANECDOTE

Grief Shopping Numbed Pain

Adrienne shifted her grief numbing habit from drinking to grief shopping.
Recognizing the pattern allowed her to pause and directly face her grief instead of avoiding it.

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What if there’s nothing to fix? What if you could just, you know, be yourself - whatever that looks like today?

When I told people that this week’s guest was none other than adrienne maree brown - the excitement level was off the charts. adrienne maree brown is the author of Emergent Strategy and Pleasure Activism, among other works, and she’s instrumental in opening conversations about bodies, power, grief, and change (personal and collective).

This week, it’s all grief - and it’s all love. There is nothing to fix, and there is plenty to change.

In this episode we cover:

How self-sabotaging behaviors become addictive
The freedom of being yourself (and why that pisses other people off)
How can you make this day worthy of your grief?
Why humor sometimes fits “the shape of grief” and sometimes it does not
Feelings are your body’s way of communicating needs

We're re-releasing some of our favorite episodes from the first 3 seasons.

Looking for a creative exploration of grief? Check out the best selling Writing Your Grief course here.

Related episodes:

Book bans, grief, and love: what do these have to do with social movements? Malkia Devich-Cyril

Is There Any Good News on Climate Change? With Bill McKibben

Coming Home to Yourself with Alex Elle

About our guest:

adrienne maree brown is the author of wildly influential books including Emergent Strategy, We Will Not Cancel Us and Pleasure Activism, plus the novellas Grievers and Maroons. She is a social media meme queen, writer, podcaster, musician, and movement facilitator based in Durham, NC.

Find her at adriennemareebrown.net and on Instagram and Facebook.

About Megan:

Psychotherapist Megan Devine is one of today’s leading experts on grief, from life-altering losses to the everyday grief that we don’t call grief. Get the best-selling book on grief in over a decade, It’s Ok that You’re Not OK, wherever you get books. Find Megan @refugeingrief

Additional resources:

Boundaried in Love with Prentis Hemphill and adrienne maree brown

“The Pleasure Dome” by adrienne maree brown, Bitch Media

Want to talk with Megan directly? Join our patreon community for live monthly Q&A grief clinics: your questions, answered. Want to speak to her privately? Apply for a 1:1 grief consultation here.

Check out Megan’s best-selling books - It’s OK That You're Not OK and How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed

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