how to battle a shame storm

Have you ever experienced a “shame storm?”

This is something I learned from reading The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, and I’m so thankful I did! A shame storm is when you experience bouts of inner shaming. It can sound like this is in your head:

“Why did I do that? I’m so stupid! Is he mad at me? Is she mad at me? They’re all mad at me now! I really messed up! I’m such an idiot. I can’t do anything right. I don’t deserve friends. I’m a bad mom. I’m a bad wife.”

And so on and so on. Sound familiar?

Shame storms can come at any time, and it’s important to recognize your behavior when you’re in one so that you can climb back out of it. Brene Brown says this, “It’s important to know our personal symptoms so we can get deliberate in our response to shame.”

For me, I get very anxious and itchy. I can’t complete any tasks and my breathing gets erratic. I can recognize these physical symptoms first, and then I do an inner dialogue check. Sure enough! I’m in a shame storm every time I feel this way.

The #1 best way I’ve found to get me out of a shame storm is to repeat this over and over, “I am enough.” Its the single best answer to any of my shame talk. It wins every time.

You are enough! You are human. Quiet the shame and replace it with “I Am Enough,” and eventually your shame storm will fade away and it will be replaced with a confident, self loving, and courageous soul.