Brené Brown has found that most people are only able to identify three emotions: happy, sad and pissed off.

In this episode we explore how better understanding the full spectrum of your emotions, rather than drowning in them, can become an upward spiral.

Brené Brown is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is Atlas of the Heart, which is also the name of her new HBO Max series. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston and a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. She has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world, with over 50 million views.

We Talk About:

  • Why she decided to map the 87 key emotions and experiences
  • How she was deeply influenced by the Buddhist concept of the “near enemy”
  • Why she no longer believes it's possible to read emotions in other people
  • Why meaningful connections require boundaries


Content Warning: This episode contains explicit language, but a clean version of the episode is available in the second web player above or on the Happier app.

Where to find Brené Brown online:

Website: https://brenebrown.com/

Social Media:

Book Mentioned:

Other Resources Mentioned:

No items found.

Meet the instructors

No items found.

No items found.
No items found.
Try for free
No items found.

Do what it actually takes to be happier.

Happier Weekly

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter for essays on happiness, meditation, and updates on new content and events. Your email will remain private.