“Shame is that warm feeling that washes over us, making us feel small, flawed, and never good enough.”
–Dr. Brené Brown

Shame is an intense and confusing feeling that we all go through at some point. It's the loud voice in our mind that makes us doubt whether we're good enough or even deserve good things, such as love or happiness. It’s a lie that turns into more and more lies, and that takes a significant toll on our mental health. It might push us to do some unhealthy coping mechanisms like turning to bad habits, battling eating issues, feeling super down, super anxious, or even hurting ourselves.

There are tons of ways shame can sneak into our lives, and it's different for everyone. It might pop up when you mess up an answer in class, lose a game, love someone who doesn't love you back, feel left out, or even when you're looking at yourself in the mirror. And sometimes, it's tied to deeper issues, like tough things that happened when you were younger, getting bullied, or being rejected by someone you thought would always have your back. Shame can creep into all sorts of things – money, work, family, how you look, your body, your mind, addictions, relationships, and a bunch more. Anything you can think of, there's a chance someone's felt ashamed about it.