Compassion Is A Commitment

Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness

Compassion is not a virtue—it’s a commitment. It’s not something we have or don’t have—it’s something we choose to practice.

Brené Brown

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work. Additionally, she serves as a visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. Brown's academic roles are extensions of her deeper mission to explore the themes of courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. Her research is not just data and theories; it's an invitation to engage with the very elements that make us human.

Brown has spent two decades contributing to our understanding of emotional and social dynamics through her research and writing. She is the author of five books that have risen to the top of the New York Times bestseller list: "The Gifts of Imperfection," "Daring Greatly," "Rising Strong," "Braving the Wilderness," and "Dare to Lead." These works offer pragmatic insights into the nature of human connection. They encourage the reader to embrace their own vulnerabilities, pointing out that it's often in these spaces of uncertainty and risk that we discover our capacity for love and belonging.

Beyond the page, Brown expands her reach through various platforms. Her TED talk, "The Power of Vulnerability," has been viewed more than 50 million times worldwide. She also hosts two podcasts, "Unlocking Us" and "Dare to Lead," providing a space for ongoing discussions about the complexities of the human experience. In 2019, she broke new ground with her Netflix special, "The Call to Courage," becoming the first researcher to present a filmed lecture on the streaming service. Through all these avenues, Brown underscores the need for a heart-centered approach to life, one that makes room for both the challenges and the beauty of our shared human journey.

Humanism, Arts and Sciences

Brown, Brené. I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough." Gotham Books, 2007.

Brené Brown

Theme: Compassion

About This Brené Brown Quote [Commentary]

Brené Brown’s words remind us that compassion is not an inherent trait but a deliberate commitment. She challenges the idea that it is something we either have or lack, emphasizing that it is a choice we make through practice. By stating that “compassion is not a virtue—it’s a commitment,” Brown reframes it as an intentional act rather than a passive quality. Her research on vulnerability and connection shows that meaningful relationships are built when we consciously choose to respond to others with kindness and understanding.

Brown’s grounded theory research highlights that compassion is not just an individual practice but a force that strengthens communities. Her statement that “it’s something we choose to practice” underscores its active nature. Through interviews and analysis, she demonstrates that people who make compassion a priority cultivate deeper relationships and a greater sense of connection. Rather than being dependent on emotion, compassion is sustained through daily choices that shape our interactions and communities.

At its core, Brown’s message affirms that compassion is an acknowledgment of our shared human experience. When we see our own struggles reflected in others, judgment gives way to understanding. Choosing compassion means recognizing that everyone is navigating challenges, and this commitment fosters both individual and collective well-being. Brown invites us to shift our mindset—not to wait for moments of spontaneous empathy but to actively make compassion a guiding practice in how we engage with the world.

Additional Brené Brown Quotes

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

—Brené Brown, “On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy,” p. 17.

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”

—Brené Brown, “Daring Greatly,” p. 2.

“The more we diminish our own pain, or rank it, compared to others have survived, the less empathic we are to everyone. That when we surrender our own joy to make those in pain feel less alone or to make ourselves feel less guilty, or somehow more committed, we deplete ourselves of what it takes to feel fully alive and fueled by purpose. And sometimes when we can’t acknowledge the pain of others while experiencing our own joy, we close our eyes, insulate ourselves, pretended that there’s nothing we can do to make things better, and opt out of helping others. This ability to opt out of suffering and injustice or pretend everything is okay is the core of privilege…The goal is to get to the place where we can think ‘I am aware of what’s happening, the part I play, and how I can can make it better, and that doesn’t mean I have to deny the joy in my life.”

―Brené Brown, Braving the Wilderness

“If you’re thinking, ‘Great! I just need to be a superhero to fight perfectionism,’ I understand. Courage, compassion, and connection seem like big, lofty ideals. But in reality, they are daily practices that, when exercised enough, become these incredible gifts in our lives. And the good news is that our vulnerabilities are what force us to call upon these amazing tools. Because we’re human and so beautifully imperfect, we get to practice using our tools on a daily basis. In this way, courage, compassion, and connection become gifts – the gifts of imperfection.”

―Brené Brown, PhD LMSW

Rachel Held Evan’s Commentary About Brené Brown

“Over the course of the last decade, we have witnessed something of a cultural awakening around the importance of embracing vulnerability in the quest for meaning and connection. The groundbreaking writing of Brene Brown has inspired millions to pursue what Brown calls “wholehearted living,” a posture of resilience and compassion that begins with the conviction that “yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.” According to Brown, the only way to experience meaningful connection is to stop numbing and start engaging, to lean into uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure so we can “look at life and the people around us, and say, ‘I’m all in.”

―Rachel Held Evans, Wholehearted Faith

Resources

I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t)

Compassion Is A Commitment

Resources

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