Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett Summary
Overview of Permission to Feel
Discover why emotions aren't weakness but power in Marc Brackett's game-changing bestseller. Endorsed by Brene Brown, this Yale psychologist's guide has transformed schools, businesses, and military training. What untapped potential lies buried beneath your unexplored feelings?
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Key takeaways
The Emotional Revolution We Never Knew We Needed
Imagine discovering that your ability to name your feelings might matter more than your IQ. This revelation transformed Yale professor Marc Brackett's life after childhood trauma led him to study emotions professionally. Most Americans can identify only three emotions despite experiencing over fifty different feelings daily. This emotional illiteracy isn't just a personal challenge - it's a societal blind spot with profound consequences. When Brackett's Uncle Marvin asked him how he was feeling as a child, it wasn't the perfunctory "How are you?" that invites an automatic "fine." It was a genuine invitation that allowed young Marc to finally share the bullying and abuse he'd been enduring. This simple moment of being truly heard changed everything, sparking his lifelong mission to help others recognize the power of their emotions. For centuries, we've maintained a false dichotomy between emotion and reason, treating feelings as disruptive to clear thinking. Modern neuroscience has thoroughly debunked this perspective. Emotions provide critical information that shapes our survival, decisions, and relationships - they're not noise in the system but essential data. When we're anxious, our attention narrows to potential threats, enhancing vigilance but limiting creative thinking. Enthusiasm, conversely, broadens our focus and encourages innovation. Emotions continuously shape our perceptions, decisions, and relationships whether we acknowledge them or not. From the moment we wake up, feelings color our experience of the world. For children especially, navigating this constant emotional current without guidance can be overwhelming, particularly in structured environments like school where emotional expression is often discouraged.
The Science of Emotions and Creativity
The RULER Framework: Building Your Emotional Intelligence
The Power of Emotional Vocabulary
The Meta-Moment: Mastering Emotional Regulation
Emotions Across Life Domains
The Path Forward: Creating an Emotion Revolution
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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