38 Part I The Transition to College Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. The takeaway from the idea of a single story is that open-mindedness doesn’t just mean you should be ready to try new sports in college or view drinking alcohol differently. Having an open mind extends to challenging the much deeper, more entrenched and more insidious types of beliefs inside us. No person or group of people deserves to be characterized by a simplification of their way of life, especially one which paints them as less human than others. Try to take some real steps toward chipping away at this mode of thinking and cultivating a mind- set that resists this. Now that we’ve explained the concept of mindset and elaborated on a few facets of it, let’s look at a more action-based (but still internal) battle. Mindset shapes your approach, but values of vulnerability and bravery will be expressed in your actions, which we will explain in the next part. Exercising Vulnerability and Bravery Vulnerability is a word with numerous connotations and misunderstandings in our culture. Brené Brown is a renowned researcher on vulnerability and shame. She is a research professor in social work, and her papers and public talks illumi- nate the tough, confusing, painful feelings people often have around the concepts of vulnerability and shame, and force us to reckon with them. Dr. Brown and her research team have interviewed literally thousands of people about their experiences in order to better understand how humans experience shame and vulnerability. For a moment, try to put away your preconceived ideas and engage your growth mindset with this definition: Professor Brené Brown defines vulner- ability as “uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure… Vulnerability is the core of all emotions and feelings.” (Brown, 2010) TRY THIS The next time you hear someone say something that sounds like a single story, challenge yourself and the speaker to be critical of it by taking on the perspective of one of the other people in the story. 2.5 S E C T I O N 2.3 In Your Own Words In your journal, name three images/scenarios that come to mind when you think about “bravery”? What about “vulnerability”? How are they different and similar? When is the last time you personally felt vulnerable? Brave? Do you feel proud of either of these moments? Why/why not? 2.6