Goodbye Shame: Reclaiming Our Brilliance
Shame. Vergüenza.
“No des vergüenza.”
“No seas una vergüenza.”
“Shame on you.”
These phrases echo through our lives in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. They are spoken aloud and whispered in silence. But what is shame, really?
Shame is more than an emotion; it’s a deep, unseen force. It hides beneath our words, our decisions, our silences. It shapes how we move through the world. It tells us who we should be. It questions who we think we are.
Shame is a mental and emotional state that holds us back from our full expression. It is rooted in societal expectations, other people’s perceptions of how we’re supposed to act, speak, dress, work, and live. It’s what creeps in when we dare to be bold, revolutionary, or unapologetically ourselves.
That voice that says, “¿Quién crees que eres?” or “Who do you think you are?”
That’s shame speaking.
Society tells us not to be “too much.” Don’t be too loud. Don’t be too visible. Don’t take up space. Especially if you’re a woman. Especially if you're an immigrant. Especially if you’re stepping into roles you were told you don't belong in. And so, we shrink. We self-censor. We second-guess our worth. We stay quiet. We play small.
And yet, we were never meant to live in the shadows.
Shame shows up in everyday moments. It’s when you speak up about your ambitions at work and don’t get the promotion. You tell yourself, “I should’ve known better,” and you stay stuck. It’s when you consider sharing a painful experience, but decide it’s better to stay silent. It’s when someone comments on your accent and you suddenly feel out of place, even after all these years.
Growing up, shame may have shown up in our families disguised as protection, respect, or tradition. It may have told us that to be different is to be disgraceful. That to pursue a path outside the norm law, construction, engineering, science, mechanics, leadership is to risk rejection. That simply being ourselves is a problem.
Let’s be clear: we were not born with shame. We were taught it.
So now we must unlearn it.
When you think of shame, what comes to mind for you?
At Ecosistema, we are committed to helping you identify shame. Not just name it, but confront it. We want you to build a better internal system for yourself. You deserve it.
We ask the deep questions:
Where does your perception of shame come from?
What belief systems are we still carrying that were never ours to begin with? Who taught you that? Who influenced your definition of shame?
How do we begin to let these beliefs go?
Because here's the truth: Shame is not your identity.
It is not your legacy.
And it is certainly not your destiny.
When we uncover the roots of our shame, we reclaim our power. We reclaim our voice. We reclaim our brilliance.
This month, we invite you to join us in this journey. We’ll explore the tools of coaching, storytelling, reflection, and collective learning to help you step out of shame and into your strength. We’ll challenge those internalized beliefs and begin to dismantle them—together.
You deserve to shine.
You are not too much.
You are not a disgrace.
You are a Mujer Poderosa.
And shame?
It doesn’t belong to you.
Let’s leave it behind.
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Welcome to this month’s theme at Ecosistema: Goodbye Shame. Hello Brilliance.
Are you ready to begin?
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