When the world feels scary and dark and overwhelming, I often turn to words for comfort.

Brené Brown, in particular, has a way of pinpointing the human struggle and alchemizing it into acceptance and truth and light.

Her words are the perfect combination of soothing and tough love.

Here are nine of her quotes for when we’re feeling the weight of the world—and our own hearts:

1. “We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”

2. “Hope is a function of struggle.”

3. “Faith is a place of mystery, where we find the courage to believe in what we cannot see and the strength to let go of our fear of uncertainty.”

4. “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.”

5. “Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.”

6. “We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time.”

7. “The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”

8. “What we know matters but who we are matters more.”

9. “Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.”