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| Robert W. Jones, founder of the Art of Connection movement, joins me celebrating 365 Days of Resilience in Times Square. |
Earlier in life, I never would have thought things like this were possible for me, an undersized kid picked on by bullies, ignored by others, and told I would never amount to anything in life. It took many years to undo the emotional damage that, at one point, had me even contemplating suicide.
I spent my life and career trying to ensure that others would never be made to feel that way, supporting the underdog, providing communication and leadership skills to enable them to get credit for the work they do and realize that they matter. That they make a difference. Helping to build their personal and professional resilience, while still working on trying to overcome my own imposter syndrome.
I had no idea the impact I was able to make.
Over the past couple of years, I have been exceptionally fortunate to become involved with the Art of Connection book series, led by Robert W. Jones.
Each book in this remarkable series is a collection of inspiration, empowerment, and daily perspectives from around the world. The books have gained accolades and awards, each achieving #1 International Best Seller status. Last year’s book on abundance was named a recommended read by World Values Day!
But the most sobering moment came with a visit to the Statue of Liberty. It was a sudden realization that everything Lady Liberty stands for is founded in the resilience of the people who came to this country. Those who stood strong in the face of oppression and fear, founding a new nation based on acceptance, equality and resilience against those who would try to suppress us.
The latest book in the series, The Art of Connection: 365 Days of Resilience, collects the voices, wisdom and experiences from more than 350 contributing authors, each with their own stories of being resilient in the face of whatever life throws at us.
At a time when our world is in such turmoil and uncertainty, while our society seems to be becoming more divided, we all need to bolster our reserves of resilience, so this book is perfectly timed.
The reason why so many people became part of this project is to offer their own stories and perspectives as guiding lights for those facing adversity. The underlying message is, no matter what you are dealing with, you are not alone.
And this comes through on every page.
An international book club told us the book was “a clear example of how powerful a book can be when it moves beyond reading into experience, reflection, and shared dialogue.” They noted that readers actively selected entries that stood out to them and shared personal interpretations, emotional reactions and their own real-life experiences.
“Through both its structure and its message, The Art of Connection successfully created an environment where readers felt inspired, heard, and connected, making this feature both impactful and memorable.”
WOW!
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| The warmth and camaraderie of my fellow authors made this occasion super special! |
Recently, I was able to gather with a group of my fellow authors in New York City, celebrating our accomplishment with an image of the book up in lights in Times Square.
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| Lady Liberty didn’t really hold giant copies of our book. That image was created by fellow contributing author Ricky Locke, who has a great sense of whimsey. |
It was such a powerful feeling knowing that our work, the words we put out there into the world, supported exactly that concept.
Being resilient.
And knowing we are not alone.
On Saturday, April 18th, we will celebrate again with a gathering of authors who have poured their souls and life stories into this amazing book.
Twenty of us will gather at a local bookstore, “In Between Pages” in York, Pennsylvania, to sign books, perform readings of our contributed pages, and share personal stories behind our writings. This is a chance for us to actually interact with the readers of our words, hear share our stories, and feel with us the resilience we can build together.
