Sharing our stories is the first step to building our collective resilience. I know this to be true from my experience of sharing my story of raising a son with some learning variabilities. I posted this blog on my FaceBook page sharing my story and here were a few of the comments: So proud of you! How exciting to put your teachings out for all of us to benefit from!! Thx for sharing, Janet…I can relate to much of what you said. Wow! I never knew this! How wonderful you are able to share and help other families!
When we tell our stories and share our experiences we are building our collective resilience. Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of FaceBook as a lot to say about resilience after her husband unexpectedly died on their vacation in Mexico. The article Sheryl Sandberg: Sharing and Listening Builds Collective Resilience shares her account of how she was able to build collective resilience: “What happens when we are brutally honest with each other?” Sheryl asked the audience. “We build resilience by sharing what is really going on.” She calls this ‘collective resilience’ – the resilience not just of an individual but of a group, fueled by, “shared experiences, shared narratives, and shared power,” she said.
Onward challenges us to invite someone you don’t know too well to tell you her story. Pledge to do your very best to listen with an open heart and an open mind. Together we can build our collective resilience.