Option B | GoodReads
3.5 ⭐️'s rounded up to 4, because it has a solid message and is widely applicable.
Resilience is the strength and speed of our response to adversity, and we can build it. It isn’t about having a backbone. It’s about strengthening the muscles around our backbone.
— Sheryl Sandberg
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
This book isn't just about bouncing back from a loved one's death — it's about moving forward and post traumatic growth. Essentially: Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it, with some science and real-life examples to back it up.
I read "Lean In," and "Originals" earlier this year, so pretty much had to read this one too. It's an easy read and likely to choke you up at times. I found it inspiring, and also helpful for knowing how to counsel others dealing with tragedy/death/loss of love — basically any kind of life hurdle.
There is something for everyone here, for any situation where the first choice isn't available.
So many good takeaways, and a relatively short book. Would recommend to anyone dealing with accepting "Option B."
Keep In Mind
“Tragedy does not have to be personal, pervasive, or permanent, but resilience can be. We can build it and carry it with us throughout our lives.”
"Self-confidence is critical to happiness and success. When we lack it, we dwell on our flaws. We fail to embrace new challenges and learn new skills. We hesitate to take even a small risk that can lead to a big opportunity."
"With the right support, beliefs can fuel action and become self-fulfilling. Believe you can learn from failure and you become less defensive and more open. Believe you matter and you spend more time helping others, which helps you matter even more. Believe you have strengths and you start seeing opportunities to use them. Believe you are a wizard who can cross the space-time continuum and you may have gone too far."
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."
— Viktor Frankl