I recently heard a statistic that if we have a culture of high inclusion, burnout decreases by 93%.

This helps me to understand myself and my motivations for my work. I have a passion for authentic connection & helping others to connect.

This month, Triumphs of Transformation launched.  Putting together a book with 29 other people was a fun-chaos kind of adventure. Through the process, I had a double-sided fear; that no one would read it, or that everyone would.

The experience became massive.

1. We got to see our faces up on one of the billboard screens in Times Square and we were interviewed at the LA Tribune Global Leadership Summit.
2. This book became a bestseller in 8 categories on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble along with winning the Los Angeles Tribune’s Critically Acclaimed Book Award!
3. I became friends with the “#1 International Resilience, Mental Health, & Wellbeing Expert”; we had even reached texting status.

It’s been otherworldly.

But the best part of the whole adventure might have been the local book launch. I was beyond excited to have 100 of my people there crammed into the folding chairs at Bright Side Bookshop. I think there were 3 people I didn’t know. Two weeks ahead, I had to ask the bookshop what in the world I was suppose to do; this was new territory for me.  So I dove in to talking about resilience and stories from my life, read a little to the crowd, encouraged them to connect with each other & they did, and then signed books.

Throughout my whole life, I have had many circles at the same time.  2024 is no different, and having these folks in the same room filled my heart. There was my dance teacher and one of my dance partners. There were people from the naked lady parties (these are clothing swaps 😊).  And other coaches and trainers. And folks from the “lets learn about menopause together” group.  And friends that I have a 28 year relationship with and others I’ve just known for 3 months.  My kids’ old teachers and babysitters and my old baby group friends. My TEDTalk coach. My hiking buddies. Church friends. Yoga friends. Advisory Panel friends. And a massive group of incredible humans that I’ve trained and coached who have shared their hearts with me; one person even bringing their Ukrainian refugee parents-in-law. And the list goes on.

But there was one extra special group. There was a group of 5 that drove in all the way from Winslow, after working all day wiping noses & butts, teaching people to read, filling out paperwork, and managing parents.  They came from Northern Arizona Council of Governments Head Start program and were my old and new leadership academy participants.  One said  “Do you remember me?  You helped me in a really challenging time.  I think of you often and wanted to come and support you.” She shared how her life was different now. It had been 2.5 years.  I looked at her and it took me about 2 minutes to have all the memory come back to me. We hugged and loved.  This group said they were starting a book club with the book.

From the whole room and especially this group of 5, I was given the gift of learning about my impact. I don’t know if this is true for all of us, but I often don’t realize my impact.  I think that I am kind of ordinary, just going about my life & I forget that each of us can leave lasting impacts on each other’s lives.  When people circle back and tell me, I hold these stories with tenderness as the most treasured gifts.

If we were all in the same room together right now, I would ask us to raise our glasses. To connection. To resilience. To vulnerability, To lifting each other up.  I feel lifted by you, and I will continuously strive to do the same for you.

Best, Julie

Check out the bios of all the authors at: https://www.triumphsbook.com/authors

Order the book here:  Amazon link