I listened to less books this week than any week over the last 18 months. Crazy!
One of those three, Community by Peter Block, was absolutely amazing. Listen to my review on that one and also find out what else I've been up to. It's been a big week for me!
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If you're a woman who appreciates connecting with other women in community with vulnerability and compassion, please join us in the Solidarity Sister! Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/716800349946338/
The Solidarity Sister! Book Club has begun and runs through the end of May. We're reading Brené Brown's Gifts of Imperfection over a period of 15 weeks, and connecting via Zoom and Marco Polo. Find more info in the FB group. Sign up at https://forms.gle/ZHpfhd8hwCpw6NL2A
FB: The Solidarity Sister Podcast IG: @solidaritysister.kristinwilson
I listened to less books this week than any week over the last 18 months. Crazy!
One of those three, Community by Peter Block, was absolutely amazing. Listen to my review on that one and also find out what else I've been up to. It's been a big week for me!
*************************************
If you're a woman who appreciates connecting with other women in community with vulnerability and compassion, please join us in the Solidarity Sister! Facebook group at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/716800349946338/
The Solidarity Sister! Book Club has begun and runs through the end of May. We're reading Brené Brown's Gifts of Imperfection over a period of 15 weeks, and connecting via Zoom and Marco Polo. Find more info in the FB group. Sign up at https://forms.gle/ZHpfhd8hwCpw6NL2A
FB: The Solidarity Sister Podcast IG: @solidaritysister.kristinwilson
Kristin:
Hello and welcome to another book review episode of Solidarity Sister with Kristin Wilson. I only listened to three books this week. I know for most people three books in a week would be a lofty goal accomplished, but I think this is the fewest amount of books I've listened to in a week for the last 18 months. So, what was I doing when I wasn't busy listening to the audiobooks I usually listen to? Well, number one, I worked on being more present with my kids and actually just in my body more and having some times of quiet. I'm not very good at that. So if I'm doing the dishes or the laundry or I'm grocery shopping or I'm cooking dinner, I usually always have something in my ear. But I'm trying to have a little bit of quiet there so that I can be with my thoughts and ponder more, be more connected with my body and be more aware of my kids during those times. I do have quality conversation with my kids as well, where I'm not listening to anything, but I felt like I needed a little increase there. Two, I listened to some extra sessions of guided imagery healing from Allie Duzett. She has sessions on all different topics. And it's just basically a way to use almost a type of meditation where you're using this guided imagery to heal your brain and body. And I think it's very helpful. So I'll put a link to that in the show notes in case that's something that sounds good to you. Her foundational sessions are all free. And this is not something that I'm doing as like an affiliate or anything This is just genuinely something that has helped me that I want to pass along. Three. I wrote a piece for Generous Conference. So in my faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints There is a semi annual conference held where church leaders speak and it's broadcast all over the world It's been going on for close to 200 years. And in the beginning, clearly there was no way to broadcast it. So all of the people would just gather together, but the world has changed. People have spread out and we have technology. So now we get to watch General Conference in our pajamas. Well, if you'll remember back on episode 34, if you've listened to it, and if not, I encourage you to go do so. I spoke with my friend, Evelyn, who has left the church about how we can strengthen relationships. across faith transitions and not lose our friends or our family members because they leave the faith that we've been with. And I know this is not unique to my specific church. I know that happens in all different religions and it can be hard to know how to navigate that. So Evelyn and I talked about that. Evelyn Created something that she calls Generous Conference. And she calls on generous authorities to come and just share messages that are meant to be uplifting. I was invited to be a generous authority. And I came in and I spoke. about how sometimes I build my eternal family in a bar. So, it's gotten a little bit of traction on social media, and I think for my mini sode this week, I'm actually going to read that essay because it really comes from my heart and I think it's meaningful. Which leads me to number four! I applied to speak at TEDx Salt Lake City and I am sharing that information because it's part of my effort to be vulnerable and to be a community builder and to model the kind of community building that I really want us to have within Solidarity Sister, where we don't wait for finding out that we got the promotion. Or we got the award or whatever kind of thing and then it's like safe to tell people, but where we can tell people for the things that we're going for and be willing to publicly be rejected from that thing, if that's what happens, but be able to celebrate the fact that we tried and that we went after it. And I really feel like this topic of creating connections across diverse faith beliefs, especially when there's been a transition, because I think sometimes that's harder because the relationship has to shift from where it was before. I think that is vitally important, and especially important in Utah right now, And as I learned in the application workshop video from Salt Lake City TEDx, they are also really interested in ideas that are relevant to not just the world as a whole, but Salt Lake City and Utah. And this is definitely a relevant and needed topic right now. So I did my best and I put it out there and I'll let you know. If I'm selected or not, the next round would have me create a 90 second video. The first round is written and the second round is that video. And then if you're chosen, you actually work with a speaking coach to help you pull all your thoughts together, which would be awesome. And I think it would be a great experience and also terrifying. So I'll keep you posted. Now, since this is really the book review episode, I'm going to pivot back to the one book recommendation that I have for you this week. And it is an excellent read. This book is called Community by Peter Block. The Amazon description reads, Modern society is plagued by fragmentation. The various sectors of our communities, businesses, schools, social service organizations, churches, government, do not work together. They exist in their own worlds, as do so many individual citizens who long for connection, but end up marginalized with their gifts overlooked. Their potential contributions are Lost this disconnection and detachment makes it hard if not impossible to envision a common future and work towards it together. We know what healthy communities look like. There are many success stories out there and they've been described in detail. What Block provides in this inspiring new book is an exploration of the exact way community can emerge from fragmentation. How is community built? How does the transformation occur? What fundamental shifts are involved? He explores a way of thinking about our places That creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen. This book was phenomenal. There were so many nuggets to think about in terms of how to actually strengthen communities. I found info around how to physically set up a gathering, What to focus on, how to value the agency of those involved, what to talk about and why I loved, like in one part, it talked about how often when a team meets within a work structure, how the leadership, how the CEO will always be at like the head of the table, or there'll be up on a stage and how that actually impedes open dialogue. because it values one person above another. And yes, that person's position is higher. But if you really want everyone to feel like part of the team and be in a place to contribute from their highest self, being able to equalize the physical playing field. For the terms of that discussion will make a difference and there was just so much else that was good, but that was just one example I thought of. So this book would be great for anyone interested in strengthening their community building skills, whether you were in a place of leadership in a company or in your church or in some volunteer organization, or you're simply a citizen who wants to make a difference. I think that if everyone read this book, it would make a huge difference in our world and unifying us. But at the very least, if a lot of us read it and start to implement those practices, it will certainly help to shift the fragmentation that has definitely occurred across America into a more cohesive, unified group of citizens. So, I've already finished one book today, so I'm sure I'll have more to share next week in the book department. But in the meantime, please come join us this Thursday and every Thursday through the end of May from 7-7:30 PM. on Zoom as we continue to work through Brene Brown's Gifts of Imperfection in Community. This week we are in Guidepost 4. If you haven't read it, You are still welcome to come. We will take you as you are. Find details about how to join the book club if you don't know in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Solidarity Sister community. We needed you.