In The Resilience Mindset, you present the ReBAR framework developed following your long road to recovery after a devastating cancer diagnosis. Why was this an important book for you to write?

After many of my speaking engagements following the release of my memoir, At Face Value: My Triumph Over A Disfiguring Cancer (2001 1^st edition, 2006 2^nd edition), audience members often approached me to say they had read my memoir, but what I spoke about included so much about how others could deal with change, conflict and adversity in their own lives. Many encouraged me to write another book sharing my survival kit and ReBAR framework in a workbook style so others could learn my methods and personalize to their own life journey. So I was compelled to write this to help others.

One of the most powerful scenes is your reaction after learning the potential extent of your surgery. Why was it important to share that moment so openly?

That was the turning point moment when I realized life would never be the same for me. I was at a loss on how I would be able to move forward. I wanted to share that vulnerability with my readers, hoping it would inspire them to have confidence to be able to open up about their own pains and challenges.

Of the four elements of ReBAR, which do people tend to struggle with the most?

I think the Act phase is the most difficult for people to implement, because this is where the real work begins. This is when we must focus on what we can control, find ways to confront our challenges, and set goals to make progress toward a better future. This is where the rubber meets the road, but it’s critical that we focus on progress in small increments, so we don’t get overwhelmed or frustrated along our positive journey forward.

When readers finish The Resilience Mindset, what do you hope they believe about themselves that they may not have believed before opening the book? 

I want readers to believe that we each have the capacity to build resilience, to find purpose from pain. I want readers to understand that we can learn how to build resilience, we can find our inner strength, and we can bounce forward from change and adversity, not just bounce back. By developing simple habits that take just a few minutes a day, we can change our life for the better so that when future adversity presents itself, we have the tools to better cope and keep hope.

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