Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience: Final Round of Submissions Needed

My Up and Coming Book: Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience

Just recently, I settled on a working title for my next book: Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience. To explain the book and my background better, I created a draft prologue. I did this in hopes of sparking the third and final round of submissions; plus, it will be a necessary piece for the published version.

I’m asking YOU for help because YOU are the connection to the right stories

Please read the prologue below and see what types of stories are still needed. I need your help to reach the right people with the right stories. Share with those that you think would be an ideal match.

Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience

Prologue

Heidi Siefkas’s life has been full of much love, many adventures to some of the most beautiful places on the planet, as well as several unforeseen hardships. Her journey is a testament to the unyielding power of resilience and perspective, a theme that runs through her memoir When All Balls Drop and continues to shape her life today. Her story is not just about survival but transformation—about how one woman chose to look up in the face of overwhelming odds, not once but multiple times. Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience seeks to bring this mindset to a worldwide audience, showcasing the paths of individuals from all walks of life who have overcome adversity, proving that, through hardship, we gain wisdom.

A Life Interrupted by a Tree

Heidi’s story begins with a day like any other—until it wasn’t. In 2009, while in the Hudson River Valley, New York, Heidi stepped outside her apartment to take out the trash. Little did she know that this task would change her life forever. A tree limb crashed down on her, leaving her with a broken neck and several severe injuries. She was found unconscious and rushed to the hospital.

Fortunately, she survived an accident that could have killed her, but in the process, her entire life as she knew it was about to change. Her once vibrant, active lifestyle had come to a sudden halt: health, marriage, and career, all in jeopardy.

Despite the trauma, Heidi’s first response was not to succumb to despair. Instead, she chose to focus on recovery, leaning into the power of looking up, both literally and figuratively. “Your accident wasn’t a life change,” a doctor told her. “The life change will be the path that you choose because of your gained perspective.” This advice would come to define her journey forward.

A New Outlook: Look Up

As Heidi began to heal from her physical wounds, she also started to heal emotionally and mentally. She coined the term “Look Up” to capture her new approach to life—an approach focused on being present in the moment and finding the upside in even the most difficult circumstances. The mantra became a way for her to not only cope with her recovery but also to inspire others.

Heidi’s story, as recounted in When All Balls Drop as well as in her TEDx talk, details how she recovered physically, how she regained her independence, and how she navigated a life that no longer looked like the one she had planned. Through it all, she remained committed to Look Up, which encouraged her to embrace each moment for what it was—whether joyful or painful—and to seek out the lessons hidden within the hardship.

Another Tragedy: Loss Strikes Again

Heidi’s resilience would be tested once again, in one of the most heartbreaking ways possible. In 2022, Heidi’s partner Brian tragically lost his life in a plane crash off the coast of Maui. For twelve years, he was her anchor, her Partner In Crime (PIC), and in an instant, he was gone and the life that they had planned together vanished.

The grief was overwhelming, and for many months, it seemed as if Look Up might not be enough to pull her through this time. But Heidi, ever determined, leaned on the lessons from her previous journey of healing. She knew that even in this immense loss, there had to be something she could hold onto—something that would guide her forward.

Book: Look Up—Stories of Global Resilience

Heidi’s personal story is the spark that started this book, but it is just one of many. This collection of stories seeks to showcase individuals from all corners of the globe who have faced immense challenges and found the strength to persevere. These stories highlight the power of perspective and the incredible resilience of the human spirit. From war survivors to those battling illness, from personal tragedies to professional setbacks, each story in the book serves as a reminder that no matter what happens, we can choose how we respond.

The Look Up mantra has two main components: first, to be present in the moment, to truly see both the beauty and the hazards around us; and second, to find the upside in every obstacle, knowing that wounds will eventually turn into wisdom. Each story in Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience reinforces these ideas, showing that no matter the hardship, there is always a way to find your inner badass and pivot into a new life.

Turning Wounds into Wisdom

Heidi’s journey, both in her personal life and through the creation of Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience, shows that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can control how we frame a situation by tapping into the power of perspective. This collection of stories serves as a formidable reminder that even in the darkest moments, we have the ability to choose hope, to be resilient, and to look up.

Heidi said that Joseph Campbell’s quote of, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us” was very influential in coming to terms with all of life’s hurdles and gifts. This is a universal truth. Life will knock us down—it’s inevitable—but it is our choice whether we stay down or rise, stronger and wiser from the experience.

Look Up—Global Stories of Resilience will inspire countless readers to find the beauty and the wisdom in their own struggles. These insightful chapters highlight how to transform setbacks and life-altering tragedies into springboards for positive change so that readers everywhere will see how they too can rise, look up, and find the upside.