The Gift of Perspective

"Lindsey Roy proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that joy and happiness are just on the other side of the mountain you are climbing." --Katherine Wintsch, CEO of The Mom Complex; author of Slay Like a Mother

A corporate executive, wife, and mother reflects on what she lost, what she didn't see coming, and the power of new vantage points.

At age 31, Lindsey Roy was named vice-president at Hallmark Cards -- one of the youngest in the company's more-than-100-year history. Her life was abruptly transformed five years later when she was nearly killed in a boating accident. Left with an amputated left leg and severe limb injuries, and facing a long and difficult recovery ahead, she was determined not just to heal, but to emerge stronger. She eventually shared what trauma had taught her about happiness in a TEDx talk that has been viewed nearly 200,000 times.

Eight years post-accident, fully adapted to her circumstances and genuinely thriving, Lindsey confronted the unexpected again: she was diagnosed with a rare and progressive disease that destroyed the blood vessels in her lungs, requiring a double-lung transplant. This profound setback challenged her to actively shift her viewpoint in order to discover the hidden advantages of her situation and new depths of resilience in herself.

Now a sought-after speaker, she's imparting these hard-won lessons to help you adapt, persevere, and innovate in your own life. Brimming with valuable insights forged in the fire -- from Lindsey's journey and from other inspiring individuals she's met along the way -- The Gift of Perspective is ready to meet you where you are, and no matter where adversity may find you.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Figure 1 Publishing.

Book club questions for The Gift of Perspective by Lindsey Roy

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

Lindsey describes many views on the concept of perspective. What does perspective mean to you?

What was an experience in your life that forever shifted your perspective?

Faith, specifically Lindsey’s relationship with God, shaped her journey and gave her comfort and peace in the darkest of times. What role has your faith played in your life, especially in seasons of challenge?

Lindsey shares stories from many people she’s met along the way. Who is someone who has inspired you, specifically someone you met on a road less traveled?

Lindsey shares many stories that involve her children and parenting through challenging times. What is something you’ve learned from parenting through a challenging time?

The introduction to The Gift of Perspective discusses this idea of sharing stories to add to our collective wisdom. The underlying notion is we will all face different experiences in our lives and ultimately learn from them. By sharing our struggles and our learnings, we can help each other in the shared experience of life. What are your thoughts on this idea?

Vulnerability is the theme of one of the seven chapters in the book. Does vulnerability come easily to you or do you find being vulnerable difficult?

A memorable story in the book is Lindsey’s trip to the Alamo Bowl. The resulting lesson is there can be benefits in letting loose of the desire to control every detail and seeing where life may take you. Do you have an experience where this type of thing happened to you? Is there an area you want to give this idea a try?

Each chapter opened with a quote. Which one spoke most to you?

There is a phrase in the book, “your pain will either be your prison or your platform”. How can you leverage this idea and/or do you know someone who has used their pain for good?

There are lots of stories woven into this book. Which story is most memorable to you?

There are mentions of how music played a role in Lindsey’s life, to both identify a situation as well as to help cope with a situation. Does music play a role like this in your life? Is there a song that particularly speaks to you or served you in a certain time of your life?

Do you know an organ donor or organ recipient?

Who’s the most resilient person you’ve known? What do you think made them that way?

What’s the most resourceful you’ve ever been in your life? What do you think drove you to be so resourceful in that moment?

Did you find yourself feeling more gratitude for a normal day than you did prior to reading this book? Have you found a way to maintain that perspective and daily gratitude?

Do you have an example in your life where you made assumptions that ended up being false? What did that teach you?

The brands of belief in the final chapter of the book describe the different ways Lindsey has kept belief alive in her heart and soul in the most challenging times. Which brands of belief have you tried before? What did these ideas inspire in you?

The Gift of Perspective Book Club Questions PDF

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