“My favourite place to fall is at the dog park, although that might change if I ever land in the wrong spot. Why is it my favourite place to fall if I must? Because inevitably, five or six furballs come running over as if to shout out, “Hooman down!” I can’t describe the joy I feel looking up to see a bunch of furry faces looking at me with big panting smiles and wagging their tails! There is no worry on their part, no shame or embarrassment on mine. Just pure joy as I look at their smiling faces!”
– From The Art of Falling, by Donna Oberg
Donna Oberg estimates she’s fallen down around 8 million times, give or take a few hundred. When you’ve hit the pavement that many times, you’ve probably learnt a thing or two about the process. For example, we aren’t as fragile as we think and it’s always a good idea to carry band-aids and polysporin. All of those tumbles and lessons led Donna to champion of what she refers to as GRIT.
That’s why she has written The Art of Falling.
Donna was born with cerebral palsy, which means that falling is often just a part of life. However, a motor disability didn’t stop her from becoming a flourishing finance leader within Shell Canada and a longtime supporter and volunteer for United Way of Calgary and Area.
Donna is embarking on a new path as a life coach and author with her book launch last week.
The Art of Falling is a humorous, easy-to-read look at a lifetime of lessons, setbacks, and travel adventures along with a steady helping of grit and determination, all told in Donna’s no-nonsense voice.
Donna is generously donating 10% of her book sales to United Way, and in the meantime, she is funding the publication of her book via an Indigogo campaign.
If you’d like to hear more of Donna’s impactful stories and advice, we encourage you to listen to her reading a 10 minute excerpt from a chapter titled Look for the helpers: