Hersch Wilson is a writer, speaker, ballet dancer, and dog owner, and many other things. But the part of his life that we will cover today is that he has been a volunteer firefighter for thirty years.
Today we will be speaking about his book Firefighter Zen and how to thrive in tough times. Let’s listen to the conversation.
“First Responding is life magnified. We care for people in the most extraordinary and sometimes tragic moments of their lives. High purpose, tragedy, joy, and the deep and profound relationships that come with doing important work together are experiences that first responders have weekly and sometimes daily. It is transformative; it changes how you see life, work, and love.”
Hersch Wilson is a thirty-year veteran volunteer Firefighter-EMT with the Hondo Fire Department in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. He is also a story-teller, committed to explaining how First Responding can change how we see and experience our own lives.
In his “real job” Hersch Wilson is a writer, speaker, and consultant.
In the past twenty-five years, Hersch Wilson has worked extensively with leadership teams from a variety of organizations including Kodak, IBM Japan, Altria, The United States Postal Service, the CIA, Kraft Foods, and Baxter Healthcare to name a few.
Hersch Wilson has co-written three national business best sellers with Larry Wilson, including the awarding-winning, “Playing to Win!: Choosing Growth Over Fear in Work and in Life.”
His latest project, based on thirty years as a volunteer firefighter, is helping individuals and organizations see the world as firefighters do and learn how to thrive through traumatic and stressful times.
Hersch Wilson shares many of the lessons he has learned as a firefighter in his blog. Check it out.
Hersch attended Colorado College and graduated with a BA in English from the University of Minnesota. Prior to becoming a writer and consultant, Hersch was a ballet dancer and actor. He performed in Canada, Switzerland, and the United States. He has also worked as a flight instructor and commercial pilot.
Finally, he is obsessed with dogs. The Wilsons currently have two large Bernese Mountain Dogs, Nellie and Tank, and one rescue terrier-chihuahua named Maisie.
Firefighter Zen: A Field Guide to Thriving in Tough Times
Be brave. Be kind. Fight fires.”
That’s the motto of firefighters, like Hersch Wilson, who spend their lives walking toward, rather than away from, danger and suffering.
As in Zen practice, firefighters are trained to be fully in the moment and present to each heartbeat, each life at hand.
In this unique collection of true stories and practical wisdom, Wilson shares the Zen-like techniques that allow people like him to stay grounded while navigating danger, comforting others, and coping with their personal response to each crisis.
Every life contains unexpected and unwelcome moments. How you cope with those inevitable events, more than the events themselves defines the quality of your life. Firefighter Zen is an invaluable guide to meeting every day with your best calm, resilient, and optimistic self.”
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