When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Did you know there are libraries where you can borrow a person instead of a book? This project, the Human Library®, is a library of people in the true sense of the word. This innovative and brilliant project was established in 2000 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It exists in over 80 countries, intending to help others understand and appreciate someone else’s unique world.
We live in a world of assumption, yet hearing the volunteers’ stories helps us realize how much we should not ′′judge a book by its cover”. Some of the people sharing their stories are those who are Deaf and Blind, Refugees, Bipolar, Physically and Mentally Challenged, Transgender, Homeless, Soldiers with PTSD, Autism, etc. The goal of this project is to fight prejudice.
By talking to people we would not usually meet, such as those who have experienced prejudice, social exclusion, or stigma, the Human Library allows the participants to ask the volunteers questions, learn about them, and at the same time challenge our own preconceived judgments.
The Human Library’s purpose is to bring the spirit of compassion and loving awareness into our lives, often resulting in a change of one’s perspective. Bringing different social and ethnic groups together helps us overcome biases, stereotypes, and discrimination by understanding others and changing attitudes. Imagine what a different world we would live in if we all worked toward the greater good of humanity.
We all want the same thing.…we want to know that we matter.
Make kindness a habit.
To Your Success,
Peak Performance Coach