The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce by Lisa Toth Book Tour, Guest Post & More! {Ends 4/5/24}

Review By LAWonder10:

This is a very interesting book about the author’s interest in aiding those with Developmental and/or Other Disabilities to realize their worth and help others to do the same.

She begins her story with a Down Syndrome friend she had as a small child then other developmentally challenged and/or disabled children she knew. The lack of respect they were given, drove her into the career she chose that would enable her to be of help to these individuals in the workforce.

She shares with us her work experiences in a few of the companies that have put effort orth in training and placing these individuals, enabling them to be productive and independent. 

Eventually, she used her experiences and the things she learned to create her own company and Talk Show on radio. 

At the end of the book, she introduces her team.

I truly believe in the goals of her ventures and others who are doing such great work in the field. This is remarkable and I applaud all those who dedicate their lives to making these special individuals appreciated and allowing them to feel their self-worth.

The book is a quality-created hardback with secure binding. It is written well and never boring.

I offer a Five-Stars rating for this book.

This book was gifted to me with no pressure to post a positive review. This is my honest review.

“Back to the Future” By: Lisa Toth

A question I’ve been asked quite often is what I would tell my younger self if I could go back in time. I thought young Lisa was amazing. Her experiences shaped me into who I am today, and if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be living my dream. I think if anything we could learn a few important lessons from young Lisa.

First lesson, if someone gives you any sort of reason as to why you shouldn’t hang out with someone who is different than you, it isn’t a good reason.

When I was a young girl, I had a neighbor who lived a few blocks down the street from me named Johnny. Johnny lived with nonverbal Down Syndrome, which meant he couldn’t speak to me, but he could communicate with me in his own way. My parents forbade me from hanging out with Johnny, their reason being that he looked and acted differently than other kids. Even being young, I knew that wasn’t a good reason, and I ended up becoming good friends with Johnny. Even though I soon moved away, my friendship with him changed my life and set the foundation of what became my life passion. Hang out and learn from people who are different from you, it’s worth it.

Next lesson, let your imagination run wild and create from that wealth of energy and creativity.

As a young child, I loved to play in the world my mind cultivated. I was a passionate reader, loving every trip to the library and writing stories, poems, plays, and more. My siblings and I would play together and act out the creations we would come up with. One of my all-time favorite things as a kid was soap operas. My siblings and I would watch General Hospital and replicate the scenes and plots we would watch almost every day. Fun fact and silly story wrapped in one, I loved General Hospital so much when my parents said we had to spend time with our horses before we could watch TV, we brought them into our house and watched TV as we sat on them.

All this to say, we let our imaginations run wild to dream and create as children, and we have to allow ourselves the space and time to create throughout our lives— especially as adults. When we create, we also come up with innovative solutions for complex problems (like bringing your horse into the living room to watch your favorite soap opera).

Lastly, it’s ok to forge your own path and do things that are different from what everyone else is doing.

I wasn’t afraid to stand out. I was the oldest of my siblings, which ignited a quality of leadership in me. When I saw someone mistreating someone, I wasn’t afraid to stand up for them. As I grew up, I did things differently than the rest. One of my favorite quotes is “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” Little Lisa lived this out beautifully, and it still resonates with me to this day. Don’t be afraid to be you or stand out because who you are is amazing.

Sometimes we can learn more from our younger selves who had no inhibitions and allowed themselves to be fully who they were. Take some time to reflect and learn from your younger self.