Connect: What Everyone Wants, What Few of Us Find ... and the Kicker Is That It's Right There in Front of You

by Mark Ebinger

Connection. More than social status, more than the latest car, the swankest house, the most prestigious career, or the most "likes" on social media, deep down what we all really want is to connect fully and authentically with the other people in our lives. Trouble is, most of us have spent a lifetime cultivating habits and behaviors that keep us disconnected from others, and even from ourselves. Enter Connect --and just in time. This book offers a road map to reconnection at a time when loneliness in our culture is at an all-time high. Here is the antidote, a step-by-step guide to a more satisfying and meaningful life. Author Mark Ebinger shares personal stories of his own journey to reconnection and shines a light on the truths about human nature that make isolation and disconnection all too easy. And each chapter includes practical exercises you can do to set you on your own path to greater connection, and to keep you on it. Do you crave deeper connection in your life? Connect will show you the way.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction

388 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2020

About the author

While in his forties, Mark Ebinger discovered a passion for learning and personal growth. Now in his fifties, he lives his life with deep compassion, commitment, and a focus on fun. He wrote Connect to help fulfill his life's purpose: teaching people how to generate connection with themselves, others, and life, using methods that worked for him. Mark lives in Denver and Fort Lauderdale.

Reviews

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connect is a self-help book geared to assist the reader in creating a more meaningful life. Author Mark Ebinger shares personal stories and strategies so we can reconnect with our human nature.

I found the book to be very organized. It was apparent how much the author cared about making sure the reader understood and followed through with the work. The book is divided into three sections.
Section one discusses the ability to connect to oneself. This segment teaches you how to shift your mindset, live with intention, identify your blind spots, and heal the past. Section two allows you to connect to others. I particularly enjoyed this section as it talked about transformative listening, consciously joining, and renewing relationships. Section three discusses how to connect to life. This part was important to me as it lets you know how to find your flow and connect to your purpose.

Since Mark Ebinger’s intention in life has been to help and develop people’s expression of their gifts and calling. His work reflects this notion and deeply fulfills the need to create great meaning in life.

“Our time here on Earth is relatively brief, and a life well lived means making the kind of difference we were meant to on this planet.”

I recommend this book to anyone who likes self-help material and wishes to live a better life.

[Enakshi J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connect is not a book for passive readers. This is the very first thought that came to my mind once I had finished reading the introduction. Even the author mentions this very clearly. Based on the hypothesis that ‘we are all connected by a tangible tether of love between us’, Connect guides you through the intensive process of identifying the areas of life where you ‘stop short of fully connecting’ with yourself and with others. For all the ensurient individuals who are always on the lookout for devouring books that leave an indelible impact on the mind, Connect should be your next choice.

The book is categorized into three parts: Connecting to self, connecting to others and connecting to life. Weaving an engaging narrative together with nonfiction deductions, Mark deftly passes the muster. His writing has a charm that makes you read and read even more. His words make you empathize with him, for you feel like you have gone through similar circumstances. And this acts as a boon because only when you are able to relate with the mindset of the author can his/her words make a difference.

Neatly edited and perfectly categorized, Connect is the book that helped me connect with my mind and understand the shortcomings in my relationship with my being.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a goodreads giveaway. I did like it however I didn’t really find the exercises At the end of each chapter very practical for me personally.
Some of the statements really resonated with me like: “our biggest pains can turn into our deepest strengths, if we do the work.” And choosing self development so One doesn’t repeat Unhealthy behaviors, and giving examples of people who have done so.

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really think its often commendable when an author takes the time to openly share parts of their past that can leave them vulnerable. Sharing isn't easy, and I found that Mr. Ebinger being so willing made the entire book more relatable. There are a lot of well-taught lessons about acceptance, being happy with who you are, and oddly enough forgiveness. We're humans and creatures of habit so that's not always something we focus on. I appreciate the exercises that were shared as well as the way it was organized. Overall, it's a well put together, a focused book centered around learning and developing better parts of who you are as a person.