Some books are researched. This one was lived. Own Your Resilience was shaped by years of real challenge, deep listening, and the hard-won clarity that comes from walking through grief, transition, and rebuilding. This book offers a different way of understanding resilience, not as something you either have or don’t, but as something you can choose, practice, and grow into. Inside, you’ll find honest insight and practical tools to help you navigate whatever life places in front of you with agency, clarity, and self-trust.
own your resilience
book launching nov 10th, 2026
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You want practical tools grounded in real experience, not just theory.
You’re ready to stop waiting for life to settle down before you start living it.
You’ve made it through something hard and are now asking, what comes next?
You’re navigating loss, transition, or uncertainty and looking for a way forward.
This book is for you if...
if you're wondering... who is this book for?
—Elliot Ackerman
"Own Your Resilience is a beautifully written testimonial, one that affirms a wife’s love for her husband, and how those of us who are touched by loss can be made stronger by it."
"For anyone who’s suffered a devastating loss, Jennifer's story shows how we can find a life of joy and meaning on the other side."
Marine veteran & New York Times bestselling author
CEO United Service Organizations (USO)
—LTG (Ret.) Michael Linnington
"In Own Your Resilience, she shares her deeply personal journey of unimaginable loss and, through it, teaches us all what it means to live with courage, purpose, and joy. Her story is not just one of survival, but of choosing hope in the face of heartbreak—and inspiring others to do the same."
"Jennifer Ballou is a Soldier, a leader, and above all, a beacon of resilience."
Co-author of Finding Waypoints: A Warrior’s Journey Towards Peace and Purpose
—COL Gregory D. Gadson, USA (Ret)
"Her story of personifies courage not only to survive, but to thrive through personal courage and vulnerability. Her example is for everyone."
"Jennifer’s story is so much more than an amazing journey of strength of a Gold Star family, spouse and Soldier."
Co-author of The Resilience Factor: 7 Keys to Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life's Hurdles
— Karen Reivich, PH.D.
"Jennifer's book inspires, motivates and teaches us how to use science backed tools to work through life’s hardest challenges. She writes with wisdom, honesty, and humor which makes this book uplifting and energizing to read. Through the stories she shares and strategies she teaches, we gain a roadmap to find our own pathway through the adversities we face and reach our fullest potential."
"Own Your Resilience shows us how to create a life of deep connection and joy."
Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Former Vietnam POW
—Charlie Plumb
"As a former Vietnam prisoner of war, I have long believed adversity is a terrible thing to waste. In Own Your Resilience, Jennifer Ballou shows readers how to transform hardship into purpose through resilience, courage, and choice."
"Her insights are practical, inspiring, and hard-earned."
What people are saying...
This book comes from a place of guiding others through life’s hardest moments while learning to navigate my own. From that experience, I came to understand that resilience doesn’t ask you to disappear into the struggle.
As a retired Army veteran, war widow, and yoga therapist, I wrote Own Your Resilience to offer what I know many are searching for: clarity, practical tools, and the reassurance that you are more capable than you’ve been led to believe.
The strength was already there. Own Your Resilience is how you step into it.
MEET JEN
the author
Written from lived experience, for the woman still in it.
The conversation doesn't end with the last page. Join me for intimate virtual gatherings where we'll explore the stories and ideas in Own Your Resilience through meaningful conversation, personal reflection, and connection with others. Whether you've finished the book or are just beginning, you're welcome to join. Reading beforehand is encouraged to make our time together even more meaningful.
BEYOND THE BOOK
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Bring Own Your Resilience to your organization, book club, or community for an engaging and meaningful conversation. Through personal stories, guided reflection, and thoughtful discussion, I'll invite participants to explore the book's themes and consider how courage, connection, and intentional choices shape the way we live.
