A Look At Glennon Doyle, Author Of Carry On, Warrior And Untamed
A Look At Glennon Doyle, Author Of Carry On, Warrior And Untamed
Experiencing menopause and turning 50 have been pivotal moments in my life. The downward spiral I have been in since those events has made me more aware of myself and my needs, and I have explored many ways of halting my current trajectory and injecting some positivity into the situation. I attended a “reclaim your midlife mojo” workshop, designed and led by the motivational Lee Chalmers. That’s where I first heard of the work of Glennon Doyle and, specifically, her book Untamed.
If you haven’t heard of her, Glennon is an author, speaker, activist, and the co-founder of Together Rising – an all-women-led organization that has raised over $20 million U.S. dollars for women, families, and children in crisis. She’s also so much more to so many women.
“This book will shake your brain and make your soul scream. Read it. Live it. Practice it.” Adele
Published in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, Untamed is Glennon’s third memoir – and is considered a lifeline for millions of women. It sat at #1 on The New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for seven weeks and has sold approximately two million copies across the globe. It is both hilarious and remarkably tender. Documenting Glennon’s journey from conforming wife and mother, battling everyday challenges and addictions, including food, alcohol, and drugs, to a new self, an untamed self. With more control over her destiny and accepting who she was, she moves toward her more authentic self. I devoured its pages. When I had read the final page and put it down, I picked it right back up and read it again. This time, armed with a highlighter pen, I marked all the phrases that resonated with me. I didn’t leave my partner, as some women decided to do. Instead, I created space for me to be who I need to be, explore what I want, and test it out. I set aside time to focus on myself, booked night school classes, and got back into meditation. I also decided that the 6th of each month would be my day, not only in my birth month but every month. On that day, I would honour myself and my desires. As a self-confessed “people pleaser,” Untamed helped me to first satisfy myself and shed the desire to please others constantly.
I was hooked by her story, incredible honesty, and no-nonsense mantra. Compelled to find out more about this modest, inspiring, and vulnerable spirit, I turned to her weekly podcast We Can Do Hard Things, which, at the time of writing, had released its 112th episode. Tackling subjects from addiction and abortion to fun and falling in love, it delivers frank discussion and debate. The content is as honest and relevant today as it was in that very first episode back in May 2021. Check out We Can Do Hard Things on your favourite podcast service if you haven’t already listened to it.
A Warrior is Born!
Inspired by her recent experiences and eager to learn more about her life before she met her wife, Abby Wambach, I got my hands on another of her books, Carry On, Warrior. Published in 2013, it is the first of her memoirs, following how Glennon transformed her life from an unmarried addict to a caring mother when she discovered on Mother’s Day in 2002 that she was expecting her first child. The book is raw and honest. It highlights her incredible courage while also exposing her vulnerabilities. And it seeks to remind women that it’s ok not to be ok – that we don’t always need to be “on” and perfect. It’s ok to admit that life is hard, that being a mother, a lover, a friend, a sister, the whole life package, is complex. But we can do it our way because, as Glennon and Abby show us in their podcast, we can do hard things!
Image via Jacqui Hodges
Looking for more reasons to love and admire Glennon? Why not check out Angel City Football Club, a professional National Women’s Soccer League team co-owned by Glennon and many other powerful women, including Natalie Portman, Jennifer Garner, and Serena Williams, as well as some past players from the women’s national team. This is women lifting women. If you’re ever in California, why not check them out? I know that I hope to watch them play someday.
With 30 years of general management experience in the global insurance industry and having lived in 4 countries, Jacqui now spends her time between London and New York where she continues to pursue her passion for writing, food, books and travel.
A Reiki practitioner, yogi and huge animal advocate, her home isn’t complete without a furbaby or three. In addition to being a BooknBrunch contributor, she writes for industry publications.
Favourite book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Favourite brunch dish: avocado toast with tomato and chilli
