Untamed

I was in my feelings when I read this book. Pretty deep into them, in fact. Blame hormones. Blame stress. Blame, you know, the GLOBAL PANDEMIC. But, I was feeling it all that week and I thought maybe this wasn't the week I should be reading this book.

Then, Ms Doyle told me the truth: you have to feel all the feelings. You don't have to fix pain, you don't have to push away stress, you don't have to avoid loneliness. You have to let yourself feel it all.

I've never read a Glennon Doyle book before and didn't really know much about her. But, I do know this: every woman should read this in her late 20s or early 30s. You should read it at time when you're still checking the boxes for everyone else. Read it when you think you have to push aside everything that lights you up in order to be a "good" mom or a "good" wife or a "good" girl. I look back at that time in my life and I want to shake that young woman by the shoulders. You become free when you realize that it's not your lot in life to sacrifice everything about you for everyone else. 

Am I enlightened in that way now that I'm in my early 40s? I'd like to say yes, but I'd be lying to you. I still feel myself stifling opinions, thoughts, dreams, plans in order to do the things that make other people happy. But, I do it a lot less now. And, reading this book made me realize that I still have a long way to go.

The whole premise here is living your wild. What is the voice inside you that made you an unabashed, brave 8-year old? She's still in there. You just have to let a lot of other people's expectations go in order to find her.

I devoured this book - it's an easy read, it's interesting and empowering. She got a little heavy-handed with the metaphors at times, but it didn't bother me too much until the end. Overall, it's worth a read for every woman who has been afraid to raise her hand or ask what she wants. And, I know every one of us has been there.

As for that feelings thing? Yeah, that's the one I'm really working on. I rarely allow myself to work through all these emotions - especially as a mom and a boss that people rely on. Maybe now is not the time to feel everything  - because everything's kind of shitty in the world, you know? But, I'm committed to trying. If worse comes to worst, I'll just blame the pandemic.