Glennon Doyle opens up her latest book, Untamed, with a story from an animal park. The zookeeper introduces a Labrador, Minnie, who is best friends with Tabitha the cheetah. Minnie’s job, since Tabitha was a baby cheetah, was to keep Tabitha tamed.
Glennon’s heart connected with Tabitha. Tamed. Like so many women.
Glennon’s memoir is a story of becoming untamed. It’s the appropriate next chapter to Love Warrior, where Glennon shares her story on how she saved her marriage. In Untamed, Glennon sheds her tamed skin, by leaving her husband, falling in love and marrying Abby Wambach, and raising her children.
She tears up “memos” about how to raise daughters, respect your mother’s opinion, and what family looks like. Being untamed is not an overnight process, for sure, but with Glennon’s stories and inspiration, you’ll feel ready to take the journey.
Glennon’s writing style is gorgeous to read, and I love how each chapter reads like a standalone essay. I felt saddened when Glennon deals with her sadness, but I always felt empowered. I want to be untamed too!
My big takeaways:
#1: Your broken heart is the beginning of your changemaker journey.
I teach changemakers in Celestial University, and one thing I see they have in common a recovering broken heart. And that broken heart inspires them to change the world in some way.
Glennon writes “Heartbreak delivers your purpose. If you are brave enough to accept that delivery and seek out the people doing that particular world-changing work, you find your people.” (page 269)
Changemakers maneuver through their despair until they reach courage – courage to share their message, their story, and their purpose. Beautiful!
#2: Loud women make women uncomfortable.
Glennon also notices a phenomenon among women. When a woman takes her rightful place, other women start to dislike her – for reasons they’re not even sure why. Perhaps the woman exudes an air of entitlement or makes us aware of our timid ways.
“There’s just something about her” becomes the core of this disdain.
This reminded me of Senator Elizabeth Warren when she ran for president. I can’t tell you how many women shook their head and felt uncomfortable with Senator Warren’s loudness. When pressed, these women couldn’t tell you exactly why they disliked Senator Warren. “There’s just something about her.”
Women, we need to do a better job supporting fellow women who are getting loud. We need to stop tearing down strong women – or we won’t have any strong women left.
How Untamed relates to entrepreneurs:
Female entrepreneurs are here to change the world. To do this, we must become untamed. We have to shake off our societal conditioning of modesty, silence, and self-reserve. The patriarchy wants us to be quiet and self-doubting, but it does not serve women. Ever.
If you need a boost of self-empowerment, Untamed is the book for you. Not only will it empower you as an entrepreneur, you will feel empowered as a lover, daughter, sister, mother, and friend.
