As I was listening to this Burnt Toast podcast episode with Ruth Reichl, I realized there are 3 women that changed my life. The most influential three woman I have never met. They have completely different backgrounds, yet speak on subjects that are so intertwined. I can with conviction say that I wouldn’t be the same without these women in my life. One I have had the pleasure of sharing a meal with and if asked what three women I would most want to invite to dinner I would quickly add the other two.
Ruth Reichl
Ruth stirred a passion for food writing and the idea that stories about food are powerful. That connecting with people over a good, or a bad, meal is one of the things everyone should cherish in life. When I first read Garlic & Sapphires it sounded like such a magical idea to write about food for a living. I had already started my modest blog and the idea of making it a career started to take hold. Her story telling and the importance she placed on sharing meals in the early chapters of that book and future books struck such a cord.
That was the kind of writing I wanted to do. Problem was I had zero confidence and what felt like even less know-how on starting that path. I just kept reading, writing a little (aka not nearly as much as I should have) and kept dream of what it would be like to write about food for a living. Of the three ladies she is the one I have shared a meal with. A lovely lunch with my mom and a few hundred other people at a book event. It wasn’t intimate, but it meant the world to share it with my mom.
Elizabeth Gilbert
Life threw me some curveballs and I uprooted myself from my 10 year home in California and finally moved to San Francisco. It was the best decision I ever made, but the anxiety that had already started to surface took over and I was battling weekly anxiety attacks. With a few more beers than I needed I made new friends and pushed the anxiety to the side. When that didn’t work I had my xanax prescription. All stopgap measures that weren’t leading to a healthier me.
A Christmas present in 2009 finally gave me some clarity and I started doing things to handle my anxiety the right way. I had passed Eat Pray Love in bookstores for years at this point. I picked it up, read the cover and put it down so many times I still don’t know how I hadn’t read it before a friend gave it to me that Christmas.
Liz Gilbert put me on a path to actually find myself. She opened my eyes to changing my attitude and the impact that small changes could have in my life. The Eat chapter drew me in immediately. The Pray part made sense. The love part scared the hell out of me but I cherished every word for when I would need it. She continues today with her podcast, and book Big Magic. She seems to tirelessly inspire woman just by having the courage to speak what we need to hear. Like this gem about the best thing you can do for yourself. She just keeps popping up to remind me I am on the right path. She is also a good transition to the third lady.
Brene Brown
Brene only came to me recently at a point where I felt like a failure because life had introduced some more curveballs. She helped me step out of the shame and tell myself a new story. Her Ted Talk on the power of vulnerability was my introduction and I was hooked. That 20 minutes helps me put myself into scary situations that have the potential to get me where I want to be. I am still working through her books, but because of them I am a little easier on myself. I don’t beat myself nearly as much and I am able to start a new story when I get too caught up telling myself I am not good enough. If you want a little more check out this talk on shame and daring greatly and her site.
These ladies have helped me find my voice in so many ways. I wish I could repay them in a way bigger than buying their books, but since that is what I have I will continue to fill my shelves as long as they continue to write.
May something inspire and teach you and lead you on your own wonderful path.
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