Untamed: A Book Review

For when you feel the need to put some work into your best self, this reads for you.

Glennon Doyle’s Untamed had caught my eye a few times before, not only because of the flashy cover but having been recommended a few times by friends, I decided to take the plunge. When I tell you this book changed my outlook on life I am not lying. I never felt more heard than reading through the pages of how she became her best unapologetic self. Her struggles as not only a woman, but a mom, and how she handled adversity in her personal life really stuck out to me in the way that she admitted that she sometimes had these big feelings she didn’t know what to do with, and how that was perfectly okay. Our lives are nowhere near similar, yet even though our life experiences don’t match up, the core belief of her being matched up perfectly with mine. She built herself up to be this person that not only gives herself grace when it comes to living her life, but extends it to others, but in a way that doesn’t sacrifice the island she built for her family. With all that praise being put forth, let’s dig into the details of the book!

The Pros:

The anecdotes and musings she shares in this book are glass ceiling shattering as she takes the reader on her journey of self-discovery, what worked, what didn’t, the speed bumps along the way, and then allows them to think about what the journey looks like for them. The resilience shown in her journey is inspiring, and she sprinkles in plenty of no-nonsense practical tips along the way for those embarking on their own journey. Although her life experiences are different than mine, she still was able to create a narrative that was relatable and applicable to my own life and journey. Her words were empowering and inspiring and really helped me to fill my self-discovery toolbox towards being my best-untamed individual.

I really enjoyed her honest take on mindfulness through out the book, she talked about when faced with a big life decision as an adult, she started by sitting in her closet for ten minutes each day to find “her knowing”, that logical part of your brain that knows exactly what you should do and why. She refers to this process repeatedly through out as a way she reconnects and recharges in order to make things happen. That skill alone of being mindful of decisions and taking that time to really flesh them out without giving yourself time to start spiraling is a skill I’ve begun incorporating into my own day to day because it’s so powerful.

Glennon also talks about motherhood on and off, when she found out she was pregnant with her oldest it wasn’t the best timing for her, so she picked up the motto “We can do hard things” from a fellow teacher friends classroom wall, and that has really helped her come to terms with the roller coaster that is parenting, and I felt that. She takes her life experiences and turns them into power moves of resilience, but she also doesn’t lull you into a false sense of security about her mental health and resilience, I was pleasantly surprised to see that she put “taking your meds” twice on her list of successful mental health practices, she is honest and human, she knows the world doesn’t revolve around butterflies and rainbows, and doesn’t expect you to either.

The Cons:

The storyline of her journey is non-linear, I was working overnights when I read this, so I’d have to re-read some parts to make sense of the stories she was putting forth. Some parts that had me rolling my eyes just from the privilege aspect of it, obviously, it’s easier to be your best-untamed self when you’re a successful author and philanthropist married to a professional athlete, however, once I took off the green glasses of jealousy, she still allowed her narrative to be more about the inner workings of who she was as a person than the circumstances that brought her to become that person.

The Wrap Up:

Fueled with girl power and the skills needed to start chipping away at my own cage, Glennon Doyle’s Untamed offers a look into how she became who she is. The unapologetic lifestyle is one that we all strive for, and Glennon illustrated the how’s and whys to achieve it while throwing in words that brought me to tears, made me laugh, and ignited the flame of adventure on my own untamed journey.