Sasha K. Shillcutt - Between Grit and Grace: The Art of Being Feminine and Formidable

Praise for

Between GRIT and GRACE

In this remarkable book, Dr. Sasha Shillcutt eloquently navigates the rocky terrain associated with being a strong, intelligent, and empathic woman. Focusing on grit and grace, she entertains readers with stories that will make them laugh out loud and leaves them with solid advice that they can apply to their own lives. Great leaders do wear lipstick, and in the time-honored tradition of women supporting other women, this book is one that youll want to pass on to your colleagues, mentees, and friends.

Julie Silver, MD, associate professor, Harvard Medical School, director of a womens leadership course for physicians, and author of You Can Heal Yourself: A Guide to Physical and Emotional Recovery After Injury or Illness

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is a whirlwind of down-to-earth, commonsense advice for every woman aspiring to be fierce, fearless, and forward-looking. She has an innate sense of how to combine being a successful physician, wife, mom, blogger, and mentor with an edgy dose of badass empowerment. This book is a prescription to heal what ails all of us!

Deborah R. Gilg, JD, retired U.S. Attorney for Nebraska

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt writes in a style that makes you feel like you are getting great advice from your best friend. She connects in a way that makes you feel like she speaks to your soul. She gets you. She is you. Dr. Shillcutt is a fearless innovative leader and a phenomenal physician, mother, wife, and writer. She balances all these facets with imperfectly beautiful grace. Finding Dr. Shillcutt and joining her tribe truly changed my life in so many ways. I am a better physician mother, wife, and friend because of her brilliance and wisdom.

Brittney Terry, DO , pediatrician

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is uniquely qualified to write on the topic of authentic leadership as a woman. Not only is she a national leader in her field in medicine, but she has also managed to create a group, which has grown to thousands, comprised of women physicians who support, encourage, and uplift each other, from all ends of the country. Her authenticity is palpable, and her willingness to be transparent with both her successes and failures as a woman, wife, mother, physician, and friend has inspired many of us to reach for heights in our personal and professional lives that we may not have otherwise.

DAnna Mullins, MD, PhD, hematology and oncology

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is an extraordinary woman, physician, leader, and entrepreneur. Her words are eloquent, showcasing both her vulnerability and strength. She has a strong passion for elevating women around her, encouraging them to be their best selves. Her book Between Grit and Grace will be a must-read for anyone who wants to be inspired to be authentic, be visionary, and be brave.

Rakhee K. Bhayani, MD, associate professor of medicine, Washington University School of Medicine

Dr. Shillcutt is a true role model for countless women on how to lead authentically. Dr. Shillcutt is a strong, decisive, and confident leader. She has united women by sharing her own true opportunities and challenges, and this transparency has served as the nidus for so many women to grow in their own careers, personal life, and wellness. Dr. Shillcutt writes from the heart, with such grace, and is wise beyond her years. I have always been inspired when she puts pen to paper, as the resulting product is always inspiring.

Amy S. Oxentenko, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF, professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic, gastroenterology and hepatology

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt has a unique talent for leading women to be their true, authentic selves. As a physician educator, she is strong, well respected, and hardworking. As a wife and mother, she is giving and kindhearted. Despite being a busy physician and mother, she continues to uplift and encourage other women to achieve their individual goals and potential. Using personal narratives, humor, and her intellect, Dr. Shillcutt prescribes straightforward, manageable techniques for every woman to discover their inner moxie!

Shivani Mukkamala, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology, Emory University

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available through the Library of Congress

2020 Sasha K. Shillcutt, MD

ISBN-13: 978-07573-2347-8 (Paperback)

ISBN-10: 07573-2347-2 (Paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-07573-2348-5 (ePub)

ISBN-10: 07573-2348-0 (ePub)

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

HCI, its logos, and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

1700 NW 2nd Ave.

Boca Raton, FL 334321653

Cover design by Larissa Hise Henoch

Interior design and formatting by Lawna Patterson Oldfield

TO LANCEFOR LIGHTING THE PATH TOWARD MY AUTHENTIC SELF, AND LOVING ME THROUGH ALL THE DETOURS.

AND TO SAMUEL, ASHER, SOPHIA, AND LEVIYOU ARE THE BEST OF MY LIFE.

I will no longer act as if I were less than the whole person I know myself inwardly to be.

Rosa Parks

I have wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember. I love to read, and I spent most of my childhood hiding with a book, lost in a world of inspectors and green gables and women flying planes in WWII. When I was finally brave enough to say the words out loud, I want to write a book, they had been living in my head for a long time. I dont think I ever felt as vulnerable as when I claimed those words; it was like handing a newborn baby over to a five-year-old.

Do not drop her; she is fragile.

I was smart enough to hand my dream over to a well-known author, Dr. Julie Silver. I knew she wouldnt drop the baby, and I also knew she wouldnt feed me a line of false pleasantries or empty lies.

She not only held my dream, but she also fed it. She connected me with wonderful resources and told me to persist. To Julie, thank you for the honest feedback, the priceless advice, and for helping me and so many others through your Harvard writing course. You are pure magic.

To Martha Murphy, thank you for your superb editorial guidance and for encouraging me to write in my authentic voice. I am a better writer because of you. To Jeanne, thank you for your diligence to see this project come to life and believing a woman from Nebraska had something to say. Your tenacity is so appreciated. To Christine, thank you for your excellent editorial guidance. To Nicole, thank you for being equal parts cheerleader and wordsmith; for assuring me a hundred times that someone would find my words interesting. To Michelle, thank you for your loyalty and fixing all my mistakes with grace.

To my sisters: Dr. Mina Lee, Dr. Ali Novitsky, Aimee Lowe, Laurie Baedke, Dr. Sybile Val, Dr. Shivani Mukkamala, Dr. Brittney Terry, Dr. Jennifer Best, Dr. Casey Lewis, Dr. Julie Smith, Dr. Michelle Otero, Jayme Small, Dr. Tara Brakke, Dr. Stephanie Randall, Dr. J. Schoemaker, Dr. Gail Yanney, Aimee Lowe, and honestly so many others thank you for seeing me for who I strive to be, not for who I am.

To my family, thank you for all the countless times you stepped in Michaela, Pack, Leah, TJ, Amy, Deanna, and Mike thank you for the endless car rides, meals, loving my kids, and the grace upon grace upon grace that is required to do life with Sasha. You are my biggest blessing, and I am only able to pour into others because you pour into me.