Molly Galbraith - Strong Women Lift Each Other Up

The personal is political was a slogan of the womens movement in the 1960s and 70s. Molly has reinterpreted that concept for the twenty-first century, artfully weaving her personal experiences with structured curriculum to help women move past a competition and scarcity-based mentality. Molly demonstrates compellingly and practically how the ripple effect of lifting up other women, even in small ways, can result in major shifts for us all.

Krista Scott-Dixon, PhD

Head of Curriculum Development, Precision Nutrition

Grounded in personal history, the empowering story of Girls Gone Strong, and an intersectional lens, Mollys book leads readers through the inner work necessary to empower themselves and the outer work necessary to empower other women. Id recommend this book to any womanand teenage girl!wanting concrete recommendations on navigating mainstream diet and fitness culture, honoring their authentic selves, and lifting up other women, for a more inclusive and equitable world.

Larissa M. Mercado-Lpez, PhD

Associate Professor of Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, CSU Fresno

As a woman navigating a male-dominated field like Major League Baseball, I know how important the lessons in this book are. To move forward, create more opportunities for other women, and collectively elevate womankind, we must work together, using our unique skills and talents. This book shows you how to do that step-by-step. I wish Id had this book in my early twenties.

Rachel Balkovec, New York Yankees,

first woman hired as a full-time strength coach in MLB history, first woman hired as a full-time hitting coach in MLB history

Women need this book because if we want to create real change, #WomenSupportingWomen must be more than just a hashtag. Packed with inspiring stories, thought-provoking exercises, and practical ways women can support one another in the world, Mollys book goes far beyond just theory. If youve ever thought, I want to do something bigger, but I dont know what to do, this book is your guide.

Colene Elridge, aka Coach Colene

Creator of the EmpowHer Conference, Author of Monday Morning Pep Talks

This book is an inspirational, educational, and actionable guide to improving our own livesand making the world around us a better place, with more opportunity for all women and girls. By the time you finish reading, youll not only be inspired to make positive change, youll know exactly how to do it.

Janae Marie Kroczaleski

US Marine Corps, powerlifting all-time world record holder

With fierce passion, Molly Galbraith tells stirring stories of women whove made a big impact with ordinary but mighty actions and words; and with rare honesty, she vulnerably writes the things women only whisper to themselves. This book is a call to curiosity, to self-discovery, to awareness, to friendship, to courage, to imagination, to creation, to building bigger tables, and to making a difference in the lives of others by being you.

Reverend Angela Williams Gorrell, PhD

Assistant Professor at Baylor University, Author of The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found

Were at a critical time in history, where the perceptions of what women and young girls can become are shifting. Mollys book not only speaks to the possibilities and opportunities we can create for each other and the next generation of women and girlsshe gives us simple, actionable ways to make it happen in our everyday lives.

Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OB/GYN, Womens Health

Expert Founder of Sanctum Med + Wellness Baylor University Medical Center

Copyright 2021 by Molly Galbraith

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published by Harper Horizon, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus LLC.

Any internet addresses, phone numbers, or company or product information printed in this book are offered as a resource and are not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by Harper Horizon, nor does Harper Horizon vouch for the existence, content, or services of these sites, phone numbers, companies, or products beyond the life of this book.

Unless otherwise noted, quotations in this book were taken from personal interviews and are used with permission.

Illustrations by Digital Brew

Text design and composition by Sarah Williamson

Cover design by Sarah Williamson, Grace Cline

Cover photo by Jeremy Kramer

ISBN 978-0-7852-3785-3 (eBook)

ISBN 978-0-7852-3908-6 (HC)

Epub Edition January 2021 9780785237853

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020945787

Printed in the United States of America

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TO MY MOM, SUSAN, AND MY DAD, GATEWOOD:

For loving each other, and for giving me life,

love, and the best parts of yourselves.

TO MY SISTERS, ABBY AND SUMMER:

For your love, protection, and friendship.

I wouldnt be who I am without you both.

TO MY GRANDMOTHERS, HELEN AND DOLLIE:

For showing me the power of being a

trailblazer and hell-raiser in your own ways.

TO STRONG WOMEN EVERYWHERE:

For proving that together, we can change

the worldone strong woman at a time.

The year was 2015, and I was getting my ass kicked. I had just released my second book, The Whole30, and it became an instant New York Times bestseller. I was in the middle of a month-long book tour across the country with my Whole30 cofounder-turned-husband, and we were about to shoot our first episode with Dr. Oz. Dream come true, right?

Except while all of this was happening, we were smack in the middle of a divorce and business split.

It was a long time coming, but we hadnt told anyone yet, because we didnt want our publisher to worry about our ability to fulfill our contract. So when they booked us a hotel room for the tour, I quietly booked a second room. We rode to our events in total silence, but on stage we were the husband-and-wife show again. And when Dr. Oz asked us to walk up and down a midtown sidewalk holding hands for their B-roll, we clasped hands and painted on smiles.

Gross.

I felt like a fraud. I would go back to the hotel alone and in tears, wanting to celebrate but feeling exhausted from the performance. I was constantly on my guard, afraid someone would find out before we were ready to share. It was hands down the most stressful few months of my life.

When we returned home, we released one simple statement about our relationship and began divorce proceedings. I settled into single mom life while continuing to run the business alone. I wasnt sharing the real behind-the-scenes with anyone but my closest friendsits hard to be a public figure and go through something this brutal. How much do I share? Is it anyones business? Am I being inauthentic if I