What I’m Reading Wednesday*The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata

I was so excited when I received an email saying that I was one of 125 to receive an early copy of The Beautiful No by Sheri Salata. I had been eagerly awaiting the June 4th release of the book by Sheri also known from spending 20 years of her professional career with Oprah eventually as executive producer for her show and then moving on to Los Angeles to serve as co president for Harpo Studios and OWN network.

Although I’m fascinated with her career success, what really drew me to wanting to read this book was the fact that I am in LOVE with the podcast she co hosts with her long time friend Nancy Hala.

I have been a faithful listener to the The Sheri And Nancy Show since the beginning. This podcast is all about living your best midlife. These girls will cover any subject and I am talking ANY subject. Together they have crafted a blueprint for living your best midlife called The Pillar Life. The Pillar Life is made up of eight pillars.

Health and Wellness

Spirituality

Romance and Sex

Friends and Family

Creativity and Innovation

Adventure and Discovery

Sanctuary and Beauty

Money and Abundance

The goal is to honor each of these pillars every week. Spending time on each pillar results in a fulfilling and happy midlife.

What I love most about the podcast is it is like sitting on a comfy couch and having a conversation with your best girlfriends.

So…..

Back to The Beautiful No.

Sheri shares stories from her life and her career in this beautifully written book.

Sheri grew up in the midwest and struggled with finding the right career path.  After several years at a variety of jobs, lands her dream job with Oprah and even though she comes in contact with the biggest spiritual teachers of our time, she still struggles to find her happiness. This girl was the poster child for all work and no play!

When she walks away from all that after 20 years she begins the transformation process. Finding happiness by the teaching of Abraham-Hicks and a daily practice of Transcendental Meditation has helped her to find her way in midlife.

But oh the stories she shares! Some had me laughing. Some left me with tears in my eyes.

One of my favorite stories she recalls in the very last Oprah show in 2011 at the United Center in Chicago. How this humongous show was pulled off.

“we loaded in enough equipment and rigging to do a U2 concert” Sheri says in the book. Of course I had to highlight this statement!!

All this was done with Oprah having no clue what was going to happen. All of it was carefully orchestrated without her knowledge. All the biggest stars were brought in and kept out of sight to pay homage to this icon of our time on the very last Oprah show. I remember that last show. I cried. I DVR’d that show for years.

So many things resonated with me in this book. One of which is Sheri’s people pleasing attitude at all costs and her avoidance of confrontation at all costs. That was like a big huge bullseye for me right there. I had never read those words from another person EVER. It is the thing that I most struggle with in my life. That feeling of letting everyone walk all over you for fear of confrontation.

There is the chapter called Kissy the Underdog where she shares her English bulldog, Kissy’s Rules for a Happy Life, which are spot on. My favorite rule? Find your tribe and don’t let them out of your sight.

Family is clearly the foundation in her life. She recalls vacations in Northern Wisconsin and huge Thanksgiving dinners. Chapter 19 left me in tears as she recalled the last days with her mother. Since I just lost my mother almost 6 months ago, the grief for me is still pretty raw. Sheri recalls in her book a not so easy relationship with her mother writing “Mortal enemies for a good part of that middle section of preteens through my twenties”

Oh how I can relate to that as my mother had told me at one point in my life she hated me.

In the end, I much enjoyed this book. I love how honest and open Sheri is throughout the book. She is on a midlife journey to find peace and happiness and so am I.

Isn’t that what we are all looking for after all?

What are you reading?

Lori