New Book Alert: Voices of the 21st Century: Powerful, Passionate Women Who Make A Difference by Gail Watson; Inspirational and Heartwarming Stories By Great Wise Women

New Book Alert: Voices of the 21st Century: Powerful, Passionate Women Who Make A Difference by Gail Watson; Inspirational and Heartwarming Stories by Great Wise Women

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews


In this time of great stress, anxiety, and depression when it seems like there is just one catastrophe and tragic event after another, we could all use some inspirational words of encouragement and some heartwarming stories about people who persevered despite insurmountable odds.


Fortunately, Gail Watson's book, Voices of the 21st Century: Powerful Passionate Women Who Make A Difference does just that. Watson, President and Founder of Women Speakers Association (WSA), a global community of women speakers, gathered 40 women to tell of their personal struggles and share advice for Readers who are going through their own struggles.


Some of the chapters are words of wisdom like guided meditations or visualizations. Watson's chapter, "Your Unique Message" suggests that the Reader can imagine their message to the world, their personal gift or talent, wrapped in their soul inside a ribbon and box waiting to be opened. She also offers plenty of advice like the advice a mentor gave her: the 20-20 rule. This rule suggests to have someone in life who is 20 years older and 20 years younger. The older one to offer guidance and wisdom and the younger one to keep us thinking fresh and learning new things.


Some offer bullet point or boldface type lists of ways Readers can help themselves and improve their lots in life. In her chapter, "Image 360", corporate image consultant, Karyn Wiles offers four points that she calls the "I-Box": Image, Etiquette, Soft Skills, and Personal Brand, then asks questions and offers suggestions that challenge us to assess how we view ourselves and what image that we convey. The Image point asks questions like "Do you feel confident and comfortable in your appearance?" The Etiquette point offers suggestions to improve interpersonal skills such as "Offer a handshake and make eye contact" and "Give cues that show that you are paying attention." The Soft Skills point feature those skills that are needed in every workplace and can be transferrable in career settings, things like "Collaboration," "Creativity", "Attention to Detail," and "Enthusiasm." The final point, Personal Branding is the way one presents their appearance, skills, talent, education, and experience, to the world. Wiles' I-Box offers good easy to follow advice on how Readers can improve their personal image.


The personal stories are very moving and effective as they remind us that many have been in the same situation that we have and emerged as stronger and better people. Some stories focus on careers. In her chapter "Uniquely You," Ulrika Battemark discusses how she left her job at a software tech company after 24 years when she realized that it wasn't the career that she was suited for. After much research, reading, studying, and inventorying her skills, interests, and experiences, she realized that she was meant to go into time management coaching. After training and moonlighting as a coach, at age 48 Battemark began her career as a time management coach, speaker, and leader.

In shaky economic times when many are worried about where their next paycheck is coming from, Battemark's story, and the stories of other women in this book who pursued their own interests into good lucrative careers, serve to remind us that we should never give up on our dreams and talents based on fear and doubt. The best career that fits is waiting for us if we put time in learning, studying, and training those talents.


Some of these women were affected by social issues like racism. In her chapter, "Working to End Racial Inequality," Verenice Gutierrez, PhD, Director of Educational Equity and Access wrote about her studies in racial equity and how her perspective changed over the years. In 2007, when she first began at the Portland Public School District she admits that she was very aggressive and militant in her behavior. While it drew many people's attention to racial inequality, Gutierrez says that her zeal turned her into "a reverse racist." In 2010, when she accepted her first principalship, she became more strategic and less confrontational.

By 2012, her school became the focus of her equity projects such as appointing a drum corps of mostly African-American and Hispanic-American boys. However, she received criticism from far right critics like Bill O'Reilly. In 2019, her sister and her sister's family were near the Wal Mart in El Paso during the mass shooting caused by a far right anti-immigrant supporter. These events remind Gutierrez, and the Readers, that racial equity is still important and can seem like a struggle to achieve, but must be pursued to build a better future.


Body image is still an issue in which many have struggled. Many women, and men too, are so uncomfortable in their own skin that they go to dangerous lengths to achieve what they believe is a perfect standard (but in reality doesn't exist.) Lisa Jane Nielson, founder of Art and Soul for Girls, a movement that encourages self-compassion through creativity, service, and artistic expression candidly reveals her own struggles with eating disorders in the chapter, "The Art and Soul of Overcoming." Nielson reveals that her struggles began at eight years old when she induced vomiting so she could feign illness rather than go to school and face her bullying classmates. In college, her drive for perfection, achievement, and desires to maintain a beautiful appearance hid a long history of anorexia and bulimia. Her eating disorders climaxed in a moment when she passed out alone in her dorm room and had no assistance. This scary encounter and her embracing a more creative side by exploring her talent through art allowed her to overcome her disorders and help other women with their emotional issues by using art and other creative outlets.


Health is also an area of concern for many people especially when they are diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness. This problem was faced by self-development teacher, Cornelia Steinberg in 2016 when she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her transverse colon. She got through the chemotherapy alright, but in 2018 the cancer returned and she was faced with a return to chemo and an even greater trauma (at least in her mind): hair loss!

In her surprisingly humorous story, Steinberg recounts how at first she struggled with the loss of her hair which she loved because it made her feel beautiful and feminine. ("Sure you might say that beauty is really on the inside, but when you are bald and skinny with cancer, it sounds like some idiot's bumper sticker," Steinberg admitted.) She discovered however some beautiful aspects in her new appearance such as her more highlighted eyes and that her hair darkened from blond-gray to brown when it grew back. Looking at her new appearance, Steinberg realized that she never lost herself, just her hair.

There is an added poignancy to this chapter learning about Steinberg's passing before the book was published, but this story revealed a woman who discovered humor and inner beauty in a very difficult time.


When we are busy running around looking after our jobs and our families, we don't always make time for self-care. Optimal Coach, May Wong realized this in her chapter "It Starts With You." In the middle of a busy day of a rushed session with a client and a missed party with her youngest child, Wong had a meltdown. She stopped when an email message appeared asking "What did you do for you today?" She realized that many women, like herself, were taught to put themselves last and to serve others even at the expense of one's own health and personal happiness. That often leaves women feeling exhausted and overwhelmed and unable to help anyone. Wong's time of meditation, alone time, prayer, fun, and play leave her feeling rejuvenated and allow her to be a better coach, mother, and person.


In each story, the women of Voices of the 21st Century offer their encouragement and inspiration to their Readers. In one voice, they seem to say, "You got this."