Katie Couric's "The Best Advice I Ever Got"

Before I returned home from living abroad in England for over four years, I was looking for a bit of inspiration and direction when resettling in the US which I found in this small-yet-mighty book.  Featuring a collection of easy-to-read essays written by well-known public figures/celebrities including broadcast journalist, Katie Couric, it'll take only a short time to read but will leave a lasting impression.

I read the synopsis for The Best Advice I Ever Got online after seeing an interview on YouTube where Katie discussed its release - I knew I needed to read it (and not just because we share the same name!)  I've always admired and liked Katie Couric.  Getting ready for elementary school, pulling on my socks, shoes and nearly forgetting my lunch and/or backpack, Katie was always there in the background on NBC's the TODAY show, with her smiling face and upbeat personality.  I believe her to be a rare, stellar role model for women - of any age - who has proved that no matter what life brings, you can make the best of any situation if you are tenacious, daring and positive.  Some of Katie's struggles and triumphs are mentioned in the book through her forward and chapter introductions.

Katie's writing, along with anecdotes and lessons learned from Michael J. Fox, Ken Burns and Jimmy Carter, to name a few, draws from their unique lessons, experiences, opportunities and risks.  Some essays are sad, some happy and some cringeworthy, but all of them engaging and educating.

As I rebuild my life in America, wrestling with an ferocious job market and trying to find out where I'm going in my new/old world, I found a quote from the book to be appropriate and comforting.  Katie refers to a change in her career path that she'd decided to take, citing the risk and apprehension about the new role she was about to take on (she moved from NBC's TODAY show to CBS to become the first solo female anchor on that channel).  A colleague who knew about her career move gave her this quote to consider:

"A boat is always safe in the harbor, but that's not what boats are built for."

Reading that line made me feel braver and more confident about my upcoming move and the potential difficulties I might encounter when reacclimatizing and job searching in the US.

The content of this book is honest, occasionally funny and empowering making it a must-read for anyone looking for inspiration, someone who is considering/has recently made a big career/life change, jobseekers (as it'll be your cheerleader and help you adopt a positive outlook) and any future/recent graduates starting out in the big - and sometimes intimidating - world.

Read it, you won't be sorry!  And please let me know what you thought of it...