Mind of a Conservative Woman

This article first appeared on FutureFemaleLeaders.com

Senator Marsha Blackburn became a household name for a brief second when she was on the receiving end of Taylor Swift’s first big political statement. Now, in her second book, she’s outlining her reaction and how she as a conservative woman rises above, seeks out hope and opportunity, and provides guidance for fellow conservative women in surviving and thriving.

From the importance of faith and family to the role that rituals and to do lists can play in your successes, Senator Blackburn touches on so many topics that apply to the lives of women, conservative and otherwise. How can we speak up for ourselves without seeming angry? How can we find support from our family and our faith in times of trials and tribulations? How can we argue our points effectively to others in a way that changes hearts and minds and doesn’t alienate others?

This is a book I wish I had been given when I walked onto my liberal college campus as an 18-year-old fledgling conservative. But even years later, I still recognized the value in reading about Blackburn’s own journey and her successes as a working mother and wife and what she learned. As someone who tries to do it all, Blackburn’s life really spoke to me. She’s so often maligned by the left and put into one box or another, but as young women, we know that there is so much more to every person than just their votes on the floor of the House and Senate. We know that when you look at someone holistically, you’ll learn so much more–this book gives us not only that holistic look at Blackburn’s life, but she uses her own experiences to help guide the next generation of conservative women.

As she talks about her own growth as a door-to-door salesman, her first forays into political office, facing off against Taylor Swift, and defending her positions everywhere she goes, Senator Blackburn exudes warmth, kindness, and strength. She’s clearly a woman who has had a good life, but she’s also faced a lot of discrimination and frankly, crap, for her views, and the grace she has about it all is astounding. I cannot wait to see what everyone can learn from this book, and to see her career continue in the Senate or wherever she chooses to take it next.