Author creates working woman's guide to overcoming adversity

Pearl Galbraith has faced challenges in her life, and she’s heard from countless women who have taken on life’s challenges and come out on the other side stronger for the experience.

Galbraith’s own experience and the stories of others, and advice that has come as a result inspired her book “Lemon Crushers.” Galbraith says a lemon crusher is a “working women who intentionally makes choices to create something good out of something bad, an adversity they have experienced.”

“These women crushed their lemons to make lemonade,” Galbraith writes, providing a fresh take on the common saying.

“I wanted to create a book that was a really good guide with practical advice, but also would showcase the stories of real women with real problems and real success,” she told the Pilot. “There is a learning experience that comes from hearing the stories of others and it creates a relateable aspect.”

Galbraith is a wife and mother of three children, and works as a financial planner. She is also the founder of Inspired-Women.org,

While Galbraith wanted to include her own experience, she also knew it was important to include the experiences of other women. In the chapter she calls “case studies,” she shares the stories of 29 women who faced a wide range of life’s challenges.

Some women faced challenges in their careers, others had to deal with deaths in their family, one had to fight to create a better life after a difficult childhood and another worked to overcome drug addiction. Galbraith reached out through social medial asking women to share their stories and she interviewed 55 women before selecting the stories that would be included in the book. About three-quarters of the stories in the book come from Flathead Valley women.

“I was introduced to so many women with amazing stories and I was motivated to learn from someone’s inspiring story and I assume others would too,” Galbraith.

Galbraith says when she was on roughly the fifth interview with one of the women she was prompted to ask a question that she continued to ask each one thereafter. She wanted to know if the women wished their adversity had never happened or instead were they grateful it did? The answers she got surprised her.

“The women all were on their chosen life path because of their experience and that their lives were in a much better place because of it,” Galbraith said. “The challenges we face when we confront them, they make us stronger. When we run away form challenges we become weaker.”

The book focuses on five global themes — relationships, career, finance, circumstance and health — looking at each one in depth.

Galbraith says in the book that to become a Lemon Crusher one must PEEL your lemon. The P stands for prepare, the E for except, E for evaluate, and L for lifesaver. Each idea is discussed in depth with the goal learning to Make Lemonade — M for move and L stands for the trifecta of leave, learn and laughter.

Galbraith hopes she leaves women with a message that all choices have consequences.

“There’s no right or wrong way to do something but make good choices and think ahead to the rest of the day, week, month or life,” she said.

The book is broken down into short chapters and each has multiple sections that can be read during a lunch break or while waiting to pickup the kids after school.

“It’s intentionally written in pieces so that it can be read anytime,” Galbraith said. “It’s written for busy and working women who many only have five minutes, but I want to leave them with something that will motivate them. It’s a book you can leave on your night table and read for 10 minutes before bed.”

The book also includes a book club guide for those that want to read and discuss the book with friends.

For more information, visit www.lemoncrushers.com.