Cheryl Strayed is the award-winning author of Wild, the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir that was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Reese Witherspoon. Cheryl has written several New York Times bestsellers and her books have been translated into forty languages around the world. Her memoir Wild chronicled her 1,100 mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, the despair that drove her to it, the challenges she faced along the way and the profound reset that ensued. Cheryl's essays have been published in too many publications to list including the Washington Post and Vogue. Until recently, she ran a podcast called Dear Sugars, inspired by her popular advice column Dear Sugar. We talked about the experiences that shaped Cheryl, from her unusual rural childhood to her mother’s untimely death. Cheryl shared what she learnt from giving advice to people on both her podcast and column, and how we all “bear the unbearable”. We discussed the power of acceptance and the difference between loneliness and aloneness. A surprise Mother’s Day treat came up too! Cheryl explained her writing process, the difficulties of starting a new piece and her devotion to her craft. Cheryl has been profoundly influenced by numerous women, from her mother to female writers from all over the world. A book she read recently that she would recommend is: Educated by Tara Westover. You can find Cheryl at www.cherylstrayed.com or follow her on Instagram