There are no guarantees in life, but I believe faith provides all of us with a foundation to live the best lives possible - knowing that there is a higher being who loves us and will never leave us. Through the many struggles in my life, my faith is sometimes the only thing I have to hold onto. God was my only friend.
Gretchen Carlson
I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life in which I will redouble my efforts to empower women in the workplace.
Be brave and be fearless, and for God's sake, stand up for yourself.
Sometimes when women come forward about sexual harassment, they're seen as a troublemaker.
I do think we need to find common ground on some of these major issues facing our nation.
The minute that you go to arbitration, it's 100% confidential, so nobody ever hears about it.
My grandfather was the minister at the Lutheran church. My dad owned a car dealership in town. My mom was the consummate volunteer and cheerleader for me.
During the time I was Miss America, I had come to New York City because I had decided I wanted to try to get into television.
My advice to people who've lost their job: go back to the things that made you from the start.
Holding true to what you believe - even in a big city - is so important.
I wanted to play the piano.
When people watch me on TV, they see part of my life. I wanted to let them know the real me behind the scenes. The child who was a concert violinist from the age of six. The young woman who took on the challenge to compete in the Miss America pageant. The television journalist for twenty-five years.
I am saddened by the prevalence of powerful men disrespecting and objectifying women - and getting away with it for years.
Half of the equation is men, and right now, unfortunately, men are running the majority of corporations, so we have to make sure that if that is the case, that they are respectful and honor women for their true accomplishments.
I wasn't prepared for the environment I encountered trying to break into television news. In the world of music, where I spent my formative years, we were judged solely on our talent, and gender wasn't a factor.
When people don't want to debate you on the smart issues of the day, it's just a lot easier to call you a dumb blonde from Fox.
After I won Miss America, I called my dad, who had four kids in college, to say he no longer had to pay for Stanford.
If you Google me, you'll find plenty of 'dumb blonde' references - even though I graduated with honors from Stanford and studied at Oxford University. I don't let it bother me.
I'm setting up a fund to empower girls and women to speak up - on all issues, not just sexual harassment. For me, it's about inspiring women to come together.
Becoming Miss America was one of those things. It immediately changed what I thought I was going to do with the rest of my life.
I grew up thinking that I could be anything I wanted to be in this world because my mom told me that every single night.
I took off the makeup and stashed the crown, and now I was just another young woman out in the world. It's almost dizzying how fast the fame goes away - like a stage that turns dark at the end of a performance.
I believe giving back is one of the greatest life lessons we can teach our children: that the world isn't all about them and that, through our actions, people will really discover what kind of a person we truly are.
Maybe it's because I'm short and blond, but people have really underestimated me.
Nothing was ever handed to me. My hope is that when people read my story, it will inspire them to reach for their goals and not give up. The real story is this: if I can do it, you can, too.
To this day, I have an open door policy. I seek out interns and young women and try to help them. Women mentors were important to me, and I want to do that for others.
We need more women in higher roles, because the tone for sexual harassment would no doubt be different.
I wanted to see how much of an insult it was to be called an ignoramus. I didn't know what it meant; I just Googled it.
Once I turned 40, I stopped giving a rip about my detractors, the people who say nasty things. It's more candid and honest than it would have been. I share my failures, which is important.
My career had zero to do with whether or not my husband also worked. It had everything to do with personal identity, personal goals, and making the most of my life.
Sexual harassment can really affect you for a long time, and I want more women to come forward.
I defend CNN! I defend all sorts of people when I think it's wrong.
I think one of the things I've learned is that the tone of an organization is set from the top down. And if you have men running an organization that want to honor women, that's a whole different experience than if they don't.
Arbitration clauses have become prevalent in most corporate agreements or contracts for employees.
I might even pursue a career in politics. If I do, I will have had great practice dealing with the avalanche of daily criticism from working at Fox News and being a former Miss America. I'm ready for anything!
During my whole year as Miss America and afterward, I was calling agents, looking for advice and opportunities. When I was in New York or in Los Angeles doing different appearances, if I had time on my schedule, I tried to meet with executives.
Men need to hire more women and put them in higher positions of power within organizations.
I respond to every email. I sign every autograph for every person.
I've been for women's empowerment my entire life.
I am particularly distressed when people in the public eye who influence our culture perpetuate sexism.
My vibrato was my weakness. With romantic pieces, I could be a lot more schmaltzy. My wider vibrato fit that.
Everyone knew how powerful Roger Ailes was. I certainly felt intimidated by that; the culture of 'Fox and Friends' was intimidating to me.
A lot of things I've done in my life have taken incredible mental fortitude.
I'm a huge believer in visualizing achieving the task before it happens.
I wish some days that I didn't have as much drive as I do. I'd sleep better.
I've always been an incredibly strong person, and I've also been underestimated.
I've been truly blessed to have so many supporters and, of course, blessed to have my family and all my friends.
I have strived to empower women and girls throughout my entire career.
I am extremely proud of my accomplishments at 'Fox News' and for keeping our loyal viewers engaged and informed on events and news topics of the day.
A lot of people who have come up to me at restaurants - men - and have said, 'I want to shake your hand, because I have daughters'.
