Behind the Smile: Fourteen Surprising Lessons from My Life
Ebook
Doug Meijer reveals the real challenges he’s faced and the life lessons he learned along the way.
Doug Meijer is best known as the cochairman of the superstore chain Meijer. In this candid memoir, he pulls back the curtain on his seemingly happy image to share his struggles with family, work, and health—and what they taught him about life.
Within one week in November 2011, Doug’s marriage ended, his father passed away, and he was diagnosed with cancer. Alongside these crises, he struggled with intensifying depression leading eventually to treatment at an inpatient program. As he has healed, he’s come to realize some straightforward wisdom: There is no secret to survival. Ask for help. Practice gratitude.
In addition to sharing the challenges he’s faced, Doug also tells the story of how he left behind his athletic aspirations to follow in his father’s footsteps. Through the family business, he found purpose and meaning through philanthropy.
But Behind the Smile isn’t about what it takes to succeed in business. It’s about the problems that can affect any of us and how one man has persisted through them. With refreshing vulnerability and warmth, Doug extends a hand of empathy and a message of hope for healing and wholeness.
Table of Contents
1. Do the Stuff You Don’t Want to Do
2. Learn How to Shoulder Someone Else’s Dreams
3. Diapers Don’t Have a Shelf Life (AKA: Shit Happens)
4. Be Willing to Be Inconsistent
5. Go to the Funeral
6. Sometimes Quitting Is the Best Way Forward
7. There Is No Secret to Survival
8. Bet Your Life
9. Live Your Own Lie—and Do It Honestly
10. Count Your Traumas
11. Why Not Me?
12. Don’t Be Afraid to Be Boring
13. Don’t Worry about Doing the Right Thing (Because You Probably Already Know What It Is)
14. Don’t Leave a Legacy
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
“We all have something ‘behind our smile,’ even when others believe you have it all. Doug’s transparency is inspiring and gives hope to others.”
—Vonnie Woodrick, founder of the nonprofit i understand and author of i understand: Pain, Love, and Healing after Suicide
“Behind the Smile is an absolute must read! Doug provides a direct, unfiltered view of what it is like to face depression, cancer, and other life events head on, providing hope for all of those who face similar challenges. Golden nuggets of inspiration and hope are all throughout the book; there is something for everyone. We can all benefit from Doug sharing these life lessons.”
—Rick Brown, CPG executive
“Doug’s generous and open philanthropy of heart and soul will provide a healing balm to many who will find inspiration and truth in what he so openly shares.”
—Steven Loftis, owner of Harbor Restaurants and trustee of the Michigan Hospitality Foundation
“Behind the Smile offers an unparalleled display of strength through raw vulnerability. Doug's narrative resonates through sharing nostalgic moments and uplifting wisdom, offering a heartfelt journey filled with genuine sincerity. Doug’s unwavering affection for humanity, and his fervent dedication to helping others, shine brilliantly throughout this inspirational read.”
—Kendall Meijer, author’s daughter
- Title: Behind the Smile: Fourteen Surprising Lessons from My Life
- Author: Doug Meijer
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Print Publication Date: 2025
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781467467766, 9780802883865, 0802883869, 1467467766
- Resource ID: LLS:9781467467766
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-09-06T01:05:59Z
Douglas Meijer is a philanthropist and former cochairman of the US supermarket chain Meijer.