Five Life Lessons From Oprah

Working mom at luncheon

Recently, I had the privilege of having lunch with Oprah Winfrey. In full disclosure, it was me Oprah and about a thousand of my closest friends. Actually,  I was with my sister, some close friends and a bunch of people I didn't know attending the "Maya Angelou Women Who Lead" luncheon in Charlotte, NC. It was a fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Still, I was in the room with Oprah and I breathed her air. I was  "in the room where it happened". And, I was beyond honored to be there. She inspired me, as you might imagine. 

First, Oprah was stunning. It was a hat luncheon and she did not disappoint. Second, her speech was inspired. Third, she made a HUGE donation to the cause. Indeed, she donated well over one million dollars. The entire experience illustrated one important point to me, Oprah is the real deal.

Below are some notes from the speech that I decided to share with you.

1) Be in the flow of your life. Your life has a rhythm. You can either give into it or change the music. However, you will be constantly frustrated if you don't appreciate what that flow is.

2) Life is speaking to you in the whisper.  Your life is speaking to you. It is telling you what is right and wrong for you. It is warning you of dangers ahead. It is telling you the truth. If you listen, you don't have to live the tsunami. The whisper is always there trying to deliver a message to you.

Luncheon Centerpiece

3) Pay Attention to the Signs. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time--always without exception. This wisdom applies to personal and professional relationships.

4) Be honest with yourself. Stop living in the story you're telling your self about and pay attention to what is. Stress comes from wanting the reality of a situation to be different from what is actually happening.

Oprah

5) Aim big. Oprah's grandmother was a domestic worker. She used to tell her that she wished that Oprah would grow up and find some really nice folks to work for. It was not lost on anybody that the little girl who heard those words grew up and became a billionaire. She committed to donating over a million dollars to UNCF that day. It was amazing to witness.

The thing that I loved most about this speech was that Oprah's message to each of us was that we are enough and that we have the answers to life's questions. She didn't say, "Do this like me". Rather, she said pay attention to what life is telling you. If you do, you will have more fulfillment, more success and more joy. I have been trying to practice this for some time and will do so even more consciously now.

I shared these lessons so that all of you can also be inspired.

Thanks to my girl, Tyyawdi Hands for allowing me to experience Oprah Magic!

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