5 things I learnt from Oprah

Last Thursday, I had the honour and the privilege of spending the evening with one of the most inspirational women of our time, Oprah Winfrey. Well…. I say ‘I’ as if I personally had a one-on-one date with her. In reality, it was me and about 10 000 other card-carrying Oprah fans all under the one roof at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, soaking up her many words of wisdom, life reflections and humorous anecdotes.

From the instant she walked out on stage it was like she knew each of us individually. What began to unfold was what Oprah called ‘her calling’. She explained that she sees it as her service or her purpose in life to empower people to find their own calling and be the best they can possibly be. Whether that be a small calling or one lived in the lime-light, it didn’t matter. She was there to help you find your path. To live your life with purpose, on purpose and in purpose.

So what were the words of wisdom she wanted you to absorb? Well, I shall share with you the ones I took away from the evening.

1. Intention – Make conscious decisions in your life and realise that the choices you make have a knock-on effect. If you make the right ones, you will stay true to your purpose or calling. If not, learn from the mistake and move forward. Success will come when you chose to live intentionally. It’s actually basic science. Newton’s 3^rd law of motion (physics) tells us that every action has and equal and opposite reaction. It doesn’t just apply to a physical force. It can also apply to an action by a human being. The conscious and intentional decision to do things, whether they are little things, right through to the tough life decisions, all need to have intention as they will affect the purpose in your life.
2. Gratitude – In order to be truly grateful, one must first acknowledge the things we are truly grateful for. One way to do this is to start a gratitude journal. In it each day, write 5 things you are grateful for. Eventually you will find spiritual growth in this practice and invite success into your life. I have bought and started my own gratitude journal. No prizes in guessing it has giraffes all over it (see my blog on giraffes to see why they are significant to me).                                                                                                                                             
3. Surrender & let things go – Only when you let go of a concept and surrender it to a ‘higher power’ will you be truly free and the right thing will come your way. Sometimes, the more you harbour a thought or an idea, dwell or focus on it, the more toxic it can become in your life or the further away it can become. Oprah gave the example about how much she wanted the role of Sophia in the movie “The Colour Purple” (which she did actually get in the end). She hadn’t heard anything for months and months, and was dwelling on it greatly. The moment she stopped obsessing over the role, let it go, and surrendered it to a ‘higher power’ was the moment Steven Spielberg rang and offered her the part.
4. Validation of people – All people want in life is to be validated. Every single person shares that common value. They want to know, ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Does what I said mean anything to you?” Understanding that one principle allows you to be powerful on any platform. I see you. I hear you. I value what you are saying.
5. Dream it. Believe it. – Each human being is a gift and we each have our own unique dream and purpose for living or calling. Dreams guide us to our heart’s desires and guide our passions. They are the fabric of who we are and allow our spirits to soar. We often hear our dreams but can tend to put our dreams to the side. Instead, we need to embrace and pursue them. All dreams are important. Put your fears and excuses aside and pursue your dreams. Let today be that day for you!

So what is it you want? Most people would answer, “I just want to be happy”.  I used to.  A better question might be, what does happiness look like for you? Or, what is your dream? Once you have listened to that little voice inside you and you understand your calling or your dream, ask yourself, “What is it that I will intentionally do TODAY to start achieving my dream and give my life purpose?” Leave your answers or thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear them.

To conclude, I would like to leave you with a quote from Oprah’s favourite poem of all time. “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley. She used to say it in church when she was a little girl, only she didn’t really understand it until she was older. The final two lines of the poem are:

“I am the master of my fate. The captain of my soul”.

Dream it. Believe it. Be it.

What I wore for my date with Oprah… Dress from City Chic, clutch from Adorne (Christmas gift), necklace from 4 Owls, bracelet and earrings from Lovisa, and shoes are Naughty Monkey wedges brand from Famous Footwear.