Goodbye Oprah. Hello You. Hello Me.

I have to admit that I am a little sad that Oprah is no longer going to be on my TV at 4PM anymore. I didn’t watch religiously. I watched every once in awhile. As a psychology major in college, I admit that I watched my share of episodes back in the day when Dr. Phil was on. More recently, I was introduced to Dr. Oz via Oprah which got me fascinated about health and nutrition.
I love success stories. Stories about people that rise up against the odds and do great things. Oprah admits that her childhood wasn’t the greatest. Despite her past, she decided to make a success out of her life. To work hard. To be remembered. To make a difference. Anyone who does that is pretty damn awesome to me.
This week as I watched Oprah’s final shows, I was reminded of some really amazing life lessons. I admit, I cried a lot during these shows. As I watched I tried to apply them to my own life. I hope you take a moment and do the same.
Lesson #1: You’ve always had the power.
This one comes from the Wizard of Oz.
Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
Glinda: You don’t need to be helped any longer. You’ve always had the power to go back to Kansas.
Dorothy: I have?
Scarecrow: Then why didn’t you tell her before?
Glinda: Because she wouldn’t have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.
We have the power to do whatever the hell we want to do in this world. All we have to do is believe it and work our butts off.

Lesson #2: “One thread running through each show it is the message that you are not alone.”
When I went to nutrition school at IIN I finally realized this one. I finally found a group of people that were like me. There are other people out there that get excited over kale and local pastured eggs? Hells yeah. Find your tribe. Find people out there in this world that make you feel good. That make you excited. That push you to make a difference in this world.

Lesson #3. “Wherever you are that is your talk show and that is where your power lies.”
What is your passion? Take a minute and really think about it. What gets you fired up?
Lesson #4. “[A calling] lights you up and lets you know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. Live from the heart of yourself. You have to know what sparks the light in you so you in your own way can illuminate the world.”
I got this every weekend I was in NYC studying nutrition. I feel this every time I talk to one of my clients. Amazing feeling. How do you illuminate the world?
Lesson #5. “Nobody but you is responsible for your life. And what is your life? What is all life? Every flower, rock, tree? Energy. And you’re responsible for the energy that you create for yourself and that you bring to others.”
This by far is my favorite lesson from Ms. Winfrey. Say this out loud right now: “I am responsible for my life.” When I realized this so much made sense to me. I learned that I can listen to my body to see what foods work and which ones don’t. I realized what friendships have been toxic and which friends are the real deal. I realized that just because my mom and dad think I should do something doesn’t mean I need to do it. I am 30 years old. I am a big girl now. The time is now to live. The time is now to build my business. The time is now to stop living small.

Lesson #6. “All the energy you spend trying to hurt someone else will turn around and slap you in the face.”
This one is an interesting one, huh? I don’t think I ever try to intentionally hurt anyone but there may be a few people in my life that may get under my skin at times or I may hold grudges or I may wish they would leave me alone at times… This one is a work in progress. I hold grudges. Man, do I hold grudges.
Lesson #7. “There is a difference between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing you are worthy of happiness. We often block our own blessings because we don’t feel smart or pretty or worthy enough. The show has taught me you’re worthy because you’re born and you’re here. You alone are enough.”
I love the end of this one: you alone are enough. When I first started my business I admit that I asked myself, “Do I really know enough?” “Can I do this?” “Will I be a success?” I could study nutrition for the next 20 years and still not know it all. I decided to jump in. I am learning as I go. Life is a journey not a destination. I alone am enough. I don’t have to be the perfect weight. I don’t have to be the perfect mom. I can do this and I am doing this. Hells yeah!

Lesson #8. “[People] want to know ‘Do you see me, do you hear me? Does what I say mean anything to you?’ Try it with your children, your husband, your boss — validate them. ‘I see you. I hear you. And what you say matters to me.'”
Wow, this one spoke to me. Ever feel like people aren’t really listening to you? When I was pregnant with Madilyn I got so much attention. Strangers would open the door for me. Generous men would lift my bags to the overhead compartment for me on an airplane. My family would check in on me daily to see how I was feeling. When I gave birth, there was a major shift. Now, everyone wants to see Madilyn. Don’t get me wrong, I love that everyone loves my daughter. She is amazing. It is just a strange shift that occurs. I would LOVE if someone would say to me “I see you. I hear you. And what you say matters to me.” So, guess what? My challenge for myself and for you is to say it to someone else this week and see what happens. Gulp.

Lesson #9. “I know that presence [God], that flow — some call it grace — is working in my life at every single turn. It’s closer than your breath and it’s yours for the asking … You can acknowledge it or not. You can ignore it. Or you can know it… God is love and god is life and your life is always speaking to you.
LOVE the ending of this one too: life is always speaking to you. How amazing is this. When I cleansed my body of all the crap I was eating like Lean Cuisines, Diet Cokes and bag after bag of Baked Lays, this one got much clearer for me. When I learned how to respect my body, I began to see my life much more clearly.
Lesson #10. “My hope is you will be a safe harbor for somebody else. Connect, embrace, liberate, love just one person. Then spread that to two and see what a difference that makes.”
I see the power of this one every time I work with a client. For many of the women I work with, our sessions are their safe space. So powerful.
Lesson #11. “There are no coincidences. Only divine order here.”
No coincidences ladies, no coincidences. You are here for a reason. Make it count.
So, which lesson resonates with you? I would love to hear from you. Let your story inspire others.
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