“The struggle of my life created empathy - I could relate to pain, being abandoned, having people not love me.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“For sure we live in a youth-obsessed culture that is constantly trying to tell us that if we’re not young and glowing and “hot,” we don’t matter. But I refuse to buy into such a distorted view of reality. And I would never lie about or deny my age. To do so is to contribute to a sickness pervading our society—the sickness of wanting to be what you’re not. I know for sure that only by owning who and what you are can you step into the fullness of life. I feel sorry for anyone who buys into the myth that you can be what you once were. The way to your best life isn’t denial. It’s owning every moment and staking a claim to the here and now. You’re not the same woman you were a decade ago; if you’re lucky, you’re not the same woman you were last year. The whole point of aging, as I see it, is change. If we let them, our experiences can keep teaching us about ourselves. I celebrate that. Honor it. Hold it in reverence. And I’m grateful for every age I’m blessed to become.”
―
Oprah Winfrey
“You are responsible for your life. You can't keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction. Life is really about moving on.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“It makes no difference how many peaks you reach if there was no pleasure in the climb.”
―
Oprah Winfrey
“My approach to living with purpose has always been to create the life I want,
one conscious decision at a time.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
―
Oprah Winfrey
“What I find powerful is a person with
the confidence to be her own self.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Here's the gift of gratitude: In order to feel it, your ego has to take a backseat. What shows up in its place is greater compassion and understanding. Instead of being frustrated, you choose appreciation. And the more grateful you become , the more you have to be grateful for.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Life is about growth and change. When you are no longer doing that — that is your whisper; that is your whisper that you are supposed to do something else.”
―
Oprah Winfrey
“During difficult times I often turn to a gospel song called “Stand.” In it, songwriter Donnie McClurkin sings, “What do you do when you’ve done all you can, and it seems like it’s never enough? What do you give when you’ve given your all, and it seems like you can’t make it through?” The answer lies in McClurkin’s simple refrain: “You just stand.” That’s where strength comes from—our ability to face resistance and walk through it. It’s not that people who persevere don’t ever feel doubt, fear, and exhaustion. They do. But in the toughest moments, we can have faith that if we take just one step more than we feel we’re capable of, if we draw on the incredible resolve every human being possesses, we’ll learn some of the most profound lessons life has to offer. What I know for sure is that there is no strength without challenge, adversity, resistance, and often pain. The problems that make you want to throw up your hands and holler “Mercy!” will build your tenacity, courage, discipline, and determination.”
―
Oprah Winfrey
