“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.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. / Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Live free of regret and filled with as much joy, fun, and laughter as you can stand. You have a choice. Enjoy yourself.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“My primary and most essential goal in life is to remain connected to the world of spirit. Everything else will take care of itself—this I know for sure. And my number-one spiritual practice is trying to live in the present moment … to resist projecting into the future, or lamenting past mistakes … to feel the real power of now. That, my friends, is the secret to a joyful life.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“You are built not to shrink down to less but to blossom into more.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Don't back down just to keep the peace. Standing up for yourself builds self confidence and self esteem.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“So long as you’re still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them. Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“When we hold secrets it creates shame, and shame is a great barrier to success because when you carry the shame you do not allow yourself to fulfill your greatest potential, you do not honour the truth of yourself, you do not honour what is your highest self. When you let go of the secret allows you to live to your full potential.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“If friends disappoint you over and over, that's in large part your own fault. Once someone has shown a tendency to be self-centered, you need to recognize that and take care of yourself; people aren't going to change simply because you want them to. ”
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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.”
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Oprah Winfrey
“Think back for a moment on your own history -- not just where you were born or where you grew up, but the circumstances that contributed to your being right here, right now. What were the moments along the way that wounded or scared you? Chances are, you've had a few. But here's what's remarkable: You are still here, still standing.”
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Oprah Winfrey
