Reflections on Oprah Winfrey's "Last Show"
Many of us watched in amazement, wonder, and sadness as Oprah Winfrey, an icon of being in service to others, consciousness, and living your best life, conducted her final show after 25 years last week. Her messages were funny, poignant, and powerful as she summed up both her 25 years as this nation's premier talk show host and as one of our most profound teachers.
Oprah challenged us to really own that life is always speaking to us and to listen for what it is saying. We are all put here to find our own 'spark' - what lights us up - and to share it so that we can illuminate the world. Each of us has a platform - hers was on a stage reaching millions with her message of self-love, forgiveness, and taking responsibility for your life and finding your joy.
The ultimate message was clear: Each of us has a calling, and an opportunity to make a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others. The work to be done is to get clear - if we are a walking advertisement - what are we advertising? What experiences are we creating for ourselves and others to live their truth, their authenticity, their passion and who they can be for others.
My belief is that Oprah is right - when we find our place in being in service to our own lives, we are inspired to share that message with others. "There's a difference between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing that you are worthy of being happy. Your being alive makes worthiness your birthright. You alone are enough." When you consider your life - is this what you are communicating through your energy, your words, your commitment to yourself and to others? If not, what would it take to co
nnect with that and be about it today?
Oprah said each of us has a platform - hers was a sound stage - but you have one too with your own reach to impact the lives of others. Are you a walking advertisement for what you say is truly important as Oprah is and was over the years? What would it take for you to realize your true impact?
1) Find your passion - what lights you up - and then take action to incorporate that into your life in a powerful way every day.
2) Realize your importance and power - you have the ability and the call to make a difference in the lives of anyone, everyone you meet - what is the impact you want to make?
3) Take action to be the walking advertisement of what is possible - take risks, let your purpose guide you - be willing to be messy and 'ugly cry' as Oprah did as well as inspire others with your life.
4) Ask others to join you in this quest - people sometimes are just waiting for the validation an invitation generates - that you see such possibility in them and challenge them to take ownership in living their dreams now.
Who have you taken a stand for lately? Who have you invited to step into their best life - either by working with a coach through Leadership Source or inviting them to step in to become your peer and colleague by taking on professional coach's training? What stops you from being the model for always reaching out to generate possibility for others?
My challenge to each of you is get clear what you are advertising, decide if that is what you really want to communicate, and make a choice today that honors who you are willing to be for others? Invite someone today to begin their journey of creating their best life now by joining us for Leadership Source or Fundamentals of Performance Coaching and Mastery of Performance Coaching. If not now, when?
