What I've Learned from Oprah

My original idea for this post was a list of things I’ve learned from Oprah. When I started the list it ended up being shorter then I anticipated. How could that be? Referencing the Oprah Winfrey show in everyday conversation is a normal occurrence for me. Why can’t I remember any of it now?

As I dug deeper in the back of my brain I started to uncover general concepts and ideas rather then a specific lesson. As Oprah herself would say, “Ah Ha moments.” A good example came from an episode in her final season. She featured a panel consisting of several of her most famous talk show rivals. Ricky Lake , Phil Donahue, Sally Jessie, and Montel Williams were all there to reminisce about the past. What struck me was when the topic of competition came up. Everyone on the panel remembered ways they tried to compete with and be more like Oprah. Jerry Springer and trash tv came up as an obvious example. She responded by saying that she never tried to compete with or change her format. Her secret to success was that she always strived to be more of herself in every show. Don’t try and change to be more like your competition but instead be true to yourself.

I was struck by what she said and I’ve tried to apply it to my blog. Whenever I am unsure of whether to post something I try and remember the basic building blocks of my blog. Does it make sense with who I am? By doing so I’ve scrapped a couple topics and ideas. The cancelled posts are usually about major life or news events. For example: I have ignored much of the presidential race thus far. I decided I am not informed enough to make an educated commentary on the subject. If I posted anything it would probably be a rehash of what has already been said by someone else.

So I'll continue to blog on and stay true to myself. On that note, as I wrote this post I realized I haven't written anything about fashion in a long time. I'm overdue! Look for an upcoming guide to summer fashion article coming soon. If you're curious of what the original "What I Learned" list looked like, here's a glimpse. Funny enough most of these tips come from one episode about safety tips.

-If you are ever held up or mugged, do not let them take you to a second location. If they bring you someplace else, you won’t return.

-Pay attention to peoples actions. A person will always reveal who they really are from the very beginning, you just have to pay attention. Otherwise you end up say things like, "Now that you mention it, he did (fill in the blank) when we first met..."

-You get what you expect out of life

-If you are ever being attached yell fire. When you yell “Help” or "Rape" people are apt to ignore you. People are more likely to come to the aid of a fire. Sad but true.

-Walk looking straight ahead. Looking down is an unconscious sign of submission