“All your power lies right here with you.” – Oprah
On April 13, 2013 at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton Ontario, Oprah Winfrey shared her life lessons throughout her life and career. It started at an early age while her grandmother was attempting to mold her for her adult life in the South. Her whisper said, “uh uh, not going to happen.”
Oprah’s presentation was humorous thought-provoking that focused on turning up the volume on your life, realizing the power within, and changing the paradigm’s of your life. Most importantly, Oprah explained that we are constantly given signals to the thread that we are weaving for ourselves and by listening to the whispers of your calling, you can achieve the life you were meant to live.
“Luck, there is no such thing. I do not buy lottery tickets because I know it would piss you all off. Luck is perpetration; Meeting that moment of opportunity. And this what I’ve learned more than anything. Work, you give it your all and do your best, you try to use your emotional, internal, spiritual GPS for guidance. But you can’t do that when you’re listening to what everyone else says. It only comes when you can silence yourself enough to listen to it. Then you release it and you walk through life with an open hand rather than a clenched fist.” – Oprah
George Stroumboulopoulos reached a milestone this evening as well. After last night’s interview with Winfrey, Stroumboulopoulos was proclaimed the person who interviewed Oprah the most throughout her career. CNN and Interviewing Oprah? Quite an achievement George! His interview was insightful. I loved how he sat at the edge of his seat and was engaged in what Oprah had to say to him. He was in the moment.
Of course, there were other great moments throughout the evening. City TV’s Dina Pugliese and Kevin Frankish (looking amazing) warmed up the crowd and introduced Christine Magee. Sleep Country Canada President, Christine Magee, presented a cheque for $100,000 to the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation. She also formally introduced Oprah with humorous anecdotes, a few mentions about the longevity of mattresses, and Oprah’s favorite Tempur-Pedic mattress that was placed in her Sheraton hotel room from Sleep Country.
My Night With Oprah and OWN Ambassadors
I am very disappointed that I didn’t get a picture of my dinner with the OWN Ambassadors. In attendance was Jacqui, Joanne, Di, Janet, Shelley, my friend Sharon and myself. Janet and Shelley were blessed with the call from Oprah’s media contact who personally invited them, on behalf of Oprah, to attend the VIP event prior to the show. I won’t speak for the rest of the group that remained, but I was slightly disappointed while being truly happy for Janet and Shelley.
Upon their departure, our conversation transitioned rather quickly to lots of laughter and life sharing experiences. We talked about Oprah, Denise Linn’s Soul Coaching program, We Can Do It, and our own personal journey through life. It was one of the best gatherings that I have attended in years! I was also mildly disappointed when we had to rush to pay in order to get to Oprah before 7:00pm. That’s how good it was!
I walked out of there knowing that I made some wonderful new friends whom I knew I could feel comfortable welcoming them into my life.
My Evening With Oprah Lessons
“Even Beyonce in her all Beyonce-ness, still asked me after her interview if she did OK. We all want to feel validated; That we’ve been heard.” – Oprah
I was never so proud to hear Oprah recognizing her tweethearts and OWN Ambassadors Nada, Shelley, Janet, and Helen. I realized that each of these people have become an part of my life (whether it be a growing friendship or a simple tweet hello!) through my love of Oprah. They have been heard by Oprah by meeting that moment of opportunity and through their own special magic that made Oprah pay attention to them. I am blessed and full of gratitude.
I thought about this hard today. I thought deeply about working so hard, spending so much money attending events, and doing though provoking interviews that took me hours to develop. Not making any money from it, but truly loving it.
What I learned on April 13, 2013
- Although I’m following my emotional, spiritual, and internal GPS, I am listening to others and not being still. EVER! When I am still, I am frightened.
- I’m very much a “Yes” girl. My cup runneth over constantly. Although my internal GPS is telling me that I’m on the right track, my cup runneth over with things I do not necessarily want to do.
- No matter how hard I try, I can’t be everything to everyone. I can’t sell that 2.7 million dollar Canadian cottage although I’ve agreed to do so. I must be a consultant to my 18-year-old daughter rather than a manager. I need to let her learn even though she is kicking and screaming.
- I have the gift of insight and discernment that sometimes makes me think I’m a “bad” person if I don’t lend a hand.
- Don’t worry who was invited to events and worry even less if you weren’t. The more I worry about them and their decisions, the less likely I am to be listening to my calling.
- Work hard and keep on interviewing, it’s what I’m meant to do.
- I am as funny as hell when I want to be and what do I what do I want to do with that?
I have also learned that within the super-humanness of Oprah lies a human being. With a heart, with a soul, with the same struggles, with the same elation when things go right. Yes, it’s hard to get noticed by her. Yes, she is a worldwide sensation. Who do I think I am?
With or without Oprah’s validation, I know I belong to a wonderful network of OWNAmbassadors. Thank you Oprah. But more importantly, I know that I am Trina Stewart, a wonderful person who listens to the whispers of my friends and family. Whose ear lends guidance to those in need. A person with the ability to bring people up in their life in times of need. A person who spreads themselves thin by doing so. This is my whisper where my internal GPS and the thread of my life is teaching me lessons to follow my calling. I will get there. I’m listening but I have to learn to be still to listen harder.
Seeing Oprah last night was a cup full of water being splashed on my face telling me to wake up and listen even harder to the whispers, pebbles, and bricks!
Did you see Oprah in Hamilton? Share your Ah-Ha moments and lessons learned in the comments. Light and Love!
“The only difference between being famous and not is that more people know your name.” – Oprah
