And that's all there is...there isn't anymore...

On May 25th, Oprah aired the final episode of her amazing, award winning talk show. I was in disbelief the first time I heard over a year ago that Oprah would be ending her talk show (especially since I never made it on as a featured guest). Oprah has always had a strong presence in my life, her talk show and face were two of the first pieces of media I recognized when I was 6 years old. During my elementary school years, I could always count on her show being played in the living room the moment I entered the house. Since the material was a bit too boring mature for my young palette I always tuned it out unless there was someone talented or famous on. I didn't really get into her show until my teen years once I could actually understand and even relate a bit with the topics, and over the last couple of years, I have pretty much watched it religiously (unless I was living the expat life).  Thus that fateful Wednesday, I prolonged my lunch break until 4 p.m. EST in order to take part in a pivotal piece of soon to be American History. I watched the final episode in a mixture of awe, sadness, disbelief, and inspiration.

Even though there were no big celebrities, giveaways, or surprises (those all happened a couple days before) for her final episode, I was still touched and riveted about what Lady O had to say. Oprah left me many pearls of wisdom and four very important points that I have been exploring and expanding upon over the last few years of my life which I will expand upon below...


1.Find Your Calling
This is the one I am having the most trouble with/ have yet to be complete from her list. As much as I hear/acknowledge the calls of my future city (London), and also passions (Travel, Inspiring Others, Expat Life); I have to yet to determine what I want to do in terms of a future career. For a few years, I saw myself as being an attorney and I even planned on enrolling in law school this fall or next fall, but after my last stint abroad and my current job, I def know that being an attorney is not for me (I 'm glad I realized that now instead of 5 years later, a 6 figure sum worth of school debt and a miserable 80 hours a week existence).  I have toyed around with the idea of getting into corporate recruitment, international human resources, study abroad work at colleges/universities, and even teaching. But, alas, I still have yet to feel my "A-Ha" moment.


2. Know Yourself and the Power of Love
The 'know yourself" transformation started during my year in France. For most of my teenage and even young 20's, I always lacked self confidence and never really knew my power. Once I got to France, I not only had to learn to adapt to a new culture and language, I was had to build my confidence little by little in order to survive and thrive in a non-Anglophone country. This transformation took many months to complete but its effects still resonate within me today. I realize today more than ever that I am intelligent, beautiful and confident and destined for great things.
I am now realizing the power of love since I am currently reading "The Power" by Susan Bryne (she also wrote the cult hit: "The Secret"). The author discusses how recognizing and using the power of love and positivity will attract nothing but good in your life (which I do agree with). Thus, I know and am confident in my myself and I'm using the power of love to take my life to the next great step.


3. Know Your Worth
This one pretty much goes in tandem with what I wrote above. I know that I am worthy of great things and a great life and no more wallowing in self pity.


4. Belief in God
I was never really spiritual person until last year. I grew up in the Christian faith thanks to my mother and her militant schedule of having to go to church every single Sunday (sometimes even twice). I always hated going and I always tried to sneak in a book or word search puzzle to occupy my mind. I was excited when I hit my teenage years and church attendance was no longer mandatory. I even went through a period of atheism always saying "there is no God."
But last year something happened. I was traveling in Sweden, and going over a lot of things in my mind about my past, present, and future. As I was walking, I noticed a very large church on a hill and something was pulling me to it. Even though I had been walking for many kilometers by that point, I pushed myself to get up that hill and to the church. I was uncertain if it was open, but once I spotted another set of tourists enter inside I ran in right behind them. They quickly looked around and left, but something invited me to stay. I took a seat in one of the pews and looked up into the church ceiling at all of it's magnificence. At that moment, there was a voice inside me, a deep and powerful voice that was directing me to find my faith in God and to realize that once I had this faith, to belief. I closed my eyes and listened to this voice for quite some time and I left the church renewed, rejuvenated, and inspired by the greatness of God. I have since counted on the Lord for many things in the past few months and just like the voice had promised, He has delivered on all of them. Thus, that is how I renewed my belief in God.


So in short, I learned a lot from Oprah's last episode. I know that I will find my calling, I know myself and my self worth, and I know there is a God. I will take her final pearls of wisdom into my heart in order to "live my best life."