Comments About Oprah's USC Commencement Speech

“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.” -Oprah Winfrey

The only thing I love more than graduations is a really good commencement speech. And no one gives a speech better than Oprah Winfrey. I learned that Oprah recently gave a commencement speech. And I listened to it.

Some people (like my husband) throw shade at Oprah. They judge her for being on the cover of every magazine. They think she’s a know it all. They think that she should be the change she wants to see in the world by finally losing the excess weight. These folks are what we call haters.

Then there are people like me, those of us who believe that Oprah is AMAZING. We admire the fact that she is truly self-made. Think that she is bad ass, a boss, and bodacious because she is a billionaire and unlike the majority of the other billionaires, she didn’t inherit a dime. She is where she is because of her own blood, sweat and tears and because she was able to tap in to her authenticity and created a brand. (Typing that made me even a bigger fan!)

Oprah's Life Lessons Are Profoundly Practical

When Oprah speaks, I listen. I don’t listen because I want her to rule my life. I listen because she  always teaches me something. And she causes me to pause, reflect and to be still so that I can hear my own authentic voice. My goal is to teach my children to do the same so that they are able to forge their own authentic path full of experiences, knowledge, and empathy. I also pray that along the journey they figure out to cultivate their own voice, love themselves completely, and respect the humanity in others.  If I am able to do that, I have succeeded!

Below is a link to a commencement speech Oprah gave recently that might influence the way you raise your kids too. Enjoy!  

Twelve Success Tips From Oprah Winfrey

1. Eat a good breakfast (“It really pays off”)
2. Pay your bills on time
3. Make your bed
4. Be nice to kids.
5. Be nice to elders.
6. If you find yourself fighting with someone you love, find yourself back to them because time is short even on our longest days. 
7. Invest in a quality mattress
8. Don’t “cheap out on your shoes.
9. Oh, and “vote, vote, vote.
10. Your job is not who you are. It's just what you're doing on the way to who you will become.
11. Be so fantastic at what you do that your talent cannot be denied.
12. Stop comparing yourself to other people.

'Be the Truth': Watch Oprah's Inspirational USC Commencement Speech