living the o life.

OK, so everybody knows I'm an unabashed Oprahphile. But writer/performer/director/yoga teacher/Chicagoan Robyn Okrant has kicked my O-bsession up a notch, living her "best life" according to Oprah's abundant advice for a full year and writing a book about it, Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk.

In a recent online article for wowowow, The Women On the Web, Okrant reveals the top ten most important lessons she learned during her O time, including:

Stop using the word "just" to describe yourself. My sister does this whenever she leaves me a voicemail － "It's just me," － and to my sweet husband's credit, he's the one who noticed and winced at it first. You're something special (this means you, Nini!), so if you've got to use it, then say, "I'm just amazing!"

Build up men. According to Oprah, "The truth is, men do need to be made to feel like they're winners. They need to be built up." According to Okrant, "Instead of being insulted by my stream of compliments, ego-boosting and gratitude, the men in my life seemed happier, more amenable to change and more relaxed." Worthwhile effort? Worth a try ...

Be conscious of waste. "Ask yourself, 'What can I do without?'" If you're interested in decluttering your life, then this is a good question to ask both before and after you acquire more, more, more.

Be nice. Okrant clarifies: Be genuinely nice.

Support other women rather than criticizing them. Quoth Okrant, "My gut response was defensiveness and finger-pointing: I even judged Oprah for judging me for being too judgmental." She eventually recognizes many of us have a bad habit of criticizing other women's choices and priorities, and realizes the woman she's most critical of is herself. Hmmm, sound familiar?

Reconnect with nature. Accepting and relating to the world around us helps keep us present. And presence is a gift, to ourselves and others around us.

So, has Oprah or another guru ever influenced you with a jewel of wisdom? Do share. :)


image source: apartment therapy