Oprah and Me

A friend recently encouraged me to share my story with Oprah.  Specifically, to share how positive thinking changed my life in 2,000 characters or less.  Anyone who reads this blog, knows that I am long winded, and 2,000 characters is nothing.  But I did it anyway.  Then, I got to thinking, I am not sure if Oprah will be inspired by my story (how could she not be?  duh.  :), but maybe some of you will.  So, I thought I would share what I wrote.  Some of it repeats things I have said before, but hopefully it is more concise, thanks to my word limit.  :)  When Oprah asked:  How has positive thinking changed your life?  This is what I said.

I was not born in Sudan. I do not have a disability. My parents did not neglect me. For much of my life, I was consumed by how inadequate I would always be, because I was a privileged, white American. How could I inspire Oprah or her viewers with this blessed life? 

I would have told you I was a positive thinker, but I was always thinking about the next thing I needed to accomplish to prove I was good enough, because I did not believe I was. That was fine when my life was working, but suddenly it was not working. I got laid off from my job, my (then) fiance cheated on me (which, at the time, I blamed him for), blah, blah. I felt worthless, because the only thing that gave me self-worth was achieving, and I was failing at achieving. 

I spent a couple of years pretending I had a positive attitude while thinking: Why me? What did I do wrong? After unsuccessfully applying for many jobs, I started thinking about what I really wanted to be in the world. I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but was afraid. But because my life had been stripped naked, and I had nothing left to lose, these fears seemed less relevant than they had previously. 

So, I started Bon Lemon, an accessories company whose mission is:  Spreading sparkle to inspire self-esteem.  Creating Bon Lemon helped me realize my purpose in life. I am going to inspire millions of people. Every aspect of my life is a piece of that puzzle. Failing, succeeding, my community, and this essay are all part of my purpose to be inspiration and play big. 

I have not mastered the art of positive thinking; I have committed to the practice of it.  I still get disappointed and frustrated, but since I shifted my thinking and see every piece of my life as a key component to living my life’s purpose, I have found freedom. I enjoy my business and its impact on the community, I am getting married, I have wonderful friends, and I love my life. Without the bumpy bits, I would have never realized who I am. I am inspiration.