‘Oprah’s Cure For Being Overwhelmed’

I was flipping through the September issue of “O” magazine last night and read Oprah’s “What I Know For Sure” column. What a great read this always is. It reminds me that even she is human and struggles with issues like being overwhelmed.

This month she writes that she was working so much and trying to find a President for her new TV network as well as a new Head for her school in Africa. Nothing was working. Then, she:

pulled out my gratitude journal, in which I’d been too tired to write even a sentence for months. … I took a few deep breaths. I said “Thank you” out loud.

And I wrote in my journal: “I am grateful for my breath and the recognition that I am here, alive. Breathing. I am grateful for life. And for this time alone. In this moment, I have to do nothing. Yes, there are many things that need to get done, but in this moment I have to do nothing.”

I sat in silence. I prayed. I meditated. I napped. I filled three more pages with praise and gratitude for all that’s gone right. And stopped giving my attention to what wasn’t working …

The next day, I found the new head of school. Two days later, a president for OWN.

She took time to step back. To be thankful. And everything came together.

Read Oprah’s full article here.