Oprah's Core Values

Since 1987, United States presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating March as “Women’s History Month.” These proclamations celebrate the contributions women have made to the country and recognize specific achievements in various fields.

Few have made more significant contributions over the past several decades than Oprah Winfrey. Her relentless pursuit of her dream and her ability to overcome countless obstacles along the way are models for us all. Oprah has earned her way to the top through hard work, dedication and a willingness to empathize.

In talking to the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Oprah attributed her success to the fact that she works on staying awake. To Oprah, awakening is another word for spirituality. When she would hire people for her company, she would always ask prospective employees one simple question: “What is your spiritual practice?” Most would say they were religious, and Oprah would say, “I didn’t ask about your religion. I asked you what you do to take care of yourself.” Once she rephrased the question, most applicants had no answer.

What would yours be? Think about it for a moment, then write it down. Oprah felt that taking care of her inner core by staying grounded was a way of committing to her mental health and wellness, which she deemed essential to her success. She always wanted to have the ability to connect with her audience, make them feel that she was no different — fulfilling the highest, truest expression of herself to them each day. To establish that connection, she needed to be grounded in 7 different ways:

1. Staying focused on the present

2. Being strong in her area of self-worth

3. Having a deep sense of purpose

4. Deeply trusting herself

5. Staying connected to nature

6. Maintaining balance in every facet of life

7. Creating space for mindfulness and thought

As we embark on our day, let’s consider our spiritual practice and formulate our own strategies for staying grounded.