Oprah Winfrey: Over 50 and Continuing To Influence and Inspire
One of the most successful baby boomers of all time turned 56 last week. Yet this remarkable woman is going stronger than ever. Even though Oprah will end her twenty-five-year reign as the Queen of Talk in its current form next September, she will continue to delight and encourage her countless fans through her own network: OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network).
What is it about this energetic and charismatic woman that has such a hold on the popular culture? Others in the media are energetic and charismatic but their stars seem to shine far less brightly than the mega-watt power exuded by Winfrey. One thing is for sure: nobody handed her success on a silver platter. As a child, Oprah would have been an unlikely choice to aspire to the heights of media success. When she was born, there were woefully few female or black faces on the tube and, if they did make it to TV, their roles reflected their lack of social power.
Robyn Okrant, thirty-seven-year-old Chicago dweller, performance artist, and yoga instructor sought out to discover the true influence of the Oprah effect by attempting to live “her best life” the Oprah way for a solid year. As she described it during our 15-minute interview on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio, she decided to play “crash test dummy for a year” and follow Oprah’s edicts word-for-word.
Every day, Robyn tuned in to listen to Oprah and her expert guests present their ideas on living our best lives healthfully and fully. Of course, some of these guidelines were easier to follow than others. Despite the difficulty, however, Robyn faithfully executed the latest pronouncements from the experts– if Oprah gave them her personal stamp of approval. Robyn dieted, exercised, meditated, and selected clothing according to Oprah’s rules and chronicled her journey in living the Oprah way on her daily blog.
Robyn has just released her book, Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk. It’s not only a hoot, laced with the trials and tribulations of attempting to incorporate lifestyle ideals into the author’s daily habits; the book is also filled with insight. Living Oprah is a true celebration of the uniqueness to be found within each of us. So, if you’re looking for a great read, you can find out more about Robyn and her book on her website.
And, if you or a boomer friend are unemployed and looking for a job, learn the 10 top strategies for finding work over 50. Land the Job You Love is packed with insider tips to present your strengths both verbally and on paper in the most effective and results-producing way. If you want to find work quickly and successfully be certain and check this out.
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February 20th, 2010 at 5:04 am
This sounds like a great concept. Oprah has certainly paved the way for a new way of viewing ourselves as women and as older women too. She shows that life can be seen as a journey of becoming better and more of a blessing to our world with each year. You know, that we’re growing…instead of shriveling on the vine, so to speak. I’m definitely going to check this book out and see how the author fares. Thank you, Eileen!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Oprah is the s-hero to many and continues to be at the fantabulous age of 56! Way to go, Oprah and all the other over 50 inspirational, wise and powerful women!
February 4th, 2010 at 11:07 am
O really should give everyone hope that success can be had no matter what station of life you were born into. She is awesome…a true self-made woman!
February 4th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Loved the interview with Robyn. I can’t imagine too many women who would have the guts to live the “Oprah Life” for a year! Sounds like she learned quite a bit about herself in the process. The book is definitely one I’ll check out!
Mary
http://marycunninghambooks.com
http://woofersclub.blogspot.com
February 3rd, 2010 at 7:20 pm
I’m adding this to my must-read books! Thanks, Eileen. What a concept for both an experiment and book.