Healthy Living DIY

Ok, so we know from years of press coverage on this topic, that Ms. Winfrey deals with issues around her weight. You may not have weight issues, but surely you have something. I've yet to meet the person who's lacking at least one area of their life that grants repeated learning opportunities.

Before we go any further, consider your own life. See if you can pick out one area where you yourself feel challenged at the moment. If it's not weight (aka health), then perhaps it's your job, relationships, finances, housekeeping, personal integrity, or your spiritual connection. As we continue, think about the similarities between Ms. Winfrey's weight concern and your _______ (fill in the blank) concern.

Yesterday, Oprah's company issued a press release saying that she's back up to 200 pounds. If you haven't seen it, read the article here: Oprah's latest news about her weight. Let's look at this announcement, at what she did and didn't do that made it work so well, and how you can do the same.

First, instead of waiting for a rash of tabloids to rake her over the coals about her weight gain, Oprah pre-empted things by announcing it herself. One of the best ways you can pre-empt negative comments in your own life is to muster the courage to bring up those oh-so-obvious human foibles before somebody else can.

For example, "Oh my gosh, Mom. I can't believe I got so caught up in that big project at work that I forgot your 80th birthday! I feel terrible. May I take you out next week for a belated celebration lunch?"

Mom already knows you forgot her birthday, just like we can all see that Oprah's put on a few extra pounds. Sure it's a mess-up, but being the first to bring it up scores you big points. While you're at it, apologize. Caryn Rousseau, author of the article you just viewed, picked up on the apolgetic tone in Winfrey's press release. Oprah's sharp. Apologizing helps!

However, and here's the real grace at work, there are a couple of things that Ms. Winfrey quite obviously did not do. Model your own campaign after these:

1. While offering an explanation for her behavior, she doesn't attempt to make phony excuses for it. She tells us she ate out of frustration and was afraid to exercise due to a thyroid problem. Ok, well that sounds honest enough. It's certainly not for me to say whether her fears were well-founded or not, but I can get that they were real to her at the time.
2. And now for the real clincher. While acknowledging that she "felt fat" and is embarrassed and disappointed with herself because she "knows better" (ha ha, don't we all), she does not demean herself as a person with her remarks.

Sure Oprah is frustrated by her own behavior. She knows the results of her behavior put her at risk for a whole bunch of other challenges down the road. We've all been there, haven't we? But at the same time, she has the courage, integrity and self-respect to compassionately take responsibility for things. There's the grace in action.

Oprah Winfrey is clearly still the same visionary leader she's always been, just with a smidge more padding.