Oprah Winfrey recently turned 62. Born into poverty by a teenage single mother, Oprah Gail Winfrey has become one of the world’s most influential people.
We celebrate the actress, producer, philanthropist, entrepreneur and Queen of All Media with more of our favorite quotes.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you—always.”
“Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age 3, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
“The essential question is not, “How busy are you?’ but ‘What are you busy at?’ ‘Are you doing what fulfills you?”
“Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.”
“Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past can be changed”
“What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you.”
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
“Devote today to something so daring even you can’t believe you’re doing it.”
“The true meaning of courage is to be afraid, and then, with your knees knocking and your heart racing, to step out anyway—even when that step makes sense to nobody but you. I know that’s not easy. But making a bold move is the only way to truly advance toward the grandest vision the universe has for you.”
“What’s a calling? It lights you up and it lets you know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be, doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing.”
“I don’t want anyone who doesn’t want me.”
“Your true passion should feel like breathing; it’s that natural.”
“Live from the heart of yourself. You have to make a living. I understand that. But, you also have to know what sparks the light in you so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world.”
“Some women have a weakness for shoes… I can go barefoot if necessary. I have a weakness for books.”
“You are responsible for your life… so, don’t wait for somebody else to fix you, to save you or complete you. Jerry MaGuire was just a movie. No one completes you.”
“When you undervalue what you do, the world will undervalue who you are.”
“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
“True forgiveness is when you can say, ‘thank you for that experience.’”
“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.”
“If friends disappoint you over and over, that’s in large part your own fault. Once someone has shown a tendency to be self-centered, you need to recognize that and take care of yourself; people aren’t going to change simply because you want them to. ”
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
“Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
“Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes and dance.”
“Only make decisions that support your self-image, self-esteem and self-worth.”
“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”
“We often block our own blessings because we don’t feel inherently good enough or smart enough or worthy enough. What this show has taught me … you are worthy because you are born and because you are here.”
“You aren’t your past, you are probability of your future.”
“Turn your wounds into wisdom.”
“I will tell you that there have been no failures in my life. I don’t want to sound like some metaphysical queen,but there have been no failures. There have been some tremendous lessons.”
“You don’t become what you want, you become what you believe.”
“Every day brings a chance to live free of regret and with as much joy, fun, and laughter as you can stand.”
“You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.”
“It makes no difference how many peaks you reach if there was no pleasure in the climb.”
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