We love getting wellness and life advice from our favorite celebrities. It's always nice to hear about a different perspective and outlook, especially if it's from someone you admire. But when it comes to who the queen of life advice is, well, that's gotta be Oprah Winfrey, right? She's been serving us words of wisdom for decades—and luckily for us, she's not stopping anytime soon, especially with her cross-country 2020 Vision Tour currently underway (with appearances from celebrity guests like Lady Gaga, Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, and Tracee Ellis Ross).
To celebrate the legend's birthday today, we've rounded up the best wellness and life advice she's blessed us with throughout the years.
Wellness
On self-care: "The best way I know for sure to stay in steady makeover mode is to take care of yourself. To feed yourself with love and loving thoughts. To eat food that's delicious to you and to your body. To engage in loving practices, like giving yourself the gift of stillness at least five minutes a day. To surround yourself with people who bring you light, and to banish all forms of negative energy."
On finding time for herself: "Alone time is when I distance myself from the voices of the world so I can hear my own."
Healthy Eating
On balance: "I can eat anything I want; I just can't eat it at the same time, which is the entire philosophy of life: You can have it all. You just can't have it all at the same time."
On eating well: "All good food comes from the earth. And whether you get that food from a farmers' market, your local grocer, or your own backyard, this I know for sure: The pure joy of eating well is worth savoring."
Life in General
On treating every moment as a learning experience: "I say this to people all the time: 'Nothing is waste.' There is not a moment that you can have that can't turn out to be useful later in life, and if you know that, life is like this huge, giant classroom."
On being yourself: "This will save you. Stop comparing yourself to other people. You're only on this planet to be you, not someone else's imitation of you… Your life journey is about learning to become more of who you are and fulfilling the highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being. That's why you're here. You will do that through your work and your art, through your relationships and love."
On failing: "Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it."
Career
On work: "Your job is not always going to fulfill you. There will be some days that you just might be bored. Other days, you may not feel like going to work at all. Go anyway, and remember that your job is not who you are, it’s just what you are doing on the way to who you will become. Every remedial chore, every boss who takes credit for your ideas—that is going to happen—look for the lessons, because the lessons are always there."
On finding your purpose: "Your real work is to figure out where your power base is and to work on that alignment of your personality, your gifts you have to give, with the real reason why you are here. Align your personality with your purpose, and no one can touch you."
Love
On not letting a relationship complete you: "I've seen so many women (and been one myself) dazed by the idea of romance, believing they're not complete unless they find someone to make their lives whole. When you think about it, isn't that a crazy notion? You, alone, make a whole person. And if you feel incomplete, you alone must fill yourself with love in all your empty, shattered spaces."
On being open to love: "The chance to love and be loved exists no matter where you are. Most of us can't see it because we have our own preconceived ideas about what it is (it's supposed to knock you off your feet and make you swoon) and how it should appear (in a tall, slim, witty, charming package). So if love doesn't show up wrapped in our personal fantasy, we fail to recognize it. I know this for sure: Love is."
Next up: Let Serena Williams Guide You Through Life—Here Are Her Best Inspiring Quotes
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions.
