Mel Robbins shares how her grandmother took over her husband's company after his murder, using intentional elegance and asking for help to step into leadership. Every choice you make, from how you speak to how you enter a room, tells the world who you are.
Wait, say that again. Like it or not, you tell the story of who you are every day. What does that mean? By how you are, by every single choice you make, by how you talk to people, by how you enter a room, by your energy, by how you choose whether or not to embody your best self. I have an important story to tell you. My grandmother was one of my— she was one of the biggest fashion influences in my life. Very elegant lady, extremely intentional about dressing. But she, um, and I'm just gonna tell you a story, and we can— it's a hard story. Um, it's okay. Uh, my grandfather was murdered when she was in her 40s. What? Like randomly, at the door. Fluke thing in Palm Beach. Big, big thing. And my grandmother hadn't worked. She raised 6 children, was a housewife for 20-something years. And at that moment, she had to take over his entire company. She like It's funny the way she would describe to me the relationship of stepping up to the moment. And we talked about this yesterday, when you know that there is a moment in time that, like, you can choose whether or not you're going to rise to the occasion, to rise to that new version of yourself. And what she did, like, with the company, she told them, you know, I don't know how to be this person, but I'm going to play the part. And when I don't understand or I don't know, I'm going to ask. And I watched, like, growing up as a little girl, watching this intentional, respectful, and beautiful way that she approached all things and all people, it informed how I wanted to enter the room and what I want to offer the world. And I was reading this, it was just so like the idea that beauty and elegance can be empowering and even an offering to the world. How great is that? Like Toni Morrison says that she talks about beauty as being like people think of it as something that's you know, like even fashion being luxury, like beauty being like, um, not essential, but beauty is one of our main memos. Like, it's part of embodying your soul. Like, that's what beautiful is. Um, and I don't mean to take you on that tangent. I just think like, I'm all for the magic, you know? Like, it's not whether or not you want to become a fashionista, isn't the point. The point is like are you worth it to yourself? And like, how will you find the beauty in yourself? Because that's what, like, vulnerability is. You look at yourself and you feel fat and old and, you know, not great. I still love you, Mel. Like, you know how— let's like— I'm going to honor how you feel and I'm going to help, help heal you. The cool thing about this method is not just wearing the part. It's learning how to heal yourself and to teach yourself. That's where the change happens.
Oprah Winfrey: How to Find Your Unique Purpose, Authentic Power, and Calling in Life
