Pages

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

OMG...Oprah is in Mid-Life Crisis!


OMG…Is Oprah having a Mid-life Crisis?
  
Yesterday on the first show of a much publicized series called the “Best Life Week”, Oprah admitted that she had not been taking care of her self and again regained 40 lbs. of weight that she so masterfully and publicly lost in the past. In front of God and millions of the shows fans, she admitted that she had forgotten to take care of herself first! During the show she demonstrated how this happened.

With her assistant by her side, she showed her daily calendar, which was packed to the gills with meetings and events that did not include any personal time for the popular talk show host and entrepreneur. It was evident just by looking at the calendar; Oprah had become a work alcoholic! Time to change her calendar and take time for herself, which she did, yet still attacking the change with the fervor that is Oprah!  

She spoke of her health, the weight gain and her revelation that she had been focusing on everything and everyone else first. As I sat and watched this show, I heard Oprah telling the world the very same things I hear from women and the men of wives all over the world who come to my Women in MLC (Mid Life Crisis) Forum. Oprah’s life cup was draining and the physical evidence is her weight gain. 


Could the illustrious Oprah Winfrey be experiencing a Mid-Life Crisis?!

In my head I went through the mid-life crisis litmus quiz that we give everyone at the forum, which is made up of triggers that have occurred over the past five to ten years. With the public information we know is true, let’s put Oprah to the test by using these triggers that we know the answers to:

Death or experiencing Grief – Two of Oprah’s much beloved dogs died in the past two years. The dogs for Oprah were considered family or much like her own children…so, consider this the death of a child…twice! Add in any other significant others who have passed in the past five to ten years.
Increased responsibility at Work – Oprah opened her school for girls in South Africa., plus she had to deal with a public event of a worker who had been accused of mistreatment of the girl’s at the school. The premier and subsequent building of a top magazine. Her support of Barack Obama in his campaign. To much more to list. The woman is a work alcoholic! 
Health Issues and Illness – Oprah was diagnosed with a thyroid condition and possible heart issues. She has been in treatment and dealing with it. Add in her admitted struggle with her weight.  
Moving – How many houses does Oprah have in how many areas of the world? I have lost count, but with each new residence that she has acquired, we could consider this a move for her, even though she probably has a team of people handling the redecorating and move…it is still a move for Oprah.
Childhood issues and/or History – We all know that Ms Winfrey was molested by a family member when she was young….this is an issue, along with her long time estrangement from her father until later on in her life. Are these issues really resolved? Ms Winfrey has always struggled with her weight and maybe she is still struggling with self-image issues that have reared their ugly heads later on in life. She has admitted that much of her outgoing personality we see on TV comes from her childhood need to be accepted.
Finances: Increase or Decrease – Oprah is the richest or one of the richest and powerful women in the world. The pressure of being a wealthy person can and could be very dominating…it bears a heavy responsibility. Many people are dependant upon her for their livelihoods AND as we all know, money does not buy happiness. In the ever increasing concern over the economy, Oprah and her money mangers may be concerned over what she has invested her money in and what she will be able to do in the future.  
Relationships – Since Ms Winfrey keeps her relationship with her long time partner Stedman Graham very private, only he would know the answers to the following:
o Has Oprah dropped the “I Love You But I am Not In Love With You” statement on you lately?
o How’s your sex life? Non-existent? Struggling? Low sexual –libido?
o Is she asking for more space?
o Any suspicions about relationships with other people?
o Do the two of you have a history of affairs or cheating? (Maybe the reason for the intense interest in “Why Men Cheat”.)

Oprah hits several targets straight on with many of the public knowledge and answers to MLC Triggers. The rest is her private business, but if we did know the answers to these other questions, I could definitively say that Oprah Winfrey is just like many other women in the US and around the world.  

I know many people will not be organizing a collective “pity party” for the queen of daytime talk shows over her present state, but the fact that we can see that even Oprah can possibly go through a Mid-life Crisis makes her a bit more human. All the money in world or celebrity can NOT keep a person from avoiding the dreaded MLC.  

The important thing that we need to take note of is that Ms Winfrey is NOT in denial...she has realised her priority is to take care of herself first and as long as she doesn't start weeding out her relationships,  maintaining her coping skills and realises that change comes through subconscious change and not conscious change...well, she will transition through this time in her life in Oprah Winfrey fashion.  

Oprah is having a Mid-life Crisis and hers will be a very public one!

PS: Oprah: You are alsways welcome at our forum: Women in MLC.








 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mid life crises, wrong word for the life change that women go through. For some she may seem to be in crises however for the woman going through the life change this is the best time in her life. Now she is free to be the person she was mint to be not a just a mother or wife now she can be a whole person. Now she can take the time to love self and grow into her new life

shepherdess56 said...

I agree Carla...mid-life can be the best years of your life...but many woman struggle through the changes that occur during this time. You are speaking of Mid-life Transition...the crisis occurs when women are not loving themselves...they are stuck...they are confused, depressed, frustrated...empty and lost...physically and mentally exhausted. Women who are in Mid-life transition see the hope in growing into their new life...women in mid-life crisis are desperately trying to find the hope!

Actually, after viewing the second day of Oprah's Best Life Series...Oprah is in Mid-life Transition...she is hitting on every aspect of women's lives at mid-life that they need to focus on...yet, the woman in crisis will still struggle with what Oprah is presenting...they need it broken down even further...it just isn't that simple.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Carla, that you can't call it Midlifecrisis.
Even the big Oprah gets older and she changes. I don't have such a big problem with her new weight. I think she is such a big rolemodel for so many woman, that she shouldn't drive on this skinny, diet-until-death-train. I like her round body and don't see the problem in it.

shepherdess56 said...

Again, I agree with Carla and you...that Oprah is prbably not in mid-life crisis...she is just transitioning.

The article I wrote was to compare what we know publically about her against the Mid-Life Crisis check off list that many MLC experts use to determine if a person is going through a Mid-Life Crisis.

Oprah does have many triggers that would cause an MLC. Her weight gain is one result of several triggers that have occurred for her over the past few years. She could be a prime candidate for an MLC, as I have proven through the article....BUT...as the Best Life Week series continues, Oprah proves yet again she will meet this time in her life using all the resources she has at her fingertips AND then share them with the world!

Anonymous said...

nice blog $mile 4 u

Unknown said...

I find it very difficult to feel sorry for Oprah. She has too much money and too much support to need any sympathy from me. That may sound harsh, but I'm not really an Oprah fan. I'm a fan of the women who struggle through with no money, no personal assistants and no chefs/nannies/trainers/handlers etc.

She does bring the problem to light. That much I'll give her. But I'm sure she'll come through it just fine. People like her always do.

shepherdess56 said...

Netta:
I totally agree. This has been the overall response I have received from other women at other web sites where I have posted this article. No one is organizing a pity party for Oprah.

Yet, at the same time, this week Oprah has gone out of her way to let her audience know that she is on the up and up. Her efforts of bringing her struggle in to limelight is her way of acknowledging that she is not the only woman in the world that struggles with this sort of stuff at mid-life. This I can give her credit for...yet, still must point out that Oprah tends to skim the surface on the subject in many categories. Much of what she has been discussing is for women in transition...not in crisis. Women in Crisis tend to get stuck in the storm of change...they need individual help and guidance...someone who they can be accountable.

Thanks for your comments...I believe we are on the same page here.

Join us at Women in MLC at http://www.womeninmlc.lefora.com : a forum for women struggling at midl-life and for the men that love them.

Unknown said...

There are often times when men are unable to solve the mysteries of love and life. In order to get them on the right track it is very important that they follow relationship advice for men. Over the internet you would find hundreds and millions of advices which you can follow.Read more:-Relationship Advice For Men

BRAND NEW Mort Fertel Program

ChangeSOS

AWEsome Store