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What. A. Magical. Day.
On Wednesday this week, I got to see not one, but two of Oprah's interviews at Cannes Lions by chance... well, as if anything is ever truly by chance.
And yes, her reputation precedes her. Of course it does. But she doesn't just live up to it. She transcends it.
Listening to her speak - and then briefly getting to meet her afterward (cue full fan-girl moment) - I felt transported. Vibrating at the most magical frequency.
And I realized that perhaps Oprah's greatest shift wasn't professional `at all.
It was the moment she stopped asking, "What do I want from life?" and instead began asking:
"How can I be used in service to something greater than myself?"
That single question has shaped not only Oprah's career, but her legacy.
Here are a few takeaways from the first conversation, hosted by one of our recent guests on The Real Shift Show, Female Quotient Founder Shelley Zalis.
P.S. Shelley, you rocked it!
Intention is the Force Behind Everything
Throughout the discussion, Oprah returned again and again to one central idea: the purity of your intention matters.
"The purity - the why behind you doing whatever it is you're doing - is the energetic force field that drives anything."
In a world obsessed with clicks, followers and visibility (and yes, as a media agency owner, I get it!) it was a powerful reminder that success begins long before anyone sees the final product. It begins with intention.
- Why are you building the business?
- Why are you creating the content?
- Why are you sharing your story?
As Oprah shared, anything truly successful must begin with love, be filled with love and ultimately create a loving experience for others.
Surround Yourself with People Who Match Your Vibration
Oh how I loved this reminder.
A theme that surfaced throughout the conversation was energy. One of the best words in the universe.
Oprah spoke candidly about learning to surround herself only with people who are her "vibrational equal" … people who celebrate, support and elevate rather than diminish.
She challenged the audience to examine the relationships and environments in their lives.
- Do the people around you energize you?
- Do they expand you?
- Do they see your light and encourage it?
Because when we fail to value ourselves, we often accept relationships that slowly chip away at who we are.
Growth sometimes requires changing not only ourselves, but also who we allow into our orbit.
I really felt that one.
Life is Always Speaking to You
"Life is never not speaking to you." The question is: Are you listening?
Often, it begins with whispers. It's that feeling that something is off. A quiet knowing. A subtle nudge toward a new direction. Maybe it's a relationship that no longer aligns. A career path that no longer fits. A dream that refuses to leave you alone.
Ignore the whispers, Oprah warned, and eventually they arrive as brick walls.
How many times have we all experienced this? The lesson: trust the whispers. Pay attention before life is forced to get louder.
This, in many ways, is why my co-host Katy and I created The Real Shift Show - to explore the moments that change us, inspire others through authentic stories and remind ourselves that there is often a greater wisdom guiding us, if we're willing to listen.
She also addressed the concept of imposter syndrome. Oprah said she doesn't experience it … not because she's mastered everything, but because she has always believed she belonged in every room she found herself in.
As she put it: "If God put me in that room, that means I belonged in that room."
Be the Light
One of her most powerful messages centered on the energy we put into the world. She reminded us that what we put out (our thoughts, words, actions and intentions) ultimately returns to us.
"You want to be the light in the world."
"If you're not dropping light into the world and you're putting shadows into the world, those shadows will come back in the form of darkness to you."
In an era where anyone can create, publish and influence, that responsibility has never been greater. Every post. Every conversation. Every interaction. It's all energy. And energy has consequences.
Age is a Gift, Not Something to Hide
At 72, Oprah spoke with genuine excitement about aging.
Rather than resisting age, she celebrates it. Every year, every breath and every opportunity to wake up to another day is a gift.
In a culture obsessed with youth, it was refreshing to hear someone of Oprah's stature embrace aging not as decline, but as expansion - becoming braver, wiser, freer and more fully yourself.
The Question That Changes Everything
Near the end of the conversation, Oprah reminded all of us to ask ourselves one question:
"How can I be used?"
Not:
- What title should I pursue?
- How do I make more money?
- How do I become more successful?
But:
- How can I use the gifts I've been given in service to something greater?
When we align our talents with the deeper reason we came here, we become unstoppable. We become fully ourselves. And perhaps that is the greatest shift of all.
Not becoming someone new. But remembering who we were always meant to be.
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