Live Your Best Life

I attended Oprah's Live Your Best Life weekend in New York last week. It was a celebration of O magazine's 10th year anniversary. The weekend was fabulous. Some 6,000 women attended from all over the world including Hong Kong and Australia. There was a reception on Friday to pick up our packets. Oprah's BFF Gayle King welcomed us then walked through the crowd taking pictures. The next day, Oprah opened up the conference at the Jacob Javitz convention center. Then we heard from various speakers including Author Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, and Love ("Our lives are a journey no one can take for us," Gilbert said); Financial Guru Suze Orman ("Debt is bondage. You have to get out of credit card debt"); Decorator Nate Berkus ("Your house should tell the story of who you are") and Life Coach Martha Beck ("Do something everyday that scares you and takes you toward your heart's desire"). Later that night, Oprah talked about her journey during an hour and half long presentation at Radio Music City Hall which is one of the most beautiful theaters I've ever seen. "Real courage is having what it takes to not give up on your dreams," Oprah said. The next morning we all participated in a 2.5 mile walkathon which ended in Times Square. Besides O, Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige also participated in the walk. It was really an experience of a lifetime being in the presence of Oprah! In fact, I saw her and Gayle on Friday night too when I went to see Denzel Washington on Broadway in the play Fences. I also ran into the Actress Debbie Allen. What a treat! The purpose of the conference was to empower women (and a few men) to find their path in life and be the best they can be! It's a message worth repeating again and again. P.S. I have a very special connection to O magazine. I wrote a story that appeared in the magazine. It's one of the highlights of my career!It was about a sketch artist for the Houston Police Department who was helping rape victims identify their perpetrators.