Book Review: What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey

.

BOOK review

Started on: 19 March 2018
Finished on: 22 March 2018

What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey

Title: What I Know for Sure

Author: Oprah Winfrey
Publisher: Flatiron Books

Pages: 228 pages / 240 pages (e-book)
Year of Publication: 2014
Price: Rp 350,000 (https://www.periplus.com/)

Rating: 5/5

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"As you read about all the lessons I've struggled with, cried over, run from, circled back to, made peace with, laughed about, and at long last come to know for sure, my hope is that you'll begin to ask yourself the very same question Gene Siskel asked me all those years ago. I know that what you'll find along the way will be fantastic, because what you'll find will be yourself."

This is a very intimate and personal book in which Oprah Winfrey shared the things that she knows for sure about life. It all started with an interview when she was asked the question, "What do you know for sure?". This book is divided into 8 different chapters: Joy, Resilience, Connection, Gratitude, Possibility, Awe, Clarity, and Power. In each one, she shared her experiences and how through them she learned of the things that she knows for sure. It's definitely a heartwarming book that makes me reminisce my own personal past experiences and what I've learned from them 😊.

In this review, I will share some parts that really resonates with me or things that serve as a reminder for me. Along with that, I want to share some of my favorite quotes from this book and I hope reading them will inspire you as well 😊. The first theme that I want to discuss is my favorite one called: Resilience. In this chapter, the author said that no matter who we are or where we come from, we all have our own journey. Oprah herself has gone through various kinds of difficult situation in the past. Through it all, she knows for sure that we're all responsible for our own lives and happiness. We get to choose how we respond to our situation: whether we give up or remain resilient and grow stronger. This is something that I'm also slowly learning, which is to embrace the process that God has allowed me to go through. My favorite quote from this chapter is where Oprah hopes that we keep encountering challenges—which might sound cruel, but I have to agree with that statement. Because every experience in our lives will teach us something, and when we learn to embrace it, we will grow better and stronger each time. 💪💪

"No matter what challenge you may be facing, you must remember that while the canvas of your life is painted with daily experiences, behaviors, reactions, and emotions, you're the one controlling the brush."

"Wherever you are in your journey, I hope you, too, will keep encountering challenges. It is a blessing to be able to survive them, to be able to keep putting one foot in front of the other—to be in a position to make the climb up life's mountain, knowing that the summit still lies ahead. And every experience is a valuable teacher."

"I know for sure that all of our hurdles have meaning. And being open to learning from those challenges is the difference between succeeding and getting stuck."

image source: here. edited by me.

"When you can see obstacles for what they are, you never lose faith in the path it takes to get you where you want to go. Because this I know for sure: Who you're meant to be, evolves from where you are right now. So learning to appreciate your lessons, mistakes, and setbacks as stepping-stones to the future is a clear sign you're moving in the right direction."

"What I know for sure is that there is no strength without challenge, adversity, resistance, and often pain. The problems that make you want to throw up your hands and holler "Mercy!" will build up your tenacity, courage, discipline, and determination."

The second one that I want to talk about is the chapter about Connection. Through the stories that Oprah shared in this chapter, I discovered that we are quite similar in terms of being a homebody and keeping our circle of friends fairly small. The stories in this chapter talk about having a connection with other people can add a new meaning to life. Yet even though we're all social human being who needs other people, it doesn't mean that we need someone else's love or approval to make our lives whole/complete. And just like Oprah, I myself has become a very social person these days. And yes, being connected with other people and building relationships with them certainly adds a new dynamic to my life. Although sometimes conflicts may arise in those relationships, I'm trying to see it as my training ground—especially in terms of communication skills.😄😄

"The key to any relationship is communication."

"There is one irrefutable law of the universe: We are each responsible for our own life.
If you're holding anyone else accountable for your happiness, you're wasting your time."

The last theme that I'm going to mention in this review will be Gratitude. It is something very commonly talked about, but there are times when it's so hard to do. In this chapter, Oprah shared some of her tips on feeling grateful. The key is to have a new perspective when you feel ungrateful about the current situation you're in. In one of her stories, she mentioned what Maya Angelou told her: that saying thank-you shows how strong your faith is, and there's no doubt that whatever the problem, you'll get through it. It is believing that even in the middle of the storm, God has put a rainbow in the clouds. I was so inspired by that passage realizes just how true that statement is. That there's no problem created that can compare to the Creator of all things. Even though it can be challenging some times, I think gratefulness is more of a decision than a result of our circumstances.

"Being grateful all the time isn't easy. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It's the quickest, easiest, most powerful way to effect change in your life—this I know for sure."

"I believe everything that happens in our lives has meaning, that each experience brings a message, if we're willing to hear it."

 

Before reading this book, I've only known Oprah Winfrey as a TV personality who likes to give free stuff to the audience. I know that she's a very generous and big-hearted person, but that's all that I knew about her. Through this book, I feel like now I've known her better and I totally respect her as a person. While reading, it felt as if she's a friend who's sitting beside me, sharing her experiences and giving me advice on life. It was also quite unexpected to know that I related to Oprah Winfrey on so many different things—especially about enjoying our time with good books. I would definitely recommend this book to those of you who need some encouragement or want to be inspired. It's the kind of book that I want my future children to read 😂. And it's also on the list of books that I want to reread someday. 😊😊

by.stefaniesugia♥ .