• Oprah Winfrey is a well-known talk show host and author, among countless other things.
• Winfrey’s quotes are some of the most uplifting tokens of advice, especially for those in their 50s.
• Also: Discover the Next Nvidia

Oprah Winfrey is a gifted and beloved talk show host, producer, actress, and author who shares her authentic light with the world. This highly-quoted media proprietor offers some of the best advice to individuals of all ages and backgrounds. 

If you’re currently in your 50s and navigating the uncertainties and complexities of this decade, you’re not alone. Here are 10 Oprah Winfrey quotes every 50-year-old needs to hear.

1. Choose Love Over Fear

I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.

-Oprah Winfrey

There is much to fear in this world — there’s no denying that. However, whenever we come face-to-face with our adversities, we have the choice to pursue love or fear. In business, this might mean taking risks to chase your dreams and forge a path toward a more fulfilling career — regardless of your age. In your personal life, it might look like opening up to loved ones or letting down your walls to embrace more meaningful connections. Whatever obstacle you face or decision you must make, be sure to lead with love over fear, as this will align you with your most authentic self.

2. Get to Know Yourself

It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understanding of who you are — not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within — that you can begin to take control.

-Oprah Winfrey

Until you know yourself fully — which could take decades, depending on how willing you are to embrace your true spirit — you will always risk allowing others to define you. This can lead to unhealthy habits like people-pleasing, shaming yourself for your needs, and becoming passive in your own career or personal life. However, the more you can understand who you are at the core and on a spiritual level, the more control you will take over your life. You can’t defend your character if you don’t fully understand it; you can’t pursue your desires if you don’t fully know what they are.

Take time to silently sit with yourself, asking yourself what you want and need. Don’t judge what comes up. Get to know yourself, and begin fulfilling your needs by shamelessly embracing them. It is never too late to take your power back

3. Practice Gratitude

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.

-Oprah Winfrey

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple perspective change to acknowledge just how blessed you really are. Between work stress, financial woes, and other obstacles, it’s easy to lose yourself in negative thinking spirals. However, once you shift your focus on all the things you have rather than what you lack, you will feel endlessly grateful — attracting even more abundance into your life. Operating from a place of gratitude might subconsciously increase your confidence and inspire and motivate you to chase your dreams rather than just pine for them.

4. Embrace Your Journey

I always feel that until you take your last breath, you’re always growing.

-Oprah Winfrey

No matter how old you get, you will never reach “perfection” — there will always be room to grow. This is a liberating fact to accept. Rather than waiting until you’re at a fully healed place or in an idealistic headspace, take action in the present moment even if you don’t feel completely ready. You will continue to grow through until you no longer can. Don’t take that for granted; embrace it. Explore just how far you can go, but don’t hold yourself back by the fear of imperfection. 

This is also a great reminder to keep an open mind as you age. By your 50s, you might think you know everything you need to know in life. You might be tempted to reject more progressive views or fresh perspectives and ideas. However, you can learn valuable insights from those who are younger than you or those who have walked different paths in life.

5. Celebrate Every Milestone

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.

-Oprah Winfrey

No achievement is too small to celebrate. Praising and rewarding yourself for your hard work will keep you both motivated and confident. You’re never too old to celebrate your life and all your blessings. While you might be tempted to hide in the shadows as you grow older, remember that it is a privilege to age. Embrace and celebrate every phase of your life.

6. Embrace Your Struggles

Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.

-Oprah Winfrey

When you face obstacle after obstacle, it’s easy to feel like the victim. In fact, sometimes it’s even tempting to play the victim so you can avoid taking accountability for the messes in your life. Of course, in life, there are countless unfair situations and even traumas that were in no way, shape, or form your fault. However, rather than wallowing in the pain, after allowing yourself time to understand and process it, you must get up and move forward. You deserve to keep going. Without these struggles, you would never have discovered your strength. 

7. Keep Your Eye on the Prize

The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.

-Oprah Winfrey

In the day-to-day of life, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters most. Many of us feel trapped by work, money, or even personal issues without looking at the bigger picture. However, if you take the time to zoom out, you’ll realize that life as a whole is really just an opportunity for you to evolve. 

Remember when you were a child, dreaming of “one day” when you would do X, Y, and Z — when you would be X, Y, and Z? Have you lost touch with that dreamer inside of you? Reconnect with your most authentic self. You are becoming exactly who you intended to be.

8. Pursue Your Passions

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.

-Oprah Winfrey

Too many people lack passion today, simply going through the motions of life. This is no way to live. As Winfrey says, passion is energy — and that energy can propel you toward what you most desire in life.

For example, if you’re passionate about writing, let that energy trigger inspired action toward your goal of writing a book. If you’re passionate about being a parent, use that energy to provide a safe and loving home to your children. Whatever lights your soul on fire — listen to it and pursue it wholeheartedly. There’s a reason you have that passion inside of you.

9. Live in the Present

Whatever has happened to you in your past has no power over this present moment, because life is now.

-Oprah Winfrey

It’s easy to get caught up in the past, especially if you have regrets or feel ashamed of your actions (or lack thereof). However, no amount of guilt or rumination will change what’s already happened. Instead of living in the past, channel that energy toward the present moment. The present is truly all you ever have. You can take lessons from the past and apply them to the present, sure — but don’t live in a time that no longer exists. 

10. Practice Empathy

The struggle of my life created empathy — I could relate to pain, being abandoned, having people not love me.

-Oprah Winfrey

When we endure trauma, whether in childhood or adulthood, it often sticks with us and creates narratives like “you’re the problem,” “you’ll always be abandoned,” and “you must be perfect in order to be loved.” However, these are just fictional stories. Instead of letting your struggles define you, let them bless you with the gift of empathy. Pull from those times when you felt less-than to understand others around you. The more genuine connections you have in your life — the more you make people feel seen, heard, and understood — the more you will align yourself with your truest callings.

Why We’re Covering This

Oprah Winfrey’s quotes are especially uplifting and motivational. If you’re in your 50s, you might benefit from this refreshed perspective on life and business.

 

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