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Who wouldn't want to live like Oprah? She has billions of dollars to do with however she likes. She has luxurious estates in beautiful places. She has powerful and influential friends. She is adored by millions and has influence beyond comprehension. Yet, these things are not what inspired my article. What I am sharing may surprise you. So how do we mere mortals get to live like Oprah? Read on.

Like Oprah, you too can live a life of gratitude

I was incredibly moved to read about the 'Legends who Lunch' event Oprah planned recently. Here is undisputedly one of the most influential and successful women today, planning an event to pay tribute to the 'legends' who have contributed and paved the way for her and others. She identified 25 women 'whose steps created a journey of no boundaries' for her generation. She wanted to 'thank them, celebrate them, and rejoice in their spirit.' Then she invited 45 women who have benefited from these trail-blazers to come help honor these legends. What a show of gratitude!

Granted, anything that Oprah does gets press, so other hugely successful people may have made similar gestures that I didn't hear about. But I honestly wonder if that is the case. I find her gesture genuine and inspiring.

Living a life of gratitude doesn't mean throwing lavish parties, although that sounds like a mighty fine idea if you can pull it off. It means showing appreciation for what we have, whether it is a huge fortune, or a small windfall. It means saying thank you to others for what they have done for us, no matter how significant or trivial. It means thinking of others and being outward focused instead of thinking about 'me, me, me' all the time.

So that's the first way all of us can live like Oprah - feel grateful and appreciate everyday and everything that is good. I believe that one cannot be unhappy if one is truly grateful. Try it for yourself and see what happens. Follow Oprah's example and keep a gratitude journal everyday. Write down at least five things you feel grateful for that day. Appreciate the simple things in life as well as the grand extravaganzas. I was told that the more grateful you are for what you have, the more the universe sends your way. It's a very simple thing to do. Start today.

Like Oprah, you too can live a life of generosity Wayne Dyer said that 'the measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.' And you don't have to be filthy rich to be generous because aside from money, there are so many other things you can give away. Oprah is known for her generosity in the fabulous gifts she gives to her audience, and in her charity programs in Africa. But if you really pay attention, you'll notice that she gives much more than that.

She generously shares her struggles and experiences, and in doing so, she gives others hope that they too can overcome whatever obstacles are in their way.

She generously shares her own life lessons, and in doing so, she teaches us wisdom.

She generously offers her affection. She appears to genuinely like her audience, her guests, and her staff. In relating to her, she made us more open to love and trust. What would happen with your relationships if you were more open and affectionate? How will people respond if you accepted them without judgment?

That's the second way we all can live like Oprah - be generous with our time, our money, our talents, our support, our affection, and our love. What we send out returns to us tenfold. How can our lives not be improved by that?

Like Oprah, you too can live a life of evolution and growth

I admit that this is one of my values, so I get very excited about this. Life offers us lessons everyday and the only tuition we pay is our willingness to accept them. There is no better example of this in practice than Oprah's 'What I Know for Sure' articles that she writes. She takes everyday experiences and translates them into a lesson for how she wants to approach life. I don't know if you have an opinion, but her life seems to be working pretty darn well to me.

This is the last secret I borrowed from Oprah ' live life consciously. Allow and urge yourself to evolve and grow each day. Open your eyes to life's lessons and live like Oprah. You could do worse in choosing a role model.

Copyright 2006 Inez Ng