OPRAH...As Green as They Come!

You might think Oprah Winfrey's favorite color is purple but I'd say she is more partial to green, that is, psychological green.

Addressing 4,700 graduates at California's Stanford University, in May of 2008, Oprah Winfrey advised them to always follow their instincts, for they are like "a GPS system for life". She told the students that going by their gut-feeling would save them from making many wrong decisions.

"When you are doing the work you are meant to do, it feels right. Check your ego at the door and check your gut instead. Every wrong decision was the result of me not listening to my voice. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it."

If you want to be successful in life, if you want to avoid bad choices and make the ones that enhance your life, then, like Ms. Oprah, become psychologically green--tune into your instincts, get back to basics, back to your human nature. Whereas physical green is analogous to protecting our planet, psychological green is about protecting and honoring your human nature.

Indeed, stunning new research in the evolutionary sciences reveal that Mother Nature has hardwired us with natural tools for success. These tools are specific instincts whose purpose is to help us thrive in life. According to principles of natural selection, the only reason we possess these instincts is because they work! Thus, when Oprah says, "Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself," she is simply endorsing the good work of Mother Nature and the message of my new book, The Genius of Instinct!

It's too bad we don't have laws to protect our human nature because I concur with Ms. Oprah---ignoring our instincts frequently spells disaster. Take a look at the plights we have now and you will see for that they are a result of going against our human nature, from being "instinctually disconnected."

We compete instead of cooperate, we get ourselves into bad relationships and the wrong job environment by listening to others instead of ourselves, we resist asking for help when we know we need it, and we fail to help others, even though we know it is the "right thing" to do.

No wonder we are often so unhappy and unfulfilled. No wonder we sometimes get into the wrong relationships, take the wrong jobs, and make the wrong choices.

At the same time, take a look at the individuals, families, organizations, and countries that are thriving, and you will conclude that they are doing nothing more than staying in synch with their human nature, that is why they are growing. It is our instinctual tools that allow us to thrive and to solve the everyday problems that we encounter. Indeed, today psychological green is true to the color of nature-green for "growth."

No one is more psychological green than Oprah Winfrey and she is the perfect example to support Mother Nature's contention that those individuals who use their instinctual tools in broad and diverse ways will be the most successful -personally and professionally. Here are some of the ways Ms. Oprah applies the genius of her instincts, to herself and to others.

• Shelter Seeking. Your shelter seeking instincts have the purpose of helping you find and create empowering environments, be it work or relationships that help you grow and develop. Hundreds of times Ms. Oprah has empowered millions of people by exposing them to concepts, how to strategies, inspirational stories and resources that enable individuals to make positive changes in their lives. Her show is an empowering environment for millions and that is why millions "seek it out"; it helps them grow. On her own behalf, she has evolved from a television host into an actress, producer, philanthropist so it is safe to assume she has used her own shelter seeking instincts to find environments that help her thrive.

• Care-Soliciting. We're all hard wired to ask for help, but many don't because to do so means acknowledging feelings of vulnerability, a feeling of weakness. Yet, in front of millions, Oprah has acknowledged her "weight vulnerabilities," and in response, she has gained the support of millions to win her weight battle and equally important, she has given the message to men and women that acknowledging vulnerabilities is a strength not a weakness and by allowing yourself to feel vulnerable, you can reach out for the help you need.

• Care-Giving. Men and women are both hardwired with care giving instincts, their evolutionary purpose to develop the future. Consider Ms. Oprah as care-giver-food vouchers to the needy, helping families and couples overcome adversities so they can get back on track, and her Leadership Academy for young women in Africa is a perfect example of how she helps "develop the future," of a country.

• Cooperation: According to Oprah, "The world basically and fundamentally is constituted on the basis of harmony. Everything works in cooperation with something else." It's true. The first atom couldn't make it by itself so it coagulated with another molecule and ever since then, it's been a team game. The purpose of your cooperative instincts is to get people to work together and nobody does it better than Oprah. She has, for example, created many grants such as The Global Fund for Children, that have created cooperation between groups and countries; she galvanized millions to work together for electing President Obama.

• Attractiveness: The function of beauty is to attract others, to make ourselves more desirable. Ms. Oprah broadly applies attractive instincts, from Beauty tips in O, to a show that featured beauty tips from around the world, to dozen of makeover shows, to her own appearance, Ms. Oprah , takes attractiveness seriously. She also knows that attractiveness goes way beyond physical beauty; she is a constant reminder to all of us that developing "inner beauty" is the real secrete to attracting others.

• Curiosity. Your curiosity instinct serves the function of helping you approach things in your environment that can enhance your life. In essence, curiosity accelerates your learning and keeps you ahead of the pack. One way Ms. Oprah has reconnected millions of people in touch with their curiosity instinct--by getting them to read! Her book clubs have ignited the interests of millions who now "approach" reading as a source of enjoyment and learning, and as a result, their lives are enhanced.

I was guest on Ms. Oprah's show long before it was national. The theme was "feuding friends," and because of my expertise in anger management, I was a suitable guest expert. As the credits, rolled, I asked her, "When you get angry, do you see the color red or the color purple? "
With a laugh, she replied "the color purple." However, my instincts told me it was neither--I knew immediately she was as green as they come.

Comments

[AngieMom57]

"Cooperation: According to Oprah, "The world basically and fundamentally is constituted on the basis of harmony. Everything works in cooperation with something else." It's true. The first atom couldn't make it by itself so it coagulated with another molecule and ever since then, it's been a team game..."

T.E. A. M.

T=Together
E=Everyone
A=Accomplishes
M=Much

[Dredd]

Green is the color of surviving species.

http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/06/ecocosmology.html