After owning the stage Friday evening at the Toyota Center, Oprah Winfrey returned Saturday morning to continue her Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend in Houston, and it was a day audience members aren’t likely to forget.
Similar to the first night's itinerary, the festivities were filled with lively dancing to the soulful tunes of Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé and Michael Jackson followed by spirituality discussions and self-help wisdoms.
In fact, the entire weekend felt like one long The Oprah Winfrey Show episode, undoubtedly fulfilling a bucket list item for many of the audience members.
As Winfrey took to the stage in a light tan jacket with tight jeans and gray combat boots, she informed audiences that the lessons they learned that day would help them find their calling and guide them through the course of their lives. And while the day certainly wasn’t that dramatic, it did manage to live up to both the hype and the price tag. (Tickets ranged from $99 to $999, with parking upwards of $30 and T-shirts starting at $38.)
Winfrey's team of "Life Trailblazers,” which included Pastor Rob Bell, Deepak Chopra, Elizabeth Gilbert and Iyanla Vanzant, spoke about their life mantras and tips to achieving self-fulfillment. Each of their engaging talks and topics were noteworthy, but none of these individuals captivated the audience quite like Winfrey herself. In fact, the entire weekend felt like one long The Oprah Winfrey Show episode, undoubtedly fulfilling a bucket list item for many of the audience members.
One topic that Winfrey brought up was her early struggle in launching her network, OWN, and how her nerves and lack of confidence radiated through during the experience, thus inviting profound criticism from media outlets and reviewers. In spite of the early negativity, Winfrey endured, constantly reminding herself of the work, courage and perseverance it requires to launch a whole network.
If there was one thing audiences took away from this weekend, it's that since launching her network nearly four years ago, Winfrey has proved she still is and ever shall be Oprah Winfrey, the strong, entrepreneurial woman who captivates audiences with every single word that comes out of her mouth.
Outside of the obvious financial profit, Winfrey has undoubtedly garnered many new viewers for her network throughout this eight-city tour. After all, many of the speakers featured on this tour have partnered with Winfrey in some shape or fashion in promoting their brands, whether it’s through partnerships or the OWN network. As a smart businesswoman, Winfrey has mastered the ever-tricky marketing game.
The Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend only has a few more stops on its national tour, and while it’s expensive to experience, seeing Winfrey in the flesh only happens once in a lifetime. For more information on Oprah’s The Life You Want Weekend, visit the tour’s website.
Oprah Winfrey with Deepak Chopra on stage during Oprah’s The Life You Want Weekend at Toyota Center.
