If you ever wanted a lesson on living your best life, as well as “living out loud” — as our First Lady put it — it’s a must you watch this interview between Oprah and Michelle Obama.
Oprah conducted Mrs. Obama’s farewell interview Monday night, a revealing and insightful chat that looked back at FLOTUS’ eight years in the White House.
Oprah, a master interviewer, got into the nitty-gritty of it all, including how Michelle turned the White House into a more inclusive space, juggled the expectations of the First Lady job and raised daughters Sasha and Malia in the White House.
Here are nine insightful and interesting things we’ve learned:
Michelle has learned to not hold grudges or any heavy energy:
“The bad stuff I just don’t hold onto,” she told Oprah.”We, as women, do it. We, as Black women better be able to do it.”
She spoke from the gut in the October campaign speech against Donald Trump’s view on women:
“It was not a normal thing,” she said of having a presidential nominee speak of women in such a disgusting fashion. “So it required a different a kind of response.”
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She really believes in the idea “when they go low, we go high:”
FLOTUS pointed to the lack of support her own husband received when he first entered the White House as to why she was happy to help the Trumps’ transition, no matter how she feels about their politics. She also cited Laura Bush and other First Ladies as great examples of this idea.
She is still a Black mama to Sasha and Malia:
Oprah and FLOTUS spoke at length about what it took to ensure the First Daughters turned out okay. And though Mrs. Obama admits there were challenges for the girls, she wasn’t having any of their “high class problems” as complaints
“You live in the White House,” she told Oprah about her girls. “You don’t get to complain about this.”
She was able to navigate the First Lady role because she was “a grown up:”
The role of First Lady had its difficulties, from setting a path without a map to handling the many expectations thrown her way. But her experience as a working woman helped. “I’ve been in the world…I have a very good sense of who I am.”
She has no interest in running for office:
She was very blunt and clear that there will be no #Michelle2020 nor #Michelle2024. But we can still hope.
POTUS thinks FLOTUS is pretty awesome:
The president calls her “smart” and “cute” while also admiring how she was both fun and purposeful in her role as First Lady. They will always be #relationshipgoals
Michelle’s mother will be returning to Chicago:
The First Grandmother has been diligent and important support during the First Family’s stay at the White House. But as Obama put it, her mother is ready to say “Bye Felicia” to Washington D.C.
She recognizes her impact among young women:
When asked what she thinks her biggest impact has been, FLOTUS recognized that young women — especially young Black women — were inspired just seeing her be herself in the White House.