Super Soul Special: Cheryl Strayed: Brave Enough

August 22, 2018Enjoy this episode, specially selected for our Super Soul Summer—a series celebrating some of the greatest Super Soul moments and messages to inspire and uplift your spirit. Pastor, education activist and U.S. Dream Academy founder Wintley Phipps discusses how faith and character can help create a life of value, meaning, purpose and fulfillment. Wintley shares how he believes we can all step into our best lives by adopting and strengthening the eight essential pillars of God's ethos, which he details in his book "Your Best Destiny: Becoming the Person You Were Created to Be." Wintley is a world-famous pastor who has preached on six continents, and a renowned gospel singer who has sung for six U.S. presidents. He was born in Trinidad and Tobago and later raised in Montreal, Canada. As a boy, Wintley imagined escaping his difficult childhood by traveling the world, which he now sees as his first yearning to achieve his God-given destiny.

Original Air Date: January 17, 2018 Enjoy this episode, specially selected for our Super Soul Summer—a series celebrating some of the greatest Super Soul moments and messages to inspire and uplift your spirit. Underneath his over-the-top hair, makeup and outfits, RuPaul Charles believes that at the core “we’re born naked and the rest is drag.” It’s a radical way of interpreting who we are, but whatever we claim as our identity is considered our drag, he says. A pop culture fixture since the early 90s, RuPaul has preached a gospel of self-love and tolerance that has permeated American culture. Now more popular than ever, thanks to the success of his Emmy-award winning competition show “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” RuPaul shares what he believes is the authentic meaning of “identity,” and how we can all see past the stereotypes and labels to discover true connection with those around us. 

Original Air Date: January 10, 2018Time magazine named Pastor Rob Bell "one of the most influential Christian leaders in the country." Rob's progressive and unique interpretation of the Bible considers new ways of thinking about God, religion and faith. In his book "What We Talk About When We Talk About God," Rob explains why more people are identifying with spirituality over religion, and walks listeners through his three basic principles: "God is with us, God is for us, and God is ahead of us." 

Original Air Date: December 25, 2017 How do you find your purpose? Jack Canfield is co-creator of the worldwide phenomenon “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, which has sold more than 110 million copies and been translated into more than 43 languages. Based on the lessons in his New York Times bestseller “The Success Principles,” Jack explains how to align our vision and goals with the fulfillment of our purpose. “Everyone has a purpose on this planet,” Jack explains. “The key is figuring out what you really want, deep inside, by listening to your internal GPS.” 

Original Air Date: December 20, 2017 The conversation with Harvard-trained researcher and New York Times bestselling author Shawn Achor continues. Shawn offers advice on how to turn down the noise of the electronic, hyper-connected world we live in, which he says is blocking us from true happiness. Shawn also shares how we can increase the levels of happiness for others in our lives. 

Original Air Date: December 18, 2017 Do you want to be happier? Harvard-trained researcher and bestselling author Shawn Achor shares his simple, achievable steps to diminish depression, increase joy, and shift our perspective to be more positive. Shawn brings to life his research on the science of happiness and the techniques of what he calls positive psychology. 

Original Air Date: December 13, 2017 Sebastian Junger, the New York Times bestselling author of “The Perfect Storm” and “War,” discusses his newest book “Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging.” Sebastian challenges us to rethink some of our culture’s most fundamental ideas about purpose and prosperity. He says, “It’s about what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging and the eternal human quest for meaning.” Read more about identity and belonging in the January 2018 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. 

Original Air Date: December 11, 2017 Born in New York City, Pema Chödrön is one of the first Western women to be fully ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. Pema explains how difficult times can be an opportunity for growth and change if you're willing to embrace the situation and the feelings that come with it. One of the basic Buddhist tenets, Pema says, is that change is constant. "Things are going to keep changing," she says. "If you're invested in security and certainty, then you're not going to feel good a lot of the time." 

Original Air Date: December 6, 2017 Would you like more fun, love, laughter and adventure in your life? Oscar-nominated actress and best-selling author Mariel Hemingway and her boyfriend, Bobby Williams, a stuntman and extreme athlete, say they have the answers to living a simpler, more vibrant life. In their book, "Running with Nature," Mariel and Bobby show us how to tap into our soul's mission and reconnect with our true selves. Mariel also opens up about her famous family, including her grandfather Ernest Hemingway, and their legacy of addiction, mental illness and suicide. 

Original Air Date: December 4, 2017 The New York Times best-selling author Cheryl Strayed talks to Oprah about her book "Brave Enough," a collection of her own quotes, which Cheryl describes as a "mini instruction manual for the soul." Cheryl also says the book urges readers toward their own "incredible capacity for love, compassion and forgiveness." Cheryl's best-selling memoir, "Wild," which recounted her spiritual journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, was an Oprah's Book Club selection and was adapted into the critically acclaimed film starring Reese Witherspoon.