Hi friends!
Oh yes! I know. I’m probably late to the party of those who have read this amazing book titled—Becoming.
Having read it though, I don’t think one could ever be a latecomer to enjoying the wholesomeness of this book! I mean, it’s a must-read for everyone.
One would be tempted only to read Becoming in a bid to catch a glimpse into the supposed glitz and glamour of life as first lady of arguably the most powerful nation in the world.
What I love the most about this book was the vulnerability with which it was written.
Michelle Obama took us literally to the front seat of the different phases of her life.
From growing up in a low-middle class household in Southside Chicago to graduating from Princeton and then Harvard, and finally ending up in the White House—Michelle detailed her tale of becoming in this memoir.
In this blog post, I highlight five life lessons from this book.
#1 Refuse to be intimidated—Set your own standards!
When Michelle got to Princeton and realised that the population of students there at the time was skewed towards certain demographics.
She narrated how she tried not to feel intimidated during classroom conversations and then subsequently realising that these other classmates of hers weren’t at all smarter.
Sometimes we find ourselves in seemingly unfamiliar circumstances during which we may be tempted to feel inferior or that our opinions don’t matter.
I believe everyone is unique and that’s what makes the world a beautiful place altogether. If you would stand out in the crowd, devote yourself to your craft, own your individuality, and put systems in place that would work— ultimately, you would be amazed at your outcome.
#2 Her parents were intentional about their parenting style.
I could deduce from this book, the pragmatic style Michelle’s parents adopted in grooming their children.
I believe the family is the bedrock of society and what we do with our individual family units determines the quality of humans churned out into the world.
My parents talked to us like we were adults. They didn’t lecture, but rather indulged every question we asked, no matter how juvenile.
From Becoming- By Michelle Obama
Her goal was to push us out into the world. “I’m not raising babies,” she’d tell us. “I’m raising adults.”
From Becoming- By Michelle Obama
What specifically stood out for me was an experience she had when she was aged ten. She was essentially challenged by a group of girls for having proper diction.
She went on to explain how her parents had taught them to speak differently and finish off their words.
I love this level of intentionality. Both parents ensured they did what they could to set their children up for success. This is laudable!
#3 Don’t waste your pain points.
During her time as First Lady of the United States, most if not all of her initiatives were born out of issues she felt really passionate about.
Here is a list of some of her initiatives:
- Let’s move—to curb childhood obesity.
- Joining forces—to support veterans and military communities.
- Reach higher—to encourage young people to complete their education past high school.
- Let Girls Learn—to empower young girls across the world to secure a quality education.
We could tell that her let’s move initiative, for example, was probably borne out of her experience with providing healthy nutrition for her family when she was told during a doctor’s visit that her daughter’s body mass index was creeping up.
Realising how crucial our stories are to the change that we desire in the world, I decided to make a list of the peculiar life experiences I have had, with the hope of channelling them to giving doses of encouragement to you my dear readers!
I would encourage you to do the same!
#4 Distractions could sometimes be leveraged!
Michelle shared how her fashion sense became a thing of interest to the media as well as fashion bloggers.
It seemed that my clothes mattered more to people than anything I had to say.
From Becoming by Michelle Obama
Instead of channelling her energy towards posing herself solely as a ‘fashionista’, she decided to use this obsession to increase the spotlight on the things that mattered to her.
This included her thoughtful initiatives as well as lifting others up (by promoting the works of less established American designers).
This stuff got me down, but I tried to reframe it as an opportunity to learn, to use what power I could find inside a situation I’d never have chosen for myself. If people flipped through a magazine primarily to see the clothes I was wearing, I hoped they’d also see the military spouse standing next to me or read what I had to say about children’s health.
From Becoming by Michelle Obama
For me, my choices were simply a way to use my curious relationship with the public gaze to boost a diverse set of up-and-comers.
From Becoming by Michelle Obama
My deduction from this experience is that your purpose is not solely about you! And that there is a power to be wielded in that situation you are in— whether good or the other way around!
#5 Get mentored and pay it forward!
Experience, they say, is the best teacher.
Time and time again, she highlighted the role of mentoring in grooming her to becoming the woman we see today.
As a young person, you would be doing yourself a great disservice by ignoring the power of mentoring!
The important parts of my story, I was realizing, lay less in the surface value of my accomplishments and more in what undergirded them—the many small ways I’d been buttressed over the years, and the people who’d helped build my confidence over time.
These were people who mostly didn’t know one another and would never have occasion to meet, many of whom I’d fallen out of touch with myself. But for me, they formed a meaningful constellation. These were my boosters, my believers, my own personal gospel choir, singing, Yes, kid, you got this! all the way through.
From Becoming by Michelle Obama
I love that Michelle did not hesitate to pay it forward even when she seemingly had no platform (as a junior lawyer) and then with her very huge platform as the first black first lady of the United States.
I strongly believe that most of the innovations we see in today’s world are to a great extent products of submitting to mentoring.
We did it, Joe!
If you have previously not heard me say this, listen and listen up, again—YOUR STORY IS YOUR SUPERPOWER. Learn to wield and use it for the purpose of your existence!
I think this is what the former first lady has done with Becoming, and I’m glad we have it in our hands to learn extensively from.
Have you read this book? What do you think of it? Please share with me what other lessons you learnt from it!
See you in the comments and in the next one!
What an awesome piece.
Thank you!