I came back from the Oprah’s Girlfriends’ Cruise with such a high. The cruise was my first cruise and it was one of the most amazing times in my life! I learned so many lessons from Oprah and my new friends!

When we embarked the Nieuw Statendam, there was a palpable energy, that you could feel. It began as soon as we sat down to lunch with two other women at our table. We laughed, we shared our anticipation of what we thought might happen. Then we took pictures of the “Dynamic Duo”. They gained that name after they called us the “Fabulous Four”.

With all of the lessons from Oprah and my new friends, I will be sharing them with you in several posts; and the Fabulous Four is also going to start a podcast about living our best lives. I can’t wait to start this new adventure!

Lesson 1 From Oprah – Be Kind To Yourself

I work hard and I play hard. But when I am working, it’s hard to get me out of work mode. And then when I am playing, it’s hard to get me back into work mode!

After we embarked the ship, we were hanging out on the balcony waiting for Lady O to arrive. Angie was sitting in the chair and I was standing at the railing. She told me she didn’t recognize this feeling she was having. We are both moms, she has three children, and I have two tweens. I knew exactly what she meant….

It is very rare to have a 12-18 hour period without our children and spouses. It takes your body and mind a while to allow ourselves to be selfish and relax. To actually have some calm and not have someone yelling “Mom!”, and needing something from you right away. Or then arguing with you because you are now going to be wrong for most things.

We don’t easily relax. It is very hard for me to relax. Even when I first arrived to Fort Lauderdale, I couldn’t go to the beach to read a book until I got some work done for a client first. Once I did go to the beach I read one page of the book I had and immediately had to get up because I wanted to take photographs of the waves and the beautiful ocean view. I also wanted to explore the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort which was next door to our hotel.

After I thought about this, I realized that it was ok that I didn’t sit down in a chair to read. I was doing what I wanted to do and I had fun playing with my new camera at one of my favorite hotels. And then getting the chance to get a selfie with the first resort I ever worked with, when I was in event planning at 18 years old! Mike and Jeff still worked at the hotel. That says a lot for the resort that they work for!

Lesson 2 From Oprah – Be Vulnerable

If you know me well, you know that I NEVER leave my house without makeup. On this trip, the girls met me on day one without my makeup on, wearing my glasses, and watching Netflix on my ipad.

With four girls in a cabin, we took quick showers, without washing our hair and making little fuss to get all dolled up. I quickly put on a tinted moisturizer, very little eye makeup and off I went. It was great that I didn’t really care; I let myself be vulnerable and didn’t feel so vain.

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and chance. Brené Brown

After we returned home from the cruise, I told the girls that I had so much fun on the cruise because I let myself be vulnerable. Heather told me that when you allow yourself to be vulnerable, happiness can come in.

Lesson 3 from Oprah – Surrender

This year my Intentions are very strong. I am making some decisions as a business, with a strategy. Letting go of things that I don’t know as much about; so it can be taking care by an expert who does.

Doing a job you don’t like is fantastic information for you, because knowing what you don’t want helps leads you to what you do want. Oprah

I surrendered. I finally stopped looking back and set my course with the ship and Only-Looked-Forward. On the last night, I literally felt the wind in my face and the negative feelings were being stripped off of me and blown past the ship into the sea. I felt that a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I felt like my old self again. The kids noticed it when I came in the house. They saw my smile, my smile was back.

There is no such thing as a Coincidence.

Nothing new can come into your life unless you are grateful for the things you have.

You can release yourself from being a victim and take control back into your life.

You don’t become what you wish for, you become what you believe. What you were given was what you were called to use. Oprah

Just read that again and sit with it. It’s a powerful message and helped me set my intentions for this year.

This Year Is Going To Be Amazing! Six weeks into this year, I have already had two very large and amazing experiences. I also received four sponsored Instagram campaigns. These are important opportunities for me and my business goals.

We attract into our lives the things that we want. That is based on what we are thinking and feeling. We create our own realities and our own circumstances. Oprah

I am confident that I am attracting into my life the things that I want. That’s why I am excited to Explore this year!

I had an amazing time with new friends. It felt like a teenage sleepover party, or what dorm life would have been if I hadn’t gone to community college. It was like summer camp! I can’t wait until the next time the four of us can get together again and play dress up, have a pajama party and laugh until our sides hurt! Have you ever been on a cruise with friends?  I’d love to hear about your experience!  Share it with me in the comments.  I’d love to hear which cruise line you were on and what you thought of it.  The Holland America Cruise Line is beautiful.  I have been on a tour of the Disney Magic, but never sailed on it.