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Kris Carr

Blog Post

The Story Behind My SuperSoul Session With Oprah (Video)

Hiya Gorgeous!

Confession: Sometimes my close friends poke fun at me because I keep my “gone writing” email autoresponder on for weeks (or months!) at a time.

Hey, when you need to lock in some of that precious deep focus time… well, a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do!

One project that took my full focus was the talk I did at UCLA for Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions (you can watch it below).

I was really excited when I got the offer. Without a doubt it was a whole body “yes!” But I was also aware of the kind of mental and physical prep it would take to do a great job. If you’re not familiar with Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions, they’re sorta like spiritual TED Talks filled with high caliber thought leaders. No chumps allowed—all A game—all the time.

Naturally, I wanted to crush it.

And the best way I crush it is to practice my ass off. So I called up my speaking coach and we began sculpting my talk months in advance. We started the process by working with index cards. Each card had a short word or a phrase that triggered a story or led to a teaching.

We went big, tossing out every fun, practical and poignant idea.

Note: It’s common to start this process with a hundred or so cards that eventually get reduced to 5-10 must-haves.

We talked about whether I should do something new and fresh, or go with tried-and-true stories and wisdom that I know work. While both options have their merits and challenges, when you’re given a chance to make an impact on a powerful global stage, I think it’s best to do what you know.

Do what makes you feel confident. Do what works. That’s my advice and that’s what I did.

But here’s the rub: While I’ve given hundreds of lectures over the years, I’d never done a super short TED talk. And guess what? It’s much harder than you think! No note cards, no chair (mama likes to sit), no slides, nada.

I’m used to 60-90 minutes, which feels like a luxurious meal with the audience. 18-20 minutes? That’s like a spiritual drive-thru. You have to nourish, inspire and distill your message down to snackable nuggets. Think of it like wisdom from concentrate.

Whittling down my message to 1/6th of its usual size wasn’t only challenging, it was a mental stretch too.

I’m very visually creative. I see my talks in my head. I picture the bones, muscle and fascia. I thrive in the artistic sinew and so when a section of my creative anatomy gets cut out, it’s almost like I feel unsettled and lost. Translation: I forget where I am.

Pssst… Fearing losing your place and ending up like a deer in the headlights will keep a gal up at night. The solution: more practice. Months of practice. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I put at least 100 hours of work into those 18-20 minutes. Now that may seem like A LOT to most, but that’s the kind of prep I need to rock it when the stakes are high.

So I’m doing the work. Rehearsing in the woods, in the car, in the shower, in my office, Skyping with my coach and it’s all coming together. The haircut is booked. The highlights are scheduled. The dress options are picked out (note: bring two in case of a malfunction or drool). Even the underwear gets an upgrade. Can this bra hold a mic pack under the dress? Better get a stronger one. Do these heels wobble or are they sturdy enough to hold me up while I hold the space in the room? Every detail gets planned—my message, my nails, my makeup. You name it.

Suffice to say, it all came together. Until it fell apart.

Brian and I had rented a house in Venice a few days before the event. We arrived on a Tuesday and the gig wasn’t until Saturday. Plenty of time to adjust to the new time zone and land the plane on my speech prep. Thankfully, one of my best friends, Marie Forleo, was also giving a talk, so the two of us rehearsed together. Marie even rented a theater so we could do a run-through on a real stage.

During said run-throughs, I’m kicking ass and growing more confident by the day. My coach and I do another check-in over Skype, tweak a few more points, cut another chunk for time’s sake. And voila, I’ve got it down to close to 18ish minutes, and I’m on fire. But that’s when the insomnia kicks in. A few nights before the talk, I stop sleeping.

Getting only 3-4 hours per night doesn’t work for me. I begin to get concerned because when I’m tired, I don’t remember anything. Cut to the night before the gig—2 hours of sleep. That’s it. Was I scared? Yes. Did my confidence shrink? Yes. Did I want to chew my own arm off and tell them that unfortunately I couldn’t make it? Yes. Did I go for it anyway? YES!

Be your own champion.

Putting your ass on the line takes courage, especially when the stakes are high and it’s not easy or going your way. But the people who are the most successful are the ones who are willing to try and even fail.

It’s natural to doubt yourself. It’s natural to want to run. But it’s phenomenal to stick with it and give it your all anyway.

So there I am, in my dressing room, listening to Oprah introduce the speaker before me, and I know it’s now or never. So I lean in close to the mirror, look myself in the eyes and say, “You are pure magic. Now go out there and share that magic. You’ll be fine. This is your time.”

Before heading backstage, I sneak past security and go outside. Nature grounds me like no other.

Deep breath, take in the sky, the light, the trees. Kick off my shoes for a minute and put my feet in the grass. I see a little squirrel eating a nut, which makes me smile because I love animals. I lean toward him and say, “Hey dude, wanna be me instead?” He responds, “No f’ing way, lady. I’m eating this nut. You’re the nut that said yes to public speaking. Not me!” OK then!

And now it’s my turn.

Oprah announces me, I hold my hand over my heart, whisper “you got this,” and walk out on stage. Next thing I know, I’m on fire—having fun and deeply enjoying connecting with the wonderful audience. After I finish (and get a standing ovation!), I silently apologize to myself for ever doubting my potential—lack of sleep and all.

I bet there have been moments in your life when you’ve wanted to run, doubted yourself and even felt lost. In those moments we have a choice: we can choose fear, like I say in my talk, or we can choose love.

On the SuperSoul stage, I challenged everybody to love and care for themselves unconditionally, especially when we’re facing our fears. Whether you’re prepping for a presentation, a doctor’s visit, or a job interview, you’ve got this. You always have and you always will.

Your turn: I hope you enjoy my talk (watch it above!). It’s the culmination of many years of personal work, soul searching and empowerment. If you get an ah-ha, share it! I’d love to know.

With so much love,

Add a comment
  1. Lia Halsall says:

    Thank you for this blog and talk Kris, it was truly inspiring. You radiate such energy and your truth shines through in every word you speak.

  2. Lucy says:

    I love your openness in sharing the lessons you run toward, and those that leap out of the dark and catch you off guard. It makes us realize we are not alone – and that knowledge is so empowering. Thank you Kris – keep being that magic! x

  3. Wilke Delker says:

    Kris, I just want to say that you’re an amazing, inspirational human being and that your talks, blogs, and everything else you produce are life changing.
    Thank you!
    Love,
    Wilke

  4. Elizabeth says:

    Kris, this blog post was so beautiful it moved me to tears. I can’t wait to listen to your actual talk. And of course you were magical…you did the work, you knew you were meant to be there. After that, all you had to do was show up. Reading this just reminded me even more how we all deserve beautiful, magical lives. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

  5. Carmen Lynde says:

    You rock, Sweetheart. Well done. You’ve clearly done your work. You are a dear soul. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being of service to the many others, including myself. xo

  6. Christine says:

    It’s such a great talk, I had to share it with all of my dearest friends! Thank you for reminding us that we’re not broken, we don’t need to be fixed. All we need and all we are is love and this is the only truth. THANK YOU SO MUCH, beautiful crazy Kris!

  7. Laura says:

    Kris, your story is inspiring and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with each and everyone of us. Your courage to talk to that big audience in Super Soul Sessions makes me want to do great things every single day. You always make me feel so good about myself, about my life and about the path I’m here to walk in! It means a lot! Never give up! God bless you always!

  8. Karen says:

    Wow. Thank you thank you thank you, Kris Carr. And Oprah. This SuperSoul session is deep. Heart. Much appreciated. Headed out to plant turmeric and ginger on our small farm, a crazy willingness to continue to garden and farm organic, work, and be faithful to our tiny, small efforts. And walk in our woods breathing in beauty. Enough. Really good enough?????

  9. Becky Neumann says:

    Thank you for sharing how you prepared for your talk. It was amazing and inspiring and so well delivered. You nailed it! Thanks for being an inspiration and teaching us about life and how to live it from the depths of our being. Keep up the wonderful work.

  10. Zita Csaszar says:

    Thank you Kris for this post and for everything you do, you are a true miracle and so are your tribe, your women friends who also lift my life and give me endless advice and I know them because of you (Aviva Romm, Marie Forleo, Gabbi Bernstein etc.)

    I adore you 🙂 and you were magnificent at the speech and humble and powerful at the same time 🙂

  11. Melissa says:

    Kris
    You are beyond inspiring and so very genuine in everything you do. Thank you for being you!

  12. Kat says:

    I love you.

  13. Leigh says:

    Kris
    You were fantastic!! I appreciate your honesty and wonderful ability to connect with us all. You are an amazing person and a true inspiration

  14. Cheryl Ford says:

    Hi Kris,

    I just want to say thanks so much for your blog here. As a teacher of A Course in Miracles, I’ve been invited several times to gives talks at the annual Miracles conference in London where 200/300 people attend.

    Although I’ve always accepted and given the talks over the years, and even though I’ve always prepared well, like you, I get soooooo nervous!! The last time I thought I was going to faint right before they announced me as the next speaker.

    I always SWEAR I’ll never do it again, but I always do because the message of Love and forgiveness is so important to helping people live happier, healthier lives.

    It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who can’t sleep and regrets accepting, but then feel so good after. You’ve really inspired me!

  15. Vicki says:

    Kris – you are a rock star and my hero. I watched your video on my front porch in the middle of nowhere and I have you a standing ovation too. 19 year cancer survivor and YOU are a big part of that. Thank you for being a wonderful teacher!

  16. Mary says:

    Oh my goodness. This is so timely for me. I think it’s great when your idols tell you like it is for them, everyone is human, right?
    You are so inspiring! And I am so grateful to my friend who turned me onto you.
    I have a completely different career but recently took a mindfulness class that has been life changing for me. And I want to share it with others! I got permission to present an Intro class at work. Yikes! I am so excited but I do feel that fear and self doubt creeping in. I am going to follow your advice and save this blog post to read everyday.
    THANK YOU!

  17. Tabitha says:

    I’ve been quite emotional lately, really working on myself inside and out. I’ve never ever left a comment before. I know, crazy. I just want you to know that you’re a true inspiration. The kind that really digs deep. Thank you so much for being brave and letting your light shine. You’re a beautiful soul, Kris. Truly, Tabitha

  18. I was there and you rocked it Kris!!! Thank you for putting your heart and soul into your work! It was awesome to hear the prep that went into your presentation. I teach through presentations and it takes a lot of work to make something seem effortless, but it’s easy to convince ourselves that others can just pull it off. I’m living bravely with the knowledge that I am enough. Thank you!

  19. Chris says:

    So brilliant and something I’ve struggled with recently as well. Thank you for your authenticity and courage to open up. I think I’m going to add this to my morning routine after I write out my affirmations for the day.

  20. Kathy Catlin says:

    Kris, this post touched me in so many ways…and your talk??? Well, you kicked it! Thank you for sharing the real, the honest, the down and dirty. I love that nature grounds you, I can relate to that so much. You have inspired me for years and I often pass your messages on to my friends. Your message to become CEO of our own body and to accept and love ourselves is exactly what I need to hear…. like daily!! 😉 We are blessed that you chose (and continue to choose) to stand up and share your message. Thank you! xoxo

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