6 Lessons from The Documentary of Becoming by Michelle Obama

I first read the book Becoming by Michelle Obama sometime in 2019. It was a book that really inspired me and gave me hope especially as I read about how she grew from being just a girl in South-Side Chicago to being the first black FLOTUS (First Lady of The United States).

Changing the narrative starts with you. - The Esthitude Place Share on X

It was the kind of story that communicated family life, education, work, marriage and of course the journey to and from the White House from Michelle’s perspective. Now imagine my joy when I found out that the story had been documented and would be airing on Netflix as a documentary detailing Michelle’s Becoming Book Tour and some aspect of life after White House.

Even though I prefer books to movies, I definitely had to watch the documentary and it was great, like, I literally was taking notes as I watched and so I thought to share some of the lessons I learned from the documentary with you.

Your story is your power. - The Esthitude Place Share on X

So, here are 6 Lessons to Learn from the Documentary of Becoming by Michelle Obama:

1. Your story is your power. One of the major lessons I could see that Michelle kept trying to communicate was the power of one’s story. You have to be intentional about sharing your story, else, someone else will write your narrative and you may not like it,
2. When communicating with people, don’t look around or be distracted, instead, look them in the eyes and take in their story.
3. As we go through life, “life happens to us” and “we happen to life”, so, instead of thinking of how to get back on track, we should focus on figuring out the next track cos things are no longer the same.  Suggested Read: The 8 Mindsets of Billionaires by Robin Sharma
4. Do not listen to the naysayers. Despite being told in counselling that she couldn’t go to Princeton; she went to Princeton and then went on to Harvard.
5. You need the right mindset. You can’t wait for the world to be equal before feeling visible. Stand up and Show up.
6. There is power in gathering and shared experiences.

I liked that fact that she always wanted to connect with young people both male and female, this shows the importance of focusing on and building the next generation of leaders.

You can't wait for the world to be equal before feeling visible. Stand up and Show up. - The Esthitude Place Share on X

One of my favourite quote from the documentary is –

I’m becoming more comfortable saying no, more confident saying yes, and more willing to say what’s on my mind.

Have you watched the documentary yet?

How was it and what lessons did you learn? Do share with me in the comment section.