Michelle Obama is a woman of leadership and a female rock star. Her autobiographical book, Becoming, tells the story of her journey, tells the story of her childhood in a close-knit and happy black middle-class American family in the 1960s and 1970s from a little girl born in South Chicago. Through her studies at Harvard University and her career as a lawyer, to her rise to the White House as First Lady,

Michelle Obama has always been known for her political convictions and her actions for her country and it is probably in these few pages that we better understand what made Michelle, the woman who has been and remains an icon for so many minority Americans.

For eight years, Michelle Obama was not just Barack Obama’s wife, but an exemplary first lady, who did a lot for her country, with much dedication. Since the end of ‘Obama’s reign’, she hasn’t disappeared from circulation and still makes her voice heard, in different ways. 

 “It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we become.” —Michelle Obama

Having read Becoming I bought Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice. Indeed, I always encourage my clients to journal as the more conscious one becomes of themselves and their actions, the more skilled they will become at getting out of their own way. I too have kept a journal on and off for the last thirty-five years. Journaling is one of the most successful development tools, if not the most successful developmental tools I have discovered for myself and my clients. I believe that journaling is the most effective bedrock practice you can cultivate. It has helped me become more aware of my thoughts, my drivers, my behaviour, and my reactions. Plus, I periodically write down lessons learned and milestone moments passed so I have a reference, a record of what has happened and what worked so I may use it in the future.

Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice has helped me capture my voice and journey so I too can nurture my sense of belonging. I use this time as an opportunity to look back on my personal and professional experiences and to feel empowered to take those next steps, wherever they might lead. I can only serve from a full cupBecoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice and this book is not meant to provide quick fix; I don’t believe in quick fixes, as they rarely work in the long term. Instead, it is a guide, for you to dip in and out of when you should need to. You will choose when you need it, and you will determine your progress. You will decide how much effort you will invest and how serious you are about your purpose. 

People always ask me why I’m so authentic, why people are in tune with me. I think it’s mostly because I like myself. I like my story and its hard knocks. They make me unique. That’s why I’ve always been open with my staff, friends and young people. Michelle Obama

 This guided journal presents inspiring questions and quotes from the book to help you reflect on your personal and family history, your goals, challenges, and dreams, what moves you and brings you to hope, and what future you imagine for yourself and your community. Above all, these pages help you capture your voice and journey so you can nurture your sense of belonging.

What I love most is that I love that your story doesn’t have to be tragic or grandiose to be necessary. That anyone’s story can help impact someone else.

This book is an excellent tool for reflection and self-improvement. What you put into it is what you get out of it. This book will help you to have an enriched, deepened, and expanded vision for the most critical subject in your life: you. 

Author(s)

  • Sunita Sehmi

    Organisational Dev I Exec Leadership Coach I Author I Mentor I

    Walk The Talk

    Org Dev Consultant I Exec Leadership Performance Coach I DEI Warrior I Author I Mentor I Work smarter I Live better I Think deeper. With over three decades of expertise in multicultural environments, Sunita brings a unique blend of Indian, British, and Swiss heritage to her consultancy, fostering a deep understanding of organisational contexts and her clients. Sunita’s insights and expertise are tailored to elevate your leadership.