Michelle Obama is opening up like never before in her latest interview, where she discusses everything from tackling her self-doubt to political division and getting older. The former First Lady covers the latest issue of PEOPLE Magazine as she embarks on a promotional campaign in support of her new book, “The Light We Carry,” which is slated for a release on November 15.
During her chat with the publication, Michelle admits that she, too, finds herself battling negative thoughts about herself, explaining how she’s learned to be kinder to herself and applaud the woman she sees in the mirror when she wakes up in the morning. “I try it because it is a practice, especially as women,” she said. “We’re not supposed to go gray. Our face isn’t supposed to wrinkle. I mean, it’s not in our heads. These messages are coming in. They’ve been coming in our whole lives.”
Michelle says it would be laughable to say that she isn’t affected by those thoughts pertaining to aging and seeing one’s body change over the course of years. Though society often influences our thoughts on how we perceive ourselves, the 58-year-old added that while she still sees things she doesn’t like about herself in the mirror, “I try to find the things about me that I love and start my day a little more kind. It doesn’t require a gym membership. It doesn’t require anybody else.”
She also touched on what inspired her to write another book, revealing that the idea first came to her during the pandemic when she received countless letters from fans who were desperately looking for tips on how to cope during a world crisis.
I love this picture of Michelle Obama. It’s her in her jeans, sitting in a cozy chair, knitting. Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela are above, her girls are beside her. There’s a smile on her face. pic.twitter.com/soSQbcjpM6
— meta (@metaquest) November 10, 2022
RELATED: Viola Davis Was ‘Extremely Hurt’ By People Mocking Her Michelle Obama Portrayal In ‘The First Lady’
Lockdown undoubtedly had a huge effect on many people’s mental state; others lost their loved ones from Covid, and jobs were disappearing at a rapid rate. With so much burden weighing on the shoulders of those affected by it all, Michelle felt inspired to pen a new book where she vulnerably shares how she dealt with self-doubt, her inner fears concerning life, her looks, and the ongoing political division.
“Everyone was searching for some answers of how to cope. And for some reason they were asking me, ‘What do you do?’ I had to start thinking about that,” she retorted. “Over the 58 years that I’ve lived, I can look back and I can say, this is how I deal with fear. These are the things I say to myself when I need to pick myself up.”