The former first lady made these comments during an open discussion on The Jay Shetty Podcast, where she contemplated her 60th birthday and the personal importance of achieving that milestone. ‘At this stage of my life, I am currently undergoing therapy because I am transitioning, you know?’ she expressed to Shetty according to The Independent.
‘I am 60 years old, I have completed a significant challenge in my life while keeping my family together, I am now an empty nester, and my daughters have been launched into their own lives,’ she stated.
With her departure from the White House and her daughters having matured, Michelle expressed that she is now able to make decisions exclusively for herself. She remarked, ‘Every decision I am making is entirely my own.’ She further noted, ‘I no longer have the justification of saying, ‘My children require this,’ or ‘My husband needs that,’ or ‘The nation requires that.’ ‘She added, ‘I am preparing for this new chapter in my life, as I believe it represents a significant transition for me. I now possess the insight to seek coaching as I embark on this journey.’
Her comments follow shortly after the former first lady addressed persistent rumors regarding her marriage to Barack Obama. In a recent episode of the Work in Progress podcast, hosted by actress Sophia Bush, Michelle refuted suggestions that her personal decisions—such as her absence from certain public engagements—signified any problems in her relationship. “As women, we often grapple with the fear of disappointing others,” she stated.
“This year, many were unable to comprehend that I was making a choice for myself, leading them to assume that my husband and I were on the verge of divorce.” Now at 61, the former first lady expressed that she is reevaluating various aspects of her life, including her identity and how she allocates her time. “We begin to genuinely ask ourselves, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’” she reflected. “If it does not conform to the societal expectations of what we should do, it is often perceived negatively.”
During Shetty’s podcast, Michelle expressed that the immigration policies implemented by President Donald Trump cause her significant distress, as she worries that individuals residing in the country without legal status may become targets of racism.
The former first lady, who, similar to her spouse, often addresses issues of race, conveyed to the host of the “On Purpose” podcast that she and her brother Craig Robinson were taught from a young age that “no one would look past the color of our skin.” Despite both having come from an upper-middle-class background and achieving success in their respective lives, her husband ascended to the position of arguably the most powerful individual in the world for eight years.
Liberal Shetty inquired of Michelle Obama regarding her greatest fears at present, to which she responded that it is, undoubtedly, Trump. ‘In the current environment, my primary concern is the situation facing immigrants,’ Obama stated.
‘I am troubled by the realities I know are unfolding in the streets throughout the city,’ she remarked, alluding to her native Chicago, as reported by Fox News. ‘With leadership that is arbitrarily deciding who is included and who is excluded,’ the former first lady expressed on Monday, noting that such deportation choices ‘are not being made through judicial processes and due diligence’ — a statement that is inherently inaccurate.
‘I am apprehensive for people of color across this nation, and I am uncertain whether we will have sufficient advocates to safeguard everyone,’ she added. ‘This thought deeply unsettles me and causes me sleepless nights.’
