Cicely Tyson is a living legend who has won multiple awards throughout her illustrious career on Broadway, in film, and in television. With such unforgettable roles as Kunta Kinte's mother in the epic miniseries "Roots," or her ground-breaking performance in "Sounder." And even recently, she continues to effortlessly win in Hollywood with roles in blockbuster movies, her Kennedy Center Honor, her honorary 2018 Oscar, Broadway productions and even her role on the highly watched show "Scandal."
But one of her latest wins is that of literally cementing her mark in history with a hand and footprint ceremony in Hollywood!
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Being 95 years old, Tyson has shown no signs of slowing down. With her half-century career, she's learned a lot about staying relevant. Here are just a few gems that she wants to pass down to the next generation:
I. Command Respect
Don't demand, command the respect you deserve. Years ago, as a young actress, Tyson says she was asked to meet a reporter at a prominent hotel for an interview. "I came in with my raincoat and a couple of other things, and I went to the check booth," Tyson says. "She took one look at me and said, 'Oh, we don't take these here, you have to go around the back.'"
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Tyson says she just looked at her and smiled. "I said, 'Excuse me, but I was not going to ask you to take my coat and check it, which is your job,'" Tyson says. "'I simply was going to ask direction. But I will take this moment to let you know, just in case you don't, that every one of us that look like me are not all in a position of servitude.'"
This is what it all boils down to, Tyson says. "I don't look for anything or ask for anything other than to be treated like a human being. That's all."
II. Never Rest on Your Laurels, No Matter What Age.
Tyson starred on Broadway in The Trip to Bountiful as Carrie Watts, for which she won the Tony Award, Outer Critics Award, and Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Play. She was the oldest winner of the Tony after a 30-year absence from Broadway, proving its never too late to continue growing and achieving in your career.
As young professionals progress, they should keep fresh by constantly challenging themselves, trying new things and expanding on the knowledge base and experiences you’ve been. It will keep you relevant and ensure you have a career legacy that’s second to none.
III. Don't Fear The Unknown
Cicely Tyson has always heeded her mother’s words: Don’t expect anything, and you won’t be disappointed. From her birth, Tyson's mother was always told that Cicely would be special and have a sixth sense. It was something that Cicely feared. Any time she had a bad feeling about someone in her family, it would come true. But it was her uncle that showed her how to use that concern for her family to help them care for them. She remembers to reach out to others, stay in contact no matter how busy she is, and give her friends and family what they need: love.
Tina Knowles-Lawson: "Fall In Love With Yourself Again"
We all know Tina Knowles-Lawson as the strong, black woman who gave birth to and raised two superstars Beyonce' and Solange, but she's so much more than that.
Born Célestine Ann Beyincé in Galveston, Texas, she left home at 19 and relocated to California to work as a makeup artist. However, she returned home when her parents fell ill. Knowles worked as a beautician until 1990 when she opened the salon Headliners, located in Houston. The salon went on to become one of the most famous hair businesses in Houston.
Then she gained even more fame as the designer for supergroup, Destiny's Child, and the rest is history.
But recently, Tina sat down with T.D. Jakes to talk about life after divorce. The superstar mom, who many thought was always confident, shared that she had her struggle and how life was not easy after 33 years of marriage to Matthew Knowles.
In the video below, she explains that picking up the pieces after a divorce, even for a successful mom who was pushing her 60's, was hard. She has some savvy advice for those who are going through a divorce or really any hardship in life where it feels like you lost apart of yourself:
"When you're getting a divorce your self esteem gets so low," confesses Tina. "You say 'I'm not young anymore. I'm not cute.' I even doubted my intelligence. So I had to get myself together, because Richard wouldn't come into my life if I wasn't ready."
"I have always believed in life after divorce. But, there was a time where I had my doubts," explains Tina. "I was 59 years old and I was working and doing all these things and I didn't believe that I could meet someone. So I started off loving myself."
From Tina's words, we crafted the top three tips for those of you who are also thinking of moving on after your marriage ended.
1. Be Accountable.
No one likes admitting their faults, but in order to make your next relationship work, it’s important to reflect on why your marriage didn’t last. That means asking yourself the tough questions such as, “What role did I play in our divorce?” and “Is there anything more that I could’ve done?” It’s easy to blame your ex for everything that went wrong in the marriage, but being honest and owning up to your own mistakes shows maturity. Expect to shed a few tears during this one. Divorce is painful and it’s going to be an emotional roller coaster for the first few months, but over time, you can and will love again.
2. Spend Some Time By Yourself
We hate to break it you, but rushing out the day after your divorce isn’t going to do you much good. Broken bones take about six weeks to heal. Broken hearts? Not so much. Take this time for you. Now, however long that takes is up to you. Just make sure you’re completely healed before you start dating again.
3. Take Your Time
After getting out of a marriage, it’s only natural to want to find someone new right off the bat, but that’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make. This is your chance to date around to compare what you like and what you don’t like until you find Mr. or Mrs. Right. Don’t expect that special someone to enter your life every time you leave the house. It may take weeks, months or even years, which is completely fine. Hey, chances are, you didn’t find your ex-wife or ex-husband overnight either, right?
