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After working in the entertainment industry for six decades, Marie Osmond knows a thing or two about not only performing with legends, but also being one. But recently, it is the passing of the iconic actress and her maybe this time co-star Betty White that has the 62-year-old singer, actress, and author thinking about her own place in the world.
osmond account yahoo life that White, who passed away in December 2021 weeks before her 100th birthday, “was like a second mother” to her. During one of their last conversations, Osmond says that she and White talked about getting nervous before a performance and how to use those feelings for good.
“She always had these nerves behind her,” says Osmond. “And we both said that when people lose that, then [they] to lose [their] passion, right? You have to want, you have to have that energy behind you for you to go out there and do a good job. She always had that, and we had both said that when you lose you have to retire and try something new.”
Osmond, who spoke to Yahoo Life as part of his job as Nutrisystem ambassador, says the key to not losing your passion for acting is finding a good work-life balance.
“I have been very blessed to see my work as work and my life as life,” she says. “I think that’s where a lot of people get lost in show business. Maybe their self-esteem is invested only in their work. But I love life and I don’t have to be on stage to be happy. I can always be happy.”
However, Osmond has not always been happy. The former talk show host wrote openly about her struggle with postpartum depression on Behind the smile: my journey out of postpartum depression and says that when her 18-year-old son, Michael Blosil, committed suicide in 2010, she found satisfaction in serving others. She has learned to share her stories with the world and has heard firsthand how her candor has helped others.
“I felt that sharing could help people,” she says. “And you know, it was really moving for me when I did my book signings: I would close Barnes and Noble, I would stay there for hours because I really wanted to help people with sincerity.”
During an emotional meeting with two of his readers, Osmond received confirmation that he was right.
“They had me sign a book and she said, ‘Can I hug you?’ And I said, ‘Sure you can hug me,'” recalls Osmond. “She said, ‘I wish you had written this a year ago because maybe our daughter would still be alive. She took her own life because she had terrible postpartum depression and no one knew anything about it at the time.’
“When we can [speak] of those kinds of things and maybe just helping one person, it’s worth it,” she adds. “That’s why I’ve shared things in my life, whether it’s the loss of my son or whatever, because I feel like if it can help one person, then that’s what we’re supposed to do. As women, we’re supposed to complete each other, not compete with each other.”
As women, we’re supposed to complete each other, not compete with each other.”marie osmond
When it comes to her own mental health journey, Osmond says she’s learned the importance of practicing mindfulness, setting boundaries, and knowing when to take a moment for herself. He is also not afraid to leave toxic relationships behind.
“As you become and evolve each decade, so does the group around you, and you say, ‘You know, you’re kind of a bloodsucker, you need to go,’ or, ‘You know, you bring me energy, I want you closer.’ “, Explain. “I am never afraid to close the door. And I believe that God, whatever you want to call him, for me is God, he will help you walk and find a better path.”
Still, one of Osmond’s most cherished relationships is the one with herself. The mother of eight children (three biological, five adopted) says she found peace with her body image over the years after growing up in what she calls “the worst possible era” for women’s self-esteem.
“I call it the ‘Twiggy era’ where if you weren’t under a hundred pounds, you wouldn’t have a job,” he says. “That’s literally the era I grew up in. So you grow up on mind trips and that’s why I’ve been on a diet my whole life, or have been.”
Now, Osmond serves as an ambassador for Nutrisystem, crediting the meal plan with helping her get “healthy, not skinny.”
“I do the healthy thing because long-term health is what I want to have, especially at my age and older,” Osmond shares. “And that doesn’t just come from being okay with whatever it is, it comes from making sure you have a healthy heart, a healthy body and a healthy mind.”
Osmond’s healthy mind comes from embracing the joy of his life.
“Joy is a choice,” she says. “You choose. We’ve all been through horrible things in our lives, I know, but you can make it make you better. Better is joy. Better is a choice. It’s better to say, ‘What can I take away from this experience I’ve been through that took my breath away, and how can I help other people who may be going through the same thing know that they’re going to be okay?'”
Osmond continues: “You have to surround yourself with joy. Get rid of negativity, because negativity is a spiral.”
—Video produced by Olivia Schneider.
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