From Self-Discovery to Strong Family Values: 5 Ways Michelle Obama’s Becoming Spoke to Me

Michelle Obama’s autobiography Becoming is a New York Times bestseller with over 1 million ratings on Goodreads.com.

Yet, I chose this book as my next autobiography, not for its reputation but to see what all the hype was about Michelle. I had never been interested in her while she was in the White House, so it was time to find out why so many women admired her. 

Join me as I share five aspects of Michelle Obama’s journey that I found exciting & inspiring.

Rediscovering Chicago Through Michelle’s Eyes

Having lived in Chicago for nearly two decades, I feel strongly connected to the city. Michelle Obama’s story unravels against this familiar backdrop, taking me back to all the places I know so well. 

When Michelle spoke of Chicago’s cold & grey winters, I knew what they felt like. But, like her, whenever the sun warmed my face every summer, I would forget about the brutal winters and recommit to Chicago.

I have walked the same downtown streets and recognized every neighborhood & landmark she mentions in her story. Becoming fills me with nostalgia, making me miss my old friends from the windy city I called home for many years.

Michelle’s Strong Family Values

Michelle Obama comes from a close-knit family we all hope to be part of. Her fond memories of her time with her family let you know of the strong emotional bond she shares with them.

She speaks lovingly about her father, his sacrifices for his siblings, and the late-night car rides around Chicago they shared as a family. Her description of her mother tells me how much she respects her and her parenting style.

“My parents talked to us like we were adults. They didn’t lecture but indulged in every question we asked no matter how juvenile,” she says. 

She shared an incredibly close bond with her brother Craig, whom she always admired. Whether following his footsteps to Princeton or seeking his input to assess Barack’s character as a potential partner, her brother Craig is an integral part of her life.  

Even though Barack shares different views of marriage because of his upbringing with divorced parents, she sticks to her roots and uses her beliefs to instill these values in him and her children. 

Ambition & Self-discovery

Michelle Obama candidly expresses why she chose to be a lawyer, describes her experiences as a lawyer, and shares why she decided to leave law. 

As an ambitious Princeton student, writing the LSATs was the next logical step for Michelle. She was climbing the ladder to become a lawyer. She says that choosing law was not only logical but also because she was seeking other approval. 

Everyone in her world was happy and proud when she said she would be a lawyer. ‘Just for getting into Harvard, people looked at me as already I’d made my mark on the world,’ she says. 

Even though she was good at being a lawyer, she hated being one. She felt empty doing it. 

Through self-reflection, with the influence of her husband, who encourages her to journal so we can figure out what she wants, Michelle leaves the law behind and steps into the non-profit world where she can directly impact her local community. 

Michelle’s story resonates with many of us who chose professions for the money or how society perceives those professions. Her journey shows how self-reflection and courage are required to lead a fulfilling life.

Michelle’s Relatability as a Mother and Woman

In the book Becoming, I found Michelle Obama relatable as a woman and a mother. She possessed a natural flair for connecting with strangers.

During the Iowa presidential campaign, she shared how she reflected upon her humble beginnings in Chicago to connect with the women who invited her into their home for a campaign gathering. 

Even though they looked different, they had a lot in common. She noticed their homes looked just like those she was raised in and shared the same middle-class values. Everyone felt a genuine connection with her by the end of the meeting.

As a mother of two young girls, Michelle worried about the same things many mothers did, ensuring her children were safe and had a consistent bedtime routine despite her husband’s hectic schedule. 

She wanted them to lead everyday lives as much as possible and have friends who liked them for who they were and not because of whose kids they were. 

Michelle’s Impact in the White House

Michelle continues to be the same individual she is, even in the White House, not afraid to stand for what she believes in and eager to make an impact in any way she can. She began to use her platform to impact the issues that matter most to her, like children’s education, nutrition, and women’s and veteran families. 

On one of her trips to London, she visited a low-income school where 90% of the students were minorities. There, she assured the young girls that education could change their lives. If she could change her life, they could, too.

She says I reached out and hugged as many girls as possible before I left. She didn’t want to meet them and never see them again, so she kept in touch by writing letters encouraging them to follow their dreams.

Having seen firsthand how childhood obesity can be dangerous, Michelle wanted to ensure every child led a healthy lifestyle.

She helped push a new child nutrition bill through Congress through her Let’s Move initiative, expanding children’s access to healthy, high-quality food in public schools. 

A Journey of Growth, Family, and Impact

Becoming is an honest story about Michelle Obama’s humble beginnings and how she stood for what she believed in, no matter where life took her.  ‘By the time I realized how big my husband’s ambitions were and that I would have to compromise on my dreams to support him, it was too late. I was already in love with him.’, she says. 

In a world where individuality is revered, Michelle’s story shows that for a family to work, it sometimes requires making sacrifices for one another. It requires putting one’s ambitions over others not because you don’t have your dreams but to support your partner in their goals for some time. 

Michelle’s upbringing and close connections with her friends and loved ones make her story relatable. Her quest for self-discovery will inspire you, and her drive and desire to make an impact will move you. 

You will grieve with her in her losses and celebrate their victories. If you are a parent, you will empathize with her honest efforts to give their children a normal upbringing. 

So, If you’re looking for a relatable, heartfelt autobiography, Becoming will not disappoint.

“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”

― Michelle Obama, Becoming