Lucille O’Neal is much more than Shaq’s mom

Have you ever thought of trying something latest? Or do you transcend what others expect of you? Well, you are not alone. There are times in life when, after living a certain way for thus long, you are feeling like doing something more. To be seen as more. Sometimes this implies starting over and making a latest identity for yourself. Lucille O’Neal can relate to this.

The world may know Lucille O’Neal because the mother of NBA Hall of Famer and beloved personality Shaquille O’Neal and her three other children. But when she became synonymous along with her eldest son’s achievements, Lucille was inspired to indicate those that there was more to her.

This became the inspiration for her 2010 memoir, that highlighted the private battles, triumphs and realities of motherhood. O’Neal just updated her book with a brand new title .

“We have been in the spotlight since 1992 and everything that was said was not true. So when the opportunity came for me and our family to tell the truth, this was one way to do it,” he says.

Part of her truth is being honest about her own journey and the way her faith has carried her through many ups and downs.

“I lost my identity when Shaquille got drafted into the NBA. People didn’t know who I was or they just called me Shaq’s mom. I’m more than Shaq’s mom; I also have other children. So this book is more than just a memoir; it became my testimony,” he says. “I’ve been through some things and I wanted people to know that God all the time has a plan for us. I now have a platform where I can speak out on a wide range of topics and I’m very completely happy to share it. I can encourage and motivate people. I’m not attempting to be perfect. But I do know that what God did for me, He can do for you too.

shares his extraordinary life journey. The creator and motivational speaker reveals her whole self in probably the most authentic way. This includes her experience entering motherhood as a teen, coping with drug addiction within the family, and coping with the pain of divorce. It also involves pursuing your passions later in life.

“Being a mother of kids who play basketball or enter the world of entertainment brings plenty of reflection. Who am I without all this attention on family? That’s why I tested myself again,” she says. “Apart from all of the things happening around me, I began to take a look at Lucille. You can lose yourself on this process, and when you don’t end up, you will not know who you might be anymore.

She adds, “So I started encouraging myself, praying, and remembering the lessons my mother taught me. She always told me to hold my head up and be proud of who I was. Now I tell my kids to be real, stay true to who you are and try to work towards something bigger.”

And the work she did. After successfully raising 4 children, including a superstar, she accomplished her higher education, began public speaking and have become fully involved in philanthropy. She finally had a likelihood to forge her own identity, in her own way.

“Parenting is tough because, to start with, you do not know what you are doing. I used to be a mother on the age of 17 and I had no idea about it. If it weren’t for my grandmother and mother, I probably would not have learned many staple items about being a mother,” she says. “I believe being a mother is a special gift. You must do every little thing in your power to nurture your child and the gift inside him. Sometimes this requires putting things on the back burner. When Shaquille was born, I had not graduated from highschool, but I all the time desired to go to school. It took me 30 years to get there. I tell everyone that he blessed me because he paid for my college education.

The creator encourages other parents by sharing her overall journey. While nurturing their kid’s dreams, they shouldn’t ignore their very own.

“I tell mothers, fathers and all women who want to make a change to never let your dreams die,” says Lucille. “If you hold on to your dreams, they are going to eventually come true. Then you discover out that one dream turns into one other dream, and that dream turns into one other dream.