Michelle Obama Is Named "Most-Admired Woman" of the Year in New Poll

Alicia Brunker

Michelle Obama is closing out 2019 on a high note.

In a new poll conducted by analytics company Gallup, the former first lady is named "most-admired woman" for the second year in a row. During the data-gathering process, a random sample of 1,025 Americans are asked to name, "in an open-ended fashion, which man and woman living anywhere in the world they admire most." And Michelle took 10 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, Melania Trump came in second place, with 5 percent of respondents electing her for the title. Trailing not too far behind were Oprah Winfrey and teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg, who tied for third place.

<p>Paras Griffin/Getty Images</p>

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

It's been quite the year for Obama. In addition to embarking on a sold-out book tour for her memoir Becoming, she also produced her first Netflix documentary with husband Barack Obama — all while sending their youngest daughter Sasha off to college.

On Monday, Michelle took to Instagram to reflect on her ups and downs as first lady over the past decade in a heartfelt post. "Ten years ago at this time, our girls were sixth and third graders. Our family hadn’t been in the White House for even a year yet, and Bo was still pretty much a puppy," she captioned a grid of photos that highlighted some of the family's major milestones. "And though I felt that our family had adjusted well into a wild new reality, I was still a little uncertain about what all the spotlights and pressure would do to us."

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Thinking back over the past decade is a bit of a whirlwind. It’s not easy to take stock of all the ups and downs that go into a single week, let alone more than 500 of them. Ten years ago at this time, our girls were sixth and third graders. Our family hadn’t been in the White House for even a year yet, and Bo was still pretty much a puppy. And though I felt that our family had adjusted well into a wild new reality, I was still a little uncertain about what all the spotlights and pressure would do to us. So looking back, what I’m most filled with is gratitude. A decade like this one was never a part of my plan—not even close. But I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities, the relationships, and the growth I’ve experienced over these years. I’ve been so lucky to meet so many of you, to hear your stories, and to work together with you on issues that are near and dear to all of our hearts. We’ve got a lot to be proud of. But as I often say, we should be careful not to focus only on our statistics—our biggest accomplishments and best moments—you know, the kinds of things most of us share on social media. Those are important, but we should also be sure to relish the fullness of our stories. That includes the tough moments we persevered through, the messiness that spurred us to make a swerve, and the memories that are still a little bit tender. Though they’re difficult, those moments can be some of the most beautiful parts of our lives. What we often see as a weakness or a failure is often a strength—or a turning point to something better. So today, I’m thankful for all of those moments over the past decade that helped me get to where I am. I’m thankful for the worries and the anxieties, the failures and false starts. And most of all, I’m thankful that after all of it, we came out whole. Now on the other side of this decade, Bo’s got a trusty sidekick named Sunny. We’ve settled into new routines after two terms in the White House. And although the girls are gone away at college now, we’re all back together for the holidays—right where we belong. #DecadeInReview

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Dec 30, 2019 at 4:46pm PST

Obama continued: "So looking back, what I’m most filled with is gratitude. A decade like this one was never a part of my plan—not even close. But I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunities, the relationships, and the growth I’ve experienced over these years."

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But the journey wasn't always easy, as Michelle is also grateful for the tough moments that made her who she is today. "We should also be sure to relish the fullness of our stories. That includes the tough moments we persevered through, the messiness that spurred us to make a swerve, and the memories that are still a little bit tender," she wrote. "Though they’re difficult, those moments can be some of the most beautiful parts of our lives. What we often see as a weakness or a failure is often a strength—or a turning point to something better."

"I’m thankful for the worries and the anxieties, the failures and false starts. And most of all, I’m thankful that after all of it, we came out whole."