“Change says, ‘I am not, and I must become.’ Transformation says, “I am and I am yielding to a process.”

Jim Richards

The weather here on the coast of Massachusetts has been unseasonably Spring-like for several days now. I have made a point of spending some time outside each day and enjoying it while I can, because I know Winter is not quite finished with us hearty New Englanders, yet. I was walking down a path in a wonderful park by the ocean, when an older couple was walking towards me. I always enjoy connecting with people on my walks, so I looked up at them both and greeted them with “Beautiful day!” The woman replied “Isn’t it?” And the man replied “It is.” I was struck by the different sound and feeling of the two responses. With her voice going up at the end, “Isn’t it?” sounded questioning and felt tentative. With his voice going down at the end, “It is.” sounded declarative and felt like solid truth. “Isn’t it?” missed the moment of truly experiencing a heartfelt connection to “Beautiful day!” with its suggestion of doubt. “It is.” was in the moment, connected, knowing, with no doubt at all.

So if we believe that “thoughts are things” and in the importance of choosing our words carefully, we know that these seemingly small distinctions can be important. It is especially important when thinking and speaking about ourselves. Notice the difference between “I am not.” and “I am.” Notice how different it feels in your body when you say these words out loud. How much of the time are you focused on what you are not? Do you have a list of all the things you have to fix about yourself? What would happen if you turned that around? What would happen if you had faith in who you are in this moment?

Napoleon Hill, in his book “Think and Grow Rich,” says this about faith. “When faith is blended with the “vibration of thought,” the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent, and transmits it to Infinite Intelligence, as in the case of prayer.” He goes on to say we can develop faith through repeating affirmations to our subconscious mind. So let’s try an exercise.  Get out a piece of paper and write “I AM” at the top. Now spend some time writing all of the positive things that you are right now; all of your strengths, all of your talents, all of your gifts, all that you like about yourself. If you find this difficult to do, try asking someone you love and trust to tell you what they see as your strengths.

Once you have your list, go back and circle all the things that you wrote that have an emotional question mark at the end; the ones you are tentative of, the ones where there is some lingering doubt about this being true. An example for me is “I am lovable.” I know in my mind that I have many people who love me, but there is this small area in my heart that still holds on to “I am not that.” These are the ones you want to practice as affirmations until you can feel and know them as solid truths about who you are. Try practicing 3 affirmations twice a day for a week, and then, if you feel ready, pick three new ones. Keep this up until you can read your whole list with belief in everything you wrote, with the transformation of faith that connects you to the divine being you truly are. I am. So it is.

To Your Magnificence,

Coach Cecily

P.S. For the creative types out there, check out “Write an I Am Poem” http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm.

behavior change · empowerment · I AM · self love · strengths

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