Feb. 23, 2007: Affirming the Truth and Nothing But the Truth
Quote of the Week
“The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.”
–Oliver Wendell Holmes
Affirming the Truth and Nothing But the Truth
by Philip Humbert
This week, I told a couple friends about a little mantra or affirmation I ponder almost every morning. They loved it. Later I emailed it to a couple of clients, and based on their feedback, I want to share it with all of you.
It goes like this:
For today, I am in charge of my life.
Today, I choose my thoughts.
Today, I choose my attitudes.
Today, I choose my actions and behaviors.
With these, I create my life and my destiny.
I re-write these lines almost every morning. Sometimes I modify them slightly depending on what seems to be the “perfect” phrasing at the moment, but I’ve affirmed these truths for years, and I think it’s made a difference.
One of the wisest things I’ve ever heard about affirmations is that they change everything, but only if they are already true.
Often, I hear people recite affirmations that have little or no basis in what I view as “reality.” They affirm that they are wealthy, when they can’t pay their bills. They affirm that they are great athletes, when at the moment they are coach potatoes. I’m not sure how those affirmations help. My fear is they may even hurt us because our brains see us creating fantasy worlds or affirming magical things that simply are not true.
When, however, we consciously and vigorously affirm the BEST about ourselves, I think we do ourselves a great honor. Everyday, there are people and events to demean or minimize us. Everyday, someone criticizes our work, our dress, our opinions or something else about our lives. Everyday, we are given a chance to feel “less” about ourselves.
Don’t fall into that trap! Whatever your situation, there are wonderful things that are TRUE and GOOD about you. It’s important that someone affirms these things, every single day. And who better to do that than…YOU!
Tell the truth! You ARE ambitious. You ARE honest. You DO have goals. And there are a hundred other things about you that are also true and good and worth affirming. If you don’t tell your truth, who will?
The affirmation I shared above works for me. If it is right and useful and “perfect” for you, you’re welcome to use it. And if it doesn’t feel right, change it! I would never claim it’s perfect for anyone but me. And, I know there are “logical flaws” with it. Of course, I don’t always “choose” what I think about or focus on. Of course, I don’t always “choose” my attitude - sometimes I get cranky or tired or depressed, just like everyone else. But, in spite of all that, these words seem to make a difference for me.
If they “work” for you, write and recite them with enthusiasm, every morning. I think you’ll find good things will happen. And, if you can improve on them for yourself and your situation, please do so!
There are many keys to a World Class Life. The skills and attitudes and habits of successful people are as varied and individual as they are, but some things do stand out. They set and achieve goals. They take care of the “little things.” They dream big dreams. And, they affirm the truth about who they are and how they’ve decided to live their lives.
Successful people do these things. It seems to make a difference.
Copyright(c) 2007, all rights reserved. Dr. Philip E. Humbert, professional coach, author and popular speaker . He has an excellent weekly newsletter and I encourage you to subscribe at: http://www.philiphumbert.com.
Coaching Call to Action
Have you ever used affirmations? This week tell yourself the wonderful things that are TRUE and GOOD about you. Let me know what changes occur for you.
Community Involvement
March 6, 2007
Empowering Yourself at Keefe Tech Continuing Education
Do you feel like you need to make a significant change in your business or personal life and would like some support to address these issues? Coach Andrea will provide her 5-step program for gaining control of your life. This seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Keefe Tech, Framingham, MA. To reserve your place, please call 508-935-0202 or go to http://www.ktconed.org/health_and_lifestyle.htm.
Ideas and Information
Introduction to Grant Proposal Writing: A Self-Study Guide
This guide is appropriate for those who work for, or serve on the Board of, a non-profit organization. “Introduction to Grant Proposal Writing: A Self-Study Guide” by Gail Shapiro and Carla Cataldo, is now available here. Based on their 50 years of experience, this e-Guide consists of nine lessons that contain all the information you need to know about writing a successful proposal. Each lesson contains helpful exercises and examples, and builds on the one before, so that you can complete a full proposal for submission.
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