An Energy Shift and Writing Us Through Personal Affirmations

Something shifted in my life this weekend. Energy.  Perspective.  Something tangible.  A wake up call of sorts.  I say this weekend because this is when I felt this shift the strongest.  But really, this shift has been in progress for quite some time.  Lots of work going on in this head and heart and spirit of mine.  A quiet process that hasn't been entirely easy. Good work is never entirely easy.  I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I'd just been given a new pair of glasses that allowed me to see myself, my life, and those I love so dearly in a new, beautiful, hopeful, bright and full of possibility way.  It was like I was remembering myself for some things but yet seeing something new and different.  Shedding a layer.  I can't adequately explain this new page I find myself on but I do know in my bones that it is here to stay.  I'm determined to hold on.  But really, I don't think I need to hold on to anything.  I think I just need to BE...right where I am.

My run on Sunday was a reflection of this energy shift.  I went to my usual path around the lake where I expected my favorite dirt/gravel path to myself. Instead, the path was full of people enjoying the beautiful blue skies and spring-like day.  Friends laughing, families walking hand in hand, dads throwing frisbees for sons, dogs running free, smiling faces turning towards the bright sky to soak up the sunshine...it was a glorious day!  The energy within myself and around me was amazing!  I set out on my 10 mile run knowing instantly that this run would be all mine. No trying to stick to my designated "easy pace range" or thinking too much about anything other than soaking up all the life around me.  I was running with my heart, not my head.  I just wanted to run what was easy and happy for me on this day.  A glorious unleashing.  I finished with a huge little-girl-like smile stretched out over my face. Oh how good it felt to run so free and happy.  And strong.  In fact, I'm pretty sure, I was smiling the entire run.  It was a run I needed in so many ways.

One of the things I was yet again reminded of on Saturday night is of just how valuable of a life tool my journals are for me.  The habit of writing down my long and short term goals, personal affirmations, gratitude and self reflections is a habit that carries over into all areas of my life in such powerful ways.  Writing these things down helps me with accountability, self awareness, and the ability to see things from new perspectives.  It's not for everyone but it does work for me in helping me make my life what I want it to be and in staying true to my values and dreams.  My time in my journal...my time writing down my goals and seeing my affirmations and gratitude on paper is as important to my life as physical exercise and eating healthy.  It's my language with myself.

Some affirmations for today to go along with my current goals:

On Mothering with LOVE and GRACE:

• I respond in a way that heals instead of reacting in a way that harms.  
• I use my words to uplift and empower.  
• I model calm and thoughtful responses.  
• I am present with conversations and play

On Being the Friend I Want to Be:

• I am an open ear and available when my friends need me.
• I communicate in a way that lets my friends know I care.  
• I hold my closest friends close.  I'd rather have my treasures of friendships be small in number but rich in depth than miles and load of "friends" that are only superficial and surface.  

On Being the Wife I Want to Be:

• I am faithful and loving in my actions, words, and thoughts
• I give him the freedom to be himself while lovingly encouraging and supporting him in making and striving for new goals for self-improvement.
• I am adventurous and open to trying new things
• I work on our love life. I tend to it like I would my greatest garden.  

On Being the Athlete I Want to Be:

• I find JOY in my running and marathon training
• I follow a plan and trust the process
• I believe in myself and  the value in daily exercise, eating healthy, staying strong and sticking to a goal
• I use the energy that comes from physical self-discipline to make myself stronger in all other areas of my life. 
• I seek balance in my life

Do you write down your personal and positive affirmations, goals and gratitude?  Do you put these things where you can see them?  Why or why not?  Again, I don't think this habit is for everyone.  But it does work for me. In so many ways.  I've written my goals, visions for my life, affirmations and gratitude for most of my life and I've seen these thing manifested in some pretty amazing ways!  It's part of intentional living for me.  I was laughing the other other night when I found a sort of life map that I jotted down for myself while in the middle of a graduate class.  It was kind of an outline of a vision I had for what I wanted the next 5 to 7 years of my life to be.  And you know what?  Almost all of it came to be!  I'm not saying that just writing our visions, dreams and goals down will make them come true.  Obviously not.  But by visualizing them, I was made more aware of them and intent on making them happen.  I wrote these things before I was married but I was engaged and in graduate school.  I wrote when I wanted to have each of my three kids (what ages I would be and how far I wanted them spaced), when we'd buy our first house, professional goals, goals to get my masters degree before kids, marathon goals, etc.  And it all happened as written/envisioned.  I should frame those jotted down notes someday... they truly are a dream come true because when I was writing them down, I was breathing life into them by starting with dreaming them up...those dreams led to more focused intention and then I kept my dreams in my head and imagined them and now here we are.  Ready to jot down some more life dreams for the next 5 years perhaps because at this point I'm having a hard time seeing 6 months ahead.