[31 Day Reset] Day 11: Eliminating a Limiting Belief

Today, I was asked to eliminate a belief I have. I chose to eliminate: I am not good enough. It is a recent realization that I sort of compare myself to others and I always end up feeling second best. I feel like no matter what I do or how hard I try I will never be good enough. Anyway as part of the [31 Day Reset], I was asked to go to Morty Lefkoe's website and sign up to eliminate at least one of the limiting beliefs listed.

Lefkoe first, encourages you to find the source of the believe 'I am not good enough.' It's weird but he kind of help me to realize that my belief stems from my parents not praising me enough. I won awards and kept excellent grades but since those good things were my normal I didn't get recognized as much by my parents. Thus, I never felt good enough. I also realized that when I was child, my mom would yell at me for making simple mistakes. If I didn't do something right then she would tell me I am stupid or I didn't have any common sense. Her words made me feel like I would never be able to do anything right.
Lefkoe points out how I interpreted the meanings of the events is what led me to believe 'I'm not good enough'. I put the meaning into the event. I took not being able to fully satisfy my parents as be falling short. When in actuality the event, could have been interpreted as simply my parents wanting me to do even better than okay or maybe my parents were just over-reacting. Or maybe my parents had unreasonable expectations for me and that is why they are annoyed. It was not because I was not good enough. The point is I have never heard my parents say that I am not good enough. This statement is something I essentially made up in my mind. I gave meaning to the event and meaning is in my mind. Don't get me wrong my parents actions made me feel sad. It was my feelings that led me to my interpretation.

Overall, the Lefkoe, method was an eye-opener. He made me realize my belief that 'I'm not good enough' was practically silly and all in my mind. I am good enough. In fact, I am great! I think I will also go through his method for the belief 'I'm not important enough'. I have posted his website: http://www.recreateyourlife.com/free/

Not Gon Cry

I was talking to some people the other day about how I can not cry. I get real sad and my eyes may even water up but tears do not flow. One person suggested I might be afraid to be seen as weak. I don't agree with that. I am not afraid of being seen as weak by others. I could care less who sees me cry. I think I don't cry now because I have been holding it in for so long that my body automatically responds with deep sorrow and no tears.
I don't cry because I don't want life to think it defeated me. I don't want life to see how it made me cry because of my circumstances. I feel if I cry, then I am forfeiting or I am throwing in the towel. Or I am weak. I guess when it all boils down to it, I don't want to be seen as weak. I don't want to be seen as someone who lets life get the best of her so I don't shed any tears.

Angel of Darkness

I was watching The Wizards of Waverly Place the other night. (yes I watch and enjoy the Disney channel) In this unique episode, one of the main characters, Justin was taken over by a Angel of Darkness. The Angel of Darkness was essentially influencing Justin to do and say bad things. This got me thinking about my "dark" ways and how my "dark" ways have been attempting to take control of my life. Like, I have these thoughts and desires that I know I should act on but I still want to any. Thus far, I haven't. The reason I haven't is because opportunity has not presented itself fully. The opportunity has been only presented partially.
So maybe I am jumping the broom to soon but what if I have an Angel of Darkness influencing me? Technically, the devil is an angel of darkness. So I guess the devil is hard at work in my life. He's not winning but I do see him working. I do feel myself leaning toward the wrong side of the tracks. The crazy thing is you know you are in the wrong when you start justifying the wrong. I will tell myself things like 'I'm just having some fun' or 'It's not a big deal'. When I know good and well, that the action I might be about to embark on is not who I am in God no matter how the angel of darkness tries to play me. Now, I just have to continue to pray for strength and to not stray to far.
The cool thing about the show was that it turns out the angel of darkness wasn't 100% evil just 95%. It was that little 5% that turned her around at the end of the show. It goes to show that no matter how far gone you believe you are you can always come back to the cross.

Chasing Pavements

I don't think I am in love with him. I think I just care about him a lot. I love to know how he is doing and what's going on in his life. It makes my heart smile to see him with his seed. To see him better himself for her needs. But at the end of the day, it will be him and his seed. I don't want to come between that. Maybe that's why I only watch from afar. Because I know there will never be a space for me in his heart. I'm not in love with him but I do care.....Okay, this is starting to sound like a poem. Definitely unintentional. I just wanted to jot down some thoughts because writing helps guide me to figuring out why I feel the way I do.

I think he is a great guy with some great goals. But it is hard for me to picture us as more than what we are. We can blame it on the distance between us. We can blame it on my mood swings. We can blame it on the lack there of communication. The finger can be pointed in many directions but at the end of the day I believe in love. Love doesn't let distance, mood swings, or anything stop it from loving another person. And that's how I know I'm not in love with you.

I do believe sometimes in my mind I tend to create more than what is actually there. I'm not sure if it is just a female thing or a human thing to take everything as more than what it is. For instance, if a guy tells me he wants to see me. I will probably interpret that as he wants to see me because he really likes me and want to be with me. When in actuality, the guy just wants to see me. I think men (well, real men) say what they mean the first time. If they tell you the love you, then they probably do. If he tells you likes you, they he does. But if he never comes to you and says he wants to be with you, then he doesn't. So, don't assume just because yall kick it that he wants to be with you. Shoot, maybe he just likes kicking it with you. Nothing to deep. I have been practicing take words especially from guys for its face value. Unless, the guy tells me specifically that is how he feels then I can't trip off the relationship I created in my head. Should I just give up or should just I keep chasing pavements?

Beautiful Nightmare

I keep having these weird nightmares where I am always being chased by like someone or a group of people. I only recall the past two nights of these horrible nightmares. I can't help but wonder why do I dream essentially the same thing? I use to blame it on sleeping on my back. Whenever I sleep on my back I have nightmares. You would think I would stop sleeping on my back? Well, it isn't that simple. I sleep in whatever position is most comfortable and it just so happens I seem to end up on my back. Anyway, back to these chasing dreams. The dreams are always me like hiding and running from these group of guys (usually). The people chasing me I do not know who they are or I simply don't recognize them.

I recall one scene from my nightmare last night where I was at a party. I was looking around the party then I discovered that every face I gazed at where the guys who were looking for me. I wonder what do they want. The night before, I dreamed of being chase but it was a totally different scenario, still the same concept.

Being chased in a dream could mean so many things. It could mean I am running from something. Or it could mean maybe the 'something' I am running from is finally catching up with me. The chasing could symbolize entrapment by my daily life or some kind of anxiety. Maybe I fear something and I don't want to face it. Well, whatever it is I do want to face it because I am tired of running every night.

31 Day Reset: Day 10

So, yeah I recognize that I am moving kind of slow on my 31 Day Reset but alas I shall keep pushing forward.

Day 10: Make a Bucket List

Today, I am to make a list of all the things I want to do before I die. It seems like this should be a piece of cake but I'm not sure what I want to do exactly. Here goes my attempted list (not in any particular orders):

1. Top Doctor (whether pediatric surgeon and Reproductive Endocrinologist)
2. Have a baby (even if its just one)
3. Travel to Europe (I'm thinking France and Italy)
4. Take a girls trip to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami
5. Own a shi tzu (in memory of my boo Barkley)
6. Design and live in my dream home
7. Start a non-profit (or even maybe branch off an existing one)
8. Have an extravagant wedding (let's be real I dream more about the wedding day than I do about the life after the wedding)
9. Be the Maid of Honor in a wedding
10. Take care of my family with no financial worries
11. To thank the people who have helped me along my journey to becoming a doctor (this could be in the form of money, gifts, trips, whatever)


My bucket list doesn't seem too far fetch or does it?

I'm Not (that) Crazy

So, I am like the Queen of Facebook stalking. I can find out anything about you by literally page stalking. Yeah, sounds a little crazy but to me it's an entertaining hobby. I am still impressed by my own skills. I have found numerous childhood crushes via facebook stalking and my memory. I notice as I scroll through their pages I feel nostalgic like I am missing something. How can I miss something I never had or I never was any part of? *shrugs*
The way I search for people or minuscule details of others lives, you would think I was looking for something. What is it that I am looking for? Am I living in a past that doesn't exist? These people that I "lost" contact with I was never truly in contact with them. So, there is no past of us to regret. Maybe I regret not acting out or speaking up on my crush or my desire to be their friend. It is just an interesting thought. We search and read and learn about these people that we do not even hang out with daily or talk to daily. But why do we care what or how their lives are? My reasoning was I just like to know and I am bored. I am beginning to think that I am looking for something. I am wondering about the what ifs and the why nots. I do know that what I am looking for isn't on anyone's facebook pages. What I am searching for is myself. I am using my past as a reference to figure out who I was back then as compared to today. To see what has fostered my thinking of relationships in the present because in the future I want to make wiser decisions with no regrets. I don't want to do as I am now, looking at people's pages wishing we were more than facebook friends but real friends. I want to put myself out there from day one so I will know if our relationship (friend or foe) is supposed to grow or die.

31 Day Reset: Day 9

After a week of thinking, reflecting and imagining your ideal life, it's time to take some action! It's nice to take time to be dreamy and in your head (and we will do even more of that in the upcoming days of the challenge), but for you to really get reconnected to your dreams, you will need to start putting some real stuff out there in the universe. Right now.

Today, you will do one thing to move yourself closer to your ideal life. We will be embarking on some more in-depth action planning later this month, but today's exercise is meant to begin building some initial momentum for your journey.

Today's exercise is not related to your everyday to-do list. You are being asked to complete one task that is personally significant to you and your ideal life. This task should help you get started on a specific goal you've identified during the challenge, either from your life map, your personal mission statement or your ideal life narrative. Your one thing should meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Something you've been procrastinating on for a long time
• Something that terrifies you the most
• Something that inspires you the most

The main requirement for this exercise is that the action you take must be tangible and measurable. Basically, if I were there with you looking over your shoulder, I would be able to see clearly with my own eyes that the task was completed.

The task I decided to complete is something I have been procrastinating for a long time and it simultaneously terrifies me the most. I am choosing not to share my task in my blog because it is very personal to me. I just don't want this kind of information on the net but just know it is in my relationship department. I am saying something I have always want to say for a long time to someone. However, I have harbored a fear of rejection or deletion from their life. If I want to have open and honest relationships, I have to start somewhere.

31 Day Reset: Day 8

Reflect

• What was the most important thing you learned about yourself this week?
• What has been your favorite exercise so far?
• Which exercise did you struggle with the most and why?

Thus, far the 31 Day reset has forced me to really take a look at my life currently. I am a dreamer, so there isn't really a problem to imagine the future. The problem was I couldn't or rather I did not want to deal with my reality. It was a unique and uncomfortable position to evaluate my current status but helpful. I learned a lot about the person I am and the person I want to be. Fortunately, they are not two completely different people. I can see how far I am to being a better me and I am well on my way. The hardest exercise for me was creating the life map. This was the hardest and the best exercise for me. It was hard for me to initially put into words my ideal life. However, once I did it helped me see what I am striving for on paper. The things you dream of in your head as compared to the things you dream of on paper look completely different to me. Seeing my ideal life on paper, made it real for me. It also made it attainable. I definitely believe this 31 Day Reset is pulling things out of me there were always inside.

31 Day Reset: Day 7

One of the most powerful ways to get clear about your goals and dreams is to visualize them. It can be incredibly motivating and inspiring to really be able to see your desired path in your mind's eye, to go to sleep dreaming about it and wake up thinking about it. Yesterday, you started to do a bit of visualizing on paper by creating a life map. Today, we're going to take that exercise further and get even more specific in your visual by imagining what your ideal life would really look like once you put it all together. Today, you are going to write your ideal life narrative.

Your ideal life narrative is basically you telling a story about the life you want for yourself. It answers questions like:

• What are you doing on a daily basis in your ideal life?
• Who are you spending your time with?
• How are you earning your living?
• Where are you living?
• How are you spending your leisure time?

The only requirement to this exercise is that you use nothing but present tense statements. You should say "I am" or "I have" to indicate that you are already living your ideal life. To complete this exercise, you will incorporate your goals, hopes and dreams from your life map using these seven specific areas of your life:

• Lifestyle
• Work
• Education
• Finances
• Health
• Family
• Relationships

To express your response to this exercise, you should take a fresh look at your life map and write out in paragraph form exactly what your life would look like with all seven areas combined. You should be as specific as possible - you want to paint an inspiring mental picture with your narrative.

I am living in Charlotte, NC with my best friend. We share an amazing apartment together with two dogs. I am a healthy, well-balanced medical student. My best friend and I host weekly game nights with the Wii for our friends. I am enjoying learning about medicine. I am dating a great guy who might be the one but I am only living enough for today because I do not want to rush or worry about what hasn't happened. I am editing a fictional novel with a childhood friend. I am writing my life narrative. My family surprises me for my birthday. I visit my family on the holidays. I am running every morning up to 3 miles. So, I am looking good and feeling great. At the end of every night before I go to bed, I reflect on my day and thank God for His mercy.

31 Day Reset: Day 6

So, Day 6 is making a life map of your ideal life. I have the color life map physically but I will share my ideal life map on here. In Day 2 of the 31 Day Reset, I listed seven areas of my life and what I loved and hated about each. These seven areas appear again but this time I am describing how I desire my life to look like within the next few years. This is what I worked on all day yesterday trying to picture how I see my life.

What the HELL was I thinking?

So, the other day my ex messaged me on facebook. Very few people know the story between me and him but let's just say I was in some serious lust at that time. Our relationship was short-lived going strong for 3 months and then fading away for an additional 6 months after that. All in all we were "together" for about 9 months. Did I love him? I am still wrestling with that question. I do have love for him. When our relationship had ended, I met Vincent Taylor and he helped me to sort through my feelings for my ex and eventually move on. So, I said all that to say when my ex messaged me the other day it stirred up some emotions, mostly memories. I reminisced about the good times. How close we were and some of the wild things we did together. We could not have been more opposite than oil and vinegar but somehow we mixed. Although, I do not ever ever ever ever want to see or be with him again, he will always have a special place in my heart. Of course, it is nice to know that he still thinks about me too. Possibly in future blogs I will go deeper into our relationship but for right now I just wanted to scratch the surface. After all is said and done, he goes into the category of 'What the HELL was I thinking?'

I am sure a lot of people have been there. I knew when I got with this guy he was not the one for me. Still, I jumped right into the relationship thinking 'I am just in it for a good time'. Little did I know that this so-called good time I was having could have transpired into a life time. Thank You Jesus for putting a halt to that. I have realized that there is no such thing as a 'good time' when it comes to dating. There are feelings involved and possibly a seed could evolve. What begins as nothing can develop into something literally over night. When I was with my ex, I lost who I was in him. I talked myself into believing this guy could be the one. I talked myself into believing I could change him. Big mistake! Again, 'What the HELL was I thinking?'

I am not saying that his feelings for me were not real or that his words were lies. What he considered success, I did not. We were on two different levels in two completely different worlds. I had gotten so stupid in love that I believed for a split second I could be happy with my hood love. Clearly, I did not know my worth back then. I need to be with HNIC. Maybe if he wasn't just a simple dopeboy and the kingpin instead we could have worked something out. (Don't judge me.) I learned my lesson and I don't plan on putting this car in reverse for no scrub.

31 Day Reset: Day 5

Day 5: Write a personal mission statement

Values + Values in Action = Personal Mission Statement

Now that you've identified your values and what your values look like in action, you should now take at least 30 minutes to begin drafting your personal mission statement. You should take as much time as you need to reflect and write out your mission statement. It can be short-term or long-term, and should encompass your values and how you'd like to express them in your life. You don't have to use ALL the values in your Reset 10 if you don't want to. It may serve you best to only include your top three or you could include all 20 of the ones you came up with during your brainstorm. It's up to you to decide what would be most useful.

The statement itself can be as short or as long as you think it needs to be, but the process and the final statement should serve to help you make different kinds of decisions about how you will live your life from now on. And remember, it will continue to change as YOU change over time, so don't worry about it being perfect and final. This should be a work in progress, just like you!

I will not allow any obstacles big or small to stop me from moving forward. I will not let one event destroy my life. I will not be my own worst enemy. I will love and cherish my inner being remembering that I am only human and I make mistakes. The best thing about making mistakes is the learning involved in the process. I will not blame any other being for what I have not accomplished. I will finish everything I start. I will treat every person I come in contact with as I would want to be treated. I want to be treated well. But most of all, I will not lose myself on the journey to the best me I can be!

31 Day Reset: Day 4 (technically)

The weekend sort of threw me off but let us continue, my 31 Day Reset. Remember:
I am the master of my fate:
The captain of my soul.---William Ernest Henley

Day 4: Envision Your Values in Action
Part 1:Now that you're clear on what you really care about, you want to compare your values to how you're currently living your life. For each value that you identified in your "Reset 10", rate yourself from 1-10 on how you feel you're acting out that particular value in your life. Be honest with yourself - it's the only way to be able to improve upon the life you're living now to the life you want to be living in the future!

Part 2: What Do My Values Look Like in Action?For each value that you identified in your "Reset 10", list out at least three actions that you currently take or that you should be taking in order to honor and fulfill that value in your life. What kinds of things would you be doing if you were living in full accordance with your values? What would it really look like for you to be able to rate yourself as a "10" on how you live out all your values?

strong/relationship with God: I would give myself about 5 right now. Jesus is my savior but I only follow him partially. I need to get more involved with the church. Simply, attending church is not enough. I need to read the bible. I need to devote myself 100 percent to living like Jesus, not 50%.

having a family: It is hard to rate this because I am not sure where I stand. I would give myself a 7 because it is important for me to have myself together as a person before I become a wife and mother. I am a work in progress but I have accomplished so many things that is guiding and preparing me for the road of motherhood and wife. To be a ten, I need to continue opening up about my feelings, continue learning who I am, and strengthen relationships with my family.

relationships: 7. To be able to give myself a ten, I should be open and honest in ALL of my relationships (siblings, parents, friends, peers), make myself available to others for support, and balance yes and no. I don't want people to walk all over me but I also don't want to be ass and only put myself first all the time.

economic security: 3. I am usually good with money but late I have been living off of faith. Three actions I need to do to establish this security is: set-up an emergency fund, pay off loans/debt, and make/follow a budget.

public service: 1. I cannot even remember the last time I volunteered for something. And public service is supposed to be my passion. I really need to step my game up on this. I need to develop an action plan for my non-profit, volunteer with adolescents, stay current on local/national news on the state of the people. I use the phrase 'state of the people' to mean their issues or hindrances. It helps me to know what they need so I can act accordingly to address that need.

achievement/advancement: 8. This is an area I esteem myself in. My current actions: applying to medical school, becoming licensed in medicine, and starting my own practice. I am well on my way.

integrity: 6.My integrity is definitely improving. I am not sure what actions to take to improve it. I need to be a woman of my word, not be hot and cold but stick to what I believe in, and take a stand for what is right.

honesty: 6. I am a blunt person however, even though the things I say is what I am thinking doesn't mean I need to say it. Essentially, I talk way to much. I want to work on filtering my honesty. I want to come to the point where I am not afraid to speak the truth on sensitive matters despite how people may respond.

wisdom: 3. I feel like I don't know anything. Three actions I should take to increase my wisdom: read more, listen to others' advice, stay up on current events. I just get so wrapped up in my world that I forget there is something way bigger than me out there.

fame/recognition: I need to thank more on this one. Maybe I am tired from typing but my mind is blank. I am starting to think that recognition isn't that important to me.

Sorry for 2004 (really, 2011)

I have been pretty complacent here. When I am in such a tranquil mood it is harder to blog. I still want to try. What has been on my mind? A lot. I am seeing such an amazing growth in myself. I did such a huge thing the other day. I apologized. I apologized to someone whom I had felt I hurt her feelings. I felt bad all night and half of the next day. So, when I saw her, I told her how I felt. The scariest moment was approaching her. But once I started talking, my words followed from my heart and it felt good. I usually tend to hide my feelings and I also let stuff sort of build up. I knew this year that I didn't want to let any relationships go to the wayside because I didn't come 100 percent. This apology taught us both something. It taught me how to push through even when the situation seems tight. And it taught her about me and my heart. When you don't say anything you come off cold-hearted. I am far from cold-hearted.
Still, life is a learning process and I am finally absorbing it. I keep praying for a changed heart/healed heart and apparently God answered my prays a long time ago. I am not just putting it into practice because I am so stubborn. I have to ask myself before I approach anything, 'What's the worst that could happen?'. Until the worst has happened, I can't deal with it until then.
There are three friendships, I regret losing in my lifetime. Three! If I could take back how I acted or what I said I would. But I can't. I think the hardest part with losing the relationships was realizing the problem was me. I am sorry for 2011 to anyone I have ever hurt both intentionally and unintentionally. It's been a long road ( and I still have a long way to go) but I am on the way to a better me! :-)

31 Day Reset: Day 3

Day 3: Identify Your Values

So today, I am asked to identify my top ten values. Here goes nothing:

10. fame/recognition
9. wisdom
8. honesty
7. integrity
6. achievement/advancement
5. public service
4. economic security
3. relationships
2. Having a family
1. strong relationship with God

Arranging my top ten values is a lot harder to do. First I had to think of ten and then, to arrange them by importance (which was my choice) was a challenge. I really wanted to narrow the options to see what really meant the most to me. I think fame and recognition matter to me. I am too humble to admit it but I care. Who wouldn't want people to notice all the good things he/she has done? Next, I chose wisdom. I truly value the ability to take what you learned and apply it to the future, and not make the same mistakes repeatedly. Honesty and integrity are self-explanatory. I value people who keep it real. They do what they say they are going to do it. I am holding that standard for myself also. I value achievement and advancement. It is just important to me to move-up my career ladder. I have set high standards for myself and I plan to uphold and attain all of them. I know I am evaluating myself but I think it is interesting that I chose economic security over public service. The reason I did this is because I feel a need to have myself together in order to help others. I desire to do a lot for my community by any means necessary and I want to be in the position to do so. My top three are pretty obvious.
It is weird to see my values written down. I actually feel like I fall short of my own values. I have a lot of work to do!

31 Day Reset: Day 2

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. ---William Ernest Henley (From the poem "Invictus")

Day 2: Conduct A Life Assessment:

1. What do I LOVE about this area of my life?
2. What do I HATE about it?

Lifestyle: I love that I am single with no attachments. I have my own apartment and car. So, I can do whatever and go wherever I want. I hate that I am limited because of funds and that I don't have more people to kick it with.
Work: I love that I have a job. I hate that my boss has cut my hours and he keeps hiring more people.
Education: I love my educational background. I feel I have been taught by the best and have attended the best schools. I hate that I let some opportunities slide by while I was in undergraduate. I feel like I could have gotten so much more out of the experience but I was a hindrance to myself.
Finances: I love that I have enough money to get by. I am surviving on my own.I hate that my finances are not in order. I need to pay off two loans, and stack my money for the future.
Health: I love that I have never had any major health problems. I hate that I am at risk for major health problems. I would love to lose some weight so I won't be at such a high risk. I also want to be closer to God. Spiritually, I feel empty at times.
Family: I love my family for who they are. I hate my family for what they are.
Relationships: I love the people who love me. I hate how I sometimes push people away because of the wall I have built around myself.

I feel as if I should reflect on my responses. I am pretty aware of what I lack in my life. I am slowly working on these things just one day at a time. Who doesn't wish that they could just wake up and everything would be fixed or different? I know I do but the first step for me was realizing I only have control of myself. The events that are occurring around me are out of my hands, but I can control how I respond. Like I said, one day at a time. If it gets to hard, then I will take it moment by moment.

31 Day Reset: Day 1

So I wa perusing the internet the other day and stumbled upon the site happyblackwoman.com. This site was created by a black woman (hence, the site) who basically stopped everything she was doing in her life to pursue her happiness. This is such an amazing feat because she stepped out on faith to do something she loves and she is doing great. She happens to be a life coach and on her page she has a 31 Day Reset program designed to help guide people or rather equip people to pursue their happiness and be successful as a person. So, I decided to give it a try. I want you guy (my readers) to hop aboard this train as I begin my 31 Day Reset for my life. Lord knows I need to refine my focus and get back to me. Here starts the first day of the rest of my life:

Day 1:

Step 1: Choose a Reset Notebook

To participate fully in the exercises for the month ahead, you will need a dedicated, blank notebook for the exercises. You will be using it everyday to record your responses, insights and "aha moments" throughout the challenge. It can be a notebook you already have but haven't used yet or it can be a brand new notebook that you buy specifically for this program.

If you already have a public blog, you can also use your online space to keep track of the exercises, but due to the nature of the challenge, you may not want to share EVERY little detail of what comes to your mind during this self-discovery process. So, I recommend that you designate a physical notebook to go along with your online tools.

I am going to keep track of the exercises on my blog. It is a bold decision but I am a bold person. Plus, I shouldn't have anything to hide. If I feel the need to blog in my journal because it is getting too person then I will step away from the blog but not without warning first of course.

Step 2: Choose a Personal Mantra

A mantra is a positive phrase or affirmative statement that you say to yourself for the purpose of motivation or encouragement. This could be your favorite quote, proverb, spiritual truth or religious saying. (If you don't know where to look for inspiring quotes, I always find great ones onThe Daily Love website and you can see a listing of 58 of my favorite quotes compiled here.) For this exercise, you'll want to choose one that represents what you hope to become or believe by the end of this challenge. Then, write it on the first page of your reset notebook as a kind of blessing on everything that will be written and accomplished this month.

I am going to need quite a few personal mantras. I will choose 5 and depending on the day that is the one I will refer to. I will probably start every blog with that quote. I am leaning toward the bolded quote from The Daily Love.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I change my circumstances by aligning my thoughts and actions with what I want.--TDL

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. ---William Ernest Henley (From the poem "Invictus")

Everyday Is My Struggle

The muscles in my neck and back seem to get tighter with each passing day. My hands hurt when I write or curl them in. I get sporadic headaches and my lips get really chapped in the winter time. Still every morning I rise at 7 am with ambitions of a better day then yesterday. It is not every day that I accomplish all the things I desire but I still make the attempt. In 2010, I would beat myself up for not completing all of my tasks. In 2011, I pat myself on the back for even trying. Then I shift the uncompleted tasks over to the next day. Am I changing? Yes. Most importantly, I am trying. I am my own worst enemy. Everyday it is a battle to keep going and to keep pushing but I do!
I am so humbled to be where I am in life because God didn't have to keep me but He did. God didn't have to have grace and mercy on me but He does. I thank Him everyday because without him I am nothing! So why do I keep battling myself when I have God?