A New Year’s Affirmation
With the New Year’s arrival, I cannot help but anticipate with excitement the unfolding of 2016. One of the biggest gifts of personal growth I received in 2015 was observing the magic that happens when you “trust and surrender.”
Honestly, I have never, ever made a New Year’s resolution. That’s just not my thing. Believe me, I’ve tried. At the end of 2014, from the day after Christmas through the entire month of January, I read more than 100 pieces on setting New Year’s resolutions and another 100 on other people’s resolutions, promises, goals, intentions, visions…you name it! “Did I want my resolution for my first year as an author to be personal? For family? For business? I mulled questions like those well into February.
And then inspiration arrived: I received an email from a parent who had read my book, The “Perfect” Parent. She said that “her second favorite thing about the book was the easy-to-reference Toolbox at the end.” But her absolute favorite things were the affirmation reminders that empowered her during parenting challenges and weak moments.
I’m a die-hard advocate of simplicity, and the idea of a pressure-relieving, self-soothing New Year’s affirmation really resonated with me! In seconds my affirmation popped into my head: “I am enjoying the ride as I trust and surrender.”
Aligning with my TOG mission to Raise Kids to Be Happy, Think Positive, and Do Good, in this year of all things new, I have worked a full two months of 18-hour days, creating a new grass-roots program for campus supervisors (also called yard duties) in the Saugus Union School District; taught workshops on Mindful Teaching; spoken to several hundred parents at book talks and signings; moderated the first-of-its- kind Conscious Parenting summit with one of my mentors, Dr. Shefali Tsabary; and shared the stage with Neale Donald Walsch, whose teaching my family and I have followed for more than a decade. And that’s just my Top Five..
Yes, I was challenged to raise the bar over and over again, and, yes, I turned to my 2015 affirmation often. When I wasn’t actually enjoying the ride, reminding myself to “trust and surrender” eventually got things back on track.
As I reflect on all the unexpected, yet welcome, surprises that I have had this year, my heart is overjoyed and humbled by my response to the ups and downs. Isn’t that what life is all about—how we carry ourselves through whatever shows up?
I’m going at it again this year. Inspired by my friend and transformation coach Suzi Lula my 2016 affirmation is: “I am resting, refueling, and caring for myself as I grow.”
Mind you, I am not replacing my 2015 affirmation, simply adding onto it. Now that “trust and surrender” has become a habit, I will keep that and grow from here!
If I have inspired you to write a New Year’s affirmation, please share it, a picture, and your progress with us. On New Year’s Day, I will be making this a family activity. I invite you to join and do the same.
Some pointers:
Start your affirmation with “I AM…” Write it in the present (as if it is happening now). That is an immediate reminder to make it happen now.
Write it on a large sticky note, and paste it on a wall where you can look at it often.
Write it on an index card and place it on your nightstand. I like to read mine before I go to be bed and when I wake up in the morning. A good friend has it taped to her bathroom mirror so she can be reminded of it while brushing her teeth.
Keeping a simple affirmation close by and repeating it routinely is both self-empowering and soothing. As Mohammed Ali said, “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”
Wishing all TOG parents a year of plentiful happenings and pauses to rest, refuel, and care for yourself along with your children.
Happy 2016 to you and your families!
In Joy!
The post A New Year’s Affirmation appeared first on Tools of Growth.
