I AM...

I write a lot about self talk and today's post is no different. It's the new year and many people are making resolutions to change things in their lives, and to change things about themselves. I'm all for positive change, so long as it doesn't come at the expense of how we view ourselves. A resolution shouldn't sound like this:

I AM SO FAT, I'M GOING TO GO ON A DIET AND GET THIN IN 2017

I AM SUCH A SLOB, I'M GOING TO KEEP THE HOUSE CLEANER THIS YEAR

I AM SUCH A CRAPPY WIFE, I'M GOING TO MAKE AN EFFORT AND FLIRT WITH MY HUSBAND THIS YEAR

I AM THE WORST MOTHER EVER - I'M GOING TO MAKE MORE TIME FOR THE KIDS THIS YEAR

So many of us fall into this trap (especially this time of year).

We can make the same resolutions, but let's do it in a healthy for our head kind of way:

I AM GOING TO BE STRONGER THIS YEAR; I WANT TO EAT HEALTHY IN 2017

I AM GOING TO BE MORE ORGANIZED AND KEEP THE HOUSE CLEANER THIS YEAR

I AM GOING TO FLIRT WITH MY HUSBAND THIS YEAR AND BRING BACK THE SPARK IN MY MARRIAGE

I AM GOING TO ENJOY MY KIDS THIS YEAR BY MAKING MORE TIME FOR FUN ACTIVITIES

and what about our writing?

Do we submit for a contest and get down on ourselves because we didn't make it to the top? Do we send out query letters and get down about how many times we have been rejected? How can we turn those experiences into positive I AM statements?

How about:

WELL, WITH THIS REJECTION, I AM ONE STEP CLOSER TO MY GOAL

I AM MOVING FORWARD; THIS IS NOT GOING TO STOP ME

I AM AN AUTHOR; I HAVE THICK SKIN

I've written plenty about how we talk to ourselves in our heads and in the mirrors. What is something you have been saying to yourself that you shouldn't be? How can you turn that into a positive I AM statement? Share your ideas in the comments of this post - you just may inspire yourself or others, and it will help you stay accountable to your goals. It's impossible to be positive all the time, but there's so much negativity in the world today that we should try to encourage ourselves and our friends.

Make today a wonderful day by loving yourself and those around you!

Hugs,
~Crystal

PS - I AM A LOVING MOTHER AND WIFE; A TALENTED WRITER, A GREAT FRIEND AND ENCOURAGER!

Crystal is a church musician and secretary, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 9, Andre 8, Breccan 3, and Delphine 1), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff  at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/ When she's not doing that, she's baking bread and cookies for her friends and neighbors. She says "the coffee is always hot and you're always welcome here!"