Write It Down
Several years ago I was looking for ways to support myself through an uncomfortable transition. I was at the very beginning of my entrepreneur journey, and I wasn't sure if I had the goods to go the distance. I felt like I was on the precipice of growth and change, but I couldn't put my finger on what would help me move forward. I didn't know how to activate the energy that I felt.
I asked one of my mentors for advice. She suggested that I create mantras for myself - short phrases that captured how I wanted to feel about my life - and spend some time with them every day. Did I have to say the phrases out loud while I looked in the mirror? Nope. She encouraged me to just hold the statements in my hand in the morning while I had my coffee and looked out the window.
The advice I got was easy and actionable. So I did it.
I wrote my ideas on card stock. I decorated the cards with washi tape (which gives me so much joy), and I spent one or two minutes looking at the cards most mornings.
At some point I stopped. Not consciously, but the practice just faded away after the better part of a year. I forgot about the cards completely.
Recently, I rediscovered these affirmation cards in a zippered pouch of a seldom used pencil bag.
Reading the cards, I was floored; I was different version of myself when I wrote those words down. I genuinely thought I was lazy and unfocused. Now, those mantras which felt like crazy, idealistic notions were completely ingrained.
I AM confident and capable.
I AM a woman of purpose.
I DO have faith and gratitude.
Mantras and affirmations get a lot of flack in pop culture, and I understand the resistance. It can feel silly or vulnerable to give messages to yourself. The reality though, is that we use mantras and affirmations whether we intend to or not. Usually they skew toward the negative, but the conversation is always happening in our head. Getting specific about how you want that conversation to go is a powerful way to rediscover your authentic voice.
Writing down a thought isn't mystical, it's pragmatic. Claiming a small piece of real estate for your idea is one of the most practical steps you can take to make that concept a reality. Even when the idea is about shifting something intangible inside yourself.
What outlandish, audacious, and out-of-reach thoughts are you shying away from?
What would happen in your life, in your career, if you really believed those thoughts? How would feel and speak differently?
Take the risk to write those thoughts down, then commit to connecting to them regularly. It only takes a few moments a day to transform your thinking.
with love and respect,
Malika
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