I’ve talked about Goddess Leonie’s Incredible Year Workbook before. I’m still not done working through it, but I thought I’d do a couple of posts about what I’m doing, how I’m incorporating it. (And it’s not to late to start now!)
Before I even start, I have to say a lot of this is touchy-feely-fluffy-bunny-new-agey. But my spiritual roots are touch-feely-fluffy-bunny-new-agey, and I feel I’ve strayed away from that. I think I’m looking at this as drawing me back in.
I have a document holder like the one pictured to the left where I’ve put the relevant goal sheets and calendar pages that I need to see and access often (I did not print the whole workbook, only the parts I need). I’ve also got a spiral notebook for the To Do lists.
First off, I like affirmations. At different times in my life, I’ve used them to varying degrees of success. I’ve put them on my mirror or refrigerator or front door do I could see them often. I’ve written them in the evenings to concentrate on a goal.
So, I really like that Goddess Leonie incorporates affirmations in a couple of different ways in this workbook.
There is a page with colorful, odd shaped bubbles to create your own affirmation You’re supposed to write them and then cut them out and put them where you’ll see them: in your purse, around the home, wherever. I have taped some to the report cover and the spiral notebook. I also intend to buy some stuff to laminate them so I can put them in other places. She starts you off with:
You Are RADIANT
To that I’ve added:
My life is full of miracles
I accept people as they are
I am loved
I am creative
I am organized and disciplined
I am creating miracles of love, peace and prosperity everyday
I deserve to be happy
I am Love, I am Abundance, I am Joy
Ok, looking at that from a jaded point of view (or what some would call realistic), it all seems a little lofty, dreamy, escapist thinking. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were all true? Even better, wouldn’t it be fantastic if I could make it all true?
Later on in the book, she has another page called “My Magnificent Mottos”. To me, these also feel like affirmations. They are the “mottos” for the year, that you focus on to keep you going. She gives examples of ones she’s used and then you create your own. I’ve got:
Embrace Possibilities
Be Strong
Cultivate Kindness
Dreams can come true!
Practice being loving
She has a calendar, too, and I like her pages that give you a focus for the month. However, I don’t like her actual calendar pages. I’m using something else for the calendars, a page I got from a “plan your blog” site (but I don’t remember which one).
I’ve only got 72 things on the 100 Things To Do in 2013 list, but completing the list is on the list, so at some point, I’ve got to think of more things.
More about this fantastic workbook in the next few days.
Life Uncalculated 
I don't know if you remember (or even read) the post I made a few years back about the stuff you put in the air… The concept, from my dad's wife, is that your brain will hear the stuff you say out loud. And since it's in your own voice, your brain is more likely to believe it. So when you say things like “I'm not good at ____” you reinforce it. Extrapolating, I'm sure if you say things like “I am joy” it is equally reinforced.
So don't apologize for making idealistic affirmations. That's the point. Aside from any New Agey stuff, we truly do become more what we claim to be simply by claiming it. 🙂
Monday's Child! I don't think I've seen you in ages! Thanks for coming over.
And yes, I see what you're saying, and it is true. That's really the essence of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in fact, retraining your mind-tapes to something better. Very hard to do, but it's supposed to work.
I'm going overboard on the affirmations this year. I've pretty much ignored them or only used them half-heartedly for the last dozen years or so.
But about 6 months ago, I got one of Leonie's free wallpapers that said “Joy is an Option” and had it as my desktop background for months.
Whenever I'd see it, it would make me smile – which means it did it's job!
So, I'm going all out right now. I've got some taped to my notebooks and journal, a few laminated ones in my purse, several taped to the walls where I will see them all the time, and I've even decided to make a vision board this year.
Yay! I think that's awesome!
It's a little weird. I haven't been this optimistic in years.