I am a huge fan of “I am” statements and positive mantras. They were a total game-changer for me after a very productive session with a sports psychologist and high-performance coach when I was a teenager.
I was a competitive athlete and was chronically getting in my own way. I would be super prepared to perform at my best physically, but my negative mindset and fear around all of the things that could go wrong got in the way every single time.
My parents found someone that could help me and he introduced me to this particular practice which changed my life FOREVER.
Fast forward to today and I still use this. My daughter, who is 8, now has this tool in her toolbox, along with my clients and many members of my team.
The main point is that you can’t be saying negative things to yourself at the same time that you are saying positive ones. It’s literally impossible. The catch is that you have to train yourself to religiously lean on these “I AM” statements by incorporating them into your day. You can’t just expect yourself to magically flip a switch and start saying them, especially when you’re enduring experiences that can have you in a heightened emotional state.
This year, I am adding in a few overarching “I AM” statements to the theme of 2021, because, let’s face it, 2020 was brutal.
I had NO idea how burnt out and fried I was until I took a week off. My exhaustion hit me like a freight train and I realized that I needed to add in a few more statements that will serve as boundaries as I tackle HUGE, exciting goals in the new year, as well as one that will attract amazing opportunities.
So here it goes.... Here are the newest additions to my mindset mantras that will help me reach my goals in 2021.
I am unavailable for overwhelm.
Rather than allowing circumstances to get me worked up, I am committing to removing the emotion from the situation, stepping back, and addressing it head-on.
I am a very passionate person. I pour my soul into my work. This can be a great thing, but it can also be very detrimental when things aren’t going smoothly. When you are so deeply invested in something, whether it be your job, a goal you are chasing or your side hustle, it’s super easy to get overwhelmed and be overly reactive.
I noticed that as the world was experiencing complete and utter chaos, and as I was trying to keep the spirits of my family, clients, and team up, I was allowing overwhelm to sneak in, and on many occasions, I didn’t even realize it.
This led to so many challenges personally and in hindsight I could have handled it better, therefore, I am refusing to allow overwhelm to be a part of my life.
Rather I will focus on one day at a time. One challenge at a time. I will focus on detaching the emotion and addressing the problem and then moving on #likeaboss. Leaders have to rise up, especially during tough times, but that doesn’t mean you bury the overwhelm and keep going. That means you have to change how you approach the situation and move through it, knowing that “this too shall pass” and your job is to do the “next right thing.”
Each of us are leaders in our own lives so it’s important to take care of ourselves each and every day. Stress is toxic so I am committed to preventing it as much as possible by being unavailable for overwhelm.
Helpful quote: When you can't control what's happening, challenge the way you respond to what's happening. That's where the power is.
I am unavailable for negativity.
This is a must for 2021 and beyond. No more negativity. Period. This means negative situations, people, places, or things. Have you ever noticed how negative people bring down the energy in the room? Plus, no matter how hard you try, being around a negative person wears on you and your energy.
This goes for what you consume as well. You’ve got to protect your mindset and mental health like the GOLD it is. This means being super mindful of what you see as you scroll. Give yourself complete permission to block, mute, delete or unfollow anyone or any account that doesn’t fill up the positivity cup. (Check out the blog I wrote about the post that went viral. The entire premise was around this topic. It definitely resonated.).
So in 2021, I will be intentionally removing myself from negativity, and politely declining any engagements, social interactions, or experiences that are anything but positive. I’ve already started the “great social cleanse” of 2021 because I can’t afford my scroll on social media to have a negative impact. I don’t have time for it and I will not let it get in the way, or slow me down. For every minute of negative energy, it takes twice as long to bounce back.
So, yeah, no thanks.
Mantra 3 is I am resilient.
While 2020 was a heck of a year, one thing that I did realize is that I was able to be super-resilient, pivot quickly, figure s*** out, and make new opportunities happen. When your feet are over the fire and lots of people are depending on you, you’ve got to be nimble and able to get through it.
As I mentioned, there are some things I would do differently if I had to, but overall, I proved to myself that I am resilient and I can get through tough times. In some cases, the results were actually better than in years past, and now we have a new way of doing things that will forever be a part of our process. Now don’t get me wrong. There were plenty of mistakes, failures, missed opportunities, and challenges, but there was definitely a lot of GOOD that came out of being thrust into a time that forced me WAY outside of my comfort zone.
Here’s the deal → Resilience builds confidence and grit so I highly encourage you to consider adding this one to your list if you haven’t already.
You are here. You are breathing and you made it through a ridiculous year. In my book, that deserves a high five and an intentional reminder that YOU can handle whatever life throws at you.
Will life always be easy? No
Will you learn and grow through every experience? Only if you allow yourself to.
And lastly, I am available for incredible opportunities.
Now, ladies, this does not mean I am sitting and waiting for great things to happen. I am HUSTLING because I fiercely believe in what the future holds if I do the work and chase big goals.
The reason I added this gem in is that I want to constantly emote the vibe of approachability, collaboration, and compassion. I am aware that sometimes when my head is down and blinders are on, I miss what else is out there. I’m also aware that if the only narrative or dialogue I am having is about the good, and not about the challenges and difficulties I’ve faced along the way, it’s not an authentic representation of LIFE. When you don’t show up authentically, you aren’t relatable. When you’re not relatable, you’re not able to connect on a real level with those that need you, and be available for new ways to serve.
Now more than ever, it’s so important to show up in a real way, with the intention of serving others as you continue to slay your own goals.
One of the many reasons I added this one to the list is because sometimes we are not even aware of what’s out there and shut off our own access because we aren’t visible, approachable, or available.
That stops now. There are AMAZING opportunities, and the world needs to experience the special gifts and talents that you have. I know for certain that I am going to BOLDLY chase after my goals in 2021, but I am also going to be open to new opportunities and ideas that perhaps aren’t even on my radar yet.
So let’s commit to growing, stretching, and showing up as the best version of ourselves every day.
Your life can literally change in an instant and I am committed to living each day to the fullest and with no regrets.
Let me know what your “I AM” statements are. Remember to keep them short and to the point. They’ve got to be easy to remember and you need to incorporate them into your daily practice.
I write mine on a business card size piece of paper and keep them in my wallet. They are also on a post-it note on my computer and in a note on my phone. Think about where you should keep yours (I had my daughter’s put on a mousepad and wrote them in dry erase marker on her mirror).
Try taking some deep breaths in and out as you say them to yourself. I promise this will make a HUGE difference in how you handle situations (i.e. LIFE).
You’ve got this gorgeous! Make 2021 your BEST year yet! 🙌🏻 And remember, I believe in you 1000% and my goal is that you do too!