I am Love
This week’s challenge is:
“Today I repeat the affirmation ‘I am Love’.”
Occasionally I ask my psychotherapy clients what they would think if they overheard someone talking to a child the way they talk to themselves. They often respond that they would think the child was being abused. I believe when we direct endless criticism towards ourselves, it is as if we are abusing a child, but in this case it is the child within us.
One of the tools I have found helpful in stopping negative self-talk is to flood one’s mind with a single affirmation. I’m not talking about saying the affirmation 10 times in the morning while looking in the mirror. I ask clients to say their affirmations a minimum of 1,000 times a day for 21 days. Actually, I prefer that they say it 10,000 times a day or more, or better yet, anytime their minds aren’t being used for something else!
When we flood our minds with an affirmation over a period of time, it may start flowing automatically during the day, and sometimes during the night as well. Imagine what it would be like to have something positive going through your mind day and night, instead of all of the negative messages.
This week, for one, two, three days or longer, internally repeat the affirmation “I Am Love.” I suggest you say it at least 1,000 times a day. (It takes 15-20 minutes to say it 1,000 times.) It will help you to stay focused if you use a tally counter from an office supply store or an app such as Counter +. If you find yourself engaged in negative thinking during the day, start saying the affirmation again. Be gentle with yourself no matter how many times you repeat it. There is no right or wrong way to do this challenge.
Sometime during the week, write a post about some aspect of this topic or about experiences you have when you flood your mind with the message that you are love. Feel free to use whatever form you desire: i.e., prose, story, poem, photograph, etc. (If you don’t have a blog, please share your experiences and thoughts in the comment section below.)
I look forward to seeing where this challenge takes you.
The article that you link to this prompt should be a new post written specifically for this challenge.
General Prompt Information:
New prompts will be posted at 5 a.m. (PST) every Wednesday.
Since it is easier to make behavioral changes if we focus on them one day at a time, each of the weekly challenges will start with “Today, I focus on…….” It will be up to you to decide how long you want to focus on a particular challenge— one, two, three days or even longer. At some point during the week, publish a post that relates in some way to the subject of the week.
Link your post back to this prompt post. If the pingback doesn’t work, then leave the link to your post in the comment section below. Be sure to include “Challenge for Growth Prompts” as one of your tags.
Throughout the week, I will publish the links for the posts that were created as the result of this prompt. I will also post the links from those who participated the previous week. That way they will be seen by anyone who comes to this page.
This week’s contributors to I am Love:
It Takes a Revolution- The Seeker’s Dungeon
I Am Love- Living, Learning and Letting Go
Love Has No Borders (haibun)- Tournesol dans un Jardin
I AM love (free verse)- Traces of the Soul
How about you?
Last week’s contributors to Think Before Saying Yes or No
The Making of Yes- Nik’s Place
And to the World I Say- Where Love Meets War
Why Do We Behave the Way We Do?- Living, Learning and Letting Go
Challenges for Growth Prompts #4- Annette’s Place
Living, Learning and Letting Go 
It’s a tough exercise for many, To reaffirm themselves through the day in a world with so many ’emotional vampires’ that suck the positive energy out of them, I myself unfortunately am one of them but I definitely agree with you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it can be a tough exercise, no matter what the affirmation is. Most of the affirmations people use in this type of assignment are ones that they don’t believe, although wish they did, or ones that they have a hard time enacting. What is important is that it be a positive belief instead of a negative one.
I am Love can be about loving oneself as much as loving anyone else. And whether it be loving ourselves or loving other people our actions may vary. Coming from a place of love result in us giving “tough love” when needed; loving people enough to stand up to them and to set and hold boundaries. It also isn’t about giving in to everything other people, or our inner kid, wants.
Thanks so much for making your comment. It has given me much to think about. You have also given me an idea of what to write about in my contribution to the prompt!
LikeLike
I believe in self-talk and glad to come on board with the affirmation, I AM LOVE. While I believe it is possible for me to re-affirm this throughout the day, not sure if I will have the confidence or words to truly express. I am stepping out on faith with this challenge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I may have given the wrong impression. Did you think that I meant for you to say it to others? I should make that clearer in the challenge.
Your part is just to repeat it over and over and over again internally or out loud to yourself, although there is nothing wrong with saying it to others. Internally you are able to “say” it much more often. You can repeat it fast or slow or both.
I am glad you are going to try it out…. watch and see what happens especially if you keep doing it after the challenge week is over. Look for subtle changes as well as bigger ones.
LikeLike
I made some changes in the challenge. Take a look!
LikeLike
Here goes… https://apoetic1.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/i-am/ 🙂
LikeLike
Here is one that stirred some thoughts but may not be exactly what the challenge is; https://cheryllynnroberts.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/love-has-no-borders-haibun/ I will be doing another more personal one on self-reflections later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much. This is a fine response to the prompt! I will look forward to the personal one.
LikeLike
Now this one was challenging but a great exercise, Karuna, thank you for hosting these https://tracesofthesoul.wordpress.com/2016/02/08/i-am-love-free-verse/
LikeLiked by 1 person
It may have been challenging for you but you sure wrote a good piece!!!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Karuna. I added one of your photos and made a haiga (haiku in the photo) in my last Dear Emma post …I did edit the photo to make it look later in the night
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just looked at the post. I love how you used the picture. It is a beautiful poem as well.
LikeLike