2012 Challenges: May - Affirmations

There's nothing like a long week in the tropics to kill motivation for all challenges and diets. I guess I have yet to achieve super human status. I don't feel too bad about not finishing April's challenge since May has now begun and it's onto the next challenge: positive affirmations.

Let me tell you a story. In the 5th grade I had a teacher that I hated, HATED. This was a strong emotion for me. Keep in mind that from 2nd grade onward I wanted to be a teacher, because I thought they were the most wonderful, kind women I'd ever known. Why did I hate Mrs. Hunter? Probably because my 4th grade teacher failed to hold me accountable, didn't mention it to my parents, and when I got to 5th grade I didn't have the chops to make it. Academically my parents helped me get it together and today I'm a college graduate. But that Mrs.Hunter, she's the one who had to call me out on my poor study habits and lack of educational drive. For that, she was a good teacher. Bah hum bug.

After a few months into a hard year of school my mom decided that I needed an attitude adjustment. Luckily, she was kind in her lesson and suggested that I try saying positive affirmations about my feelings for Mrs.Hunter. We wrote down some affirmations on the prettiest heart shaped papers. The affirmations stated the way I wanted to feel about my teacher, and I said them everyday. After a few weeks, maybe months, I found that my feelings towards Mrs.Hunter had warmed, and I think she even warmed to me. It was all in my attitude towards her and I really believe that the affirmations helped.

Throughout my life I've also done hypnosis. A big part of hypnosis is hearing, in repetition, what you want to change about yourself. This includes positive affirmations. Especially in Hypnobabies, which I used when I was pregnant. I found the affirmations about having a strong, capable and healthy body incredibly helpful.

A few rules that I follow when doing affirmations are: the use of "I", saying them in present tense (even if they aren't necessarily true yet), and keep it to 3 affirmations so my subconscious doesn't become overwhelmed. Bottom line, positive affirmations work for me. Since I've gotten off track lately, May's challenge is to say these 3 affirmations at least once a day, or more.

• I make healthy choices in everything I do.
• I treat myself and others with loving kindness, especially Luke and Porter.
• I follow through with everything that I begin.

As the human in this relationship Porter will hopefully learn that Olive's reaction, to his tormenting of her paws while napping, will always be the same. It will always end with claws and cat scratches. Learn it kid!

It's a love/hate relationship.

Puttin' the hurt on Honu. Luckily he's a very obliging stuffed turtle.