Affirmations

Self-affirmations to be exact.

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Meagan

~ In the past year I've committed to working-out with a trainer 2x/week and am taking Pilates classes 2x/week.  I NEVER thought it would be something I'd do and I'm starting to embrace my own physical strength!
~ I work really hard at my job as a Special Education Teacher at a residential school.  It is incredibly challenging work, but work that I truly enjoy!

~ Over the past year (maybe 18 months) I've been engaged in therapy 1x/week.  It has been the hardest and most rewarding process I've EVER been a part of and I am SO proud of me for doing it.

~ In the past year, I've had a few short-term romantic relationships.  This has been new territory for me and I've learned a lot.  Specifically, I've learned that it's ok to like someone else and being liked in return feels INCREDIBLE!  Though I'm now single, I do look forward to finding someone to share my life with, something I desired until now.
~ All in all, I'm learning to love me, for who I am, right now.  It's an absolutely amazing process. 


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Maggie

I love this picture because I love babies and I feel most empowered when I am working with them.  I feel confident when I'm working with a child of any age, it's something I've always been good at.  I feel awesome when I see a previous student or child I've baby-sat and they are doing well, their life is going great, and I can't help but feel proud knowing I was a part of that in some way.  When people ask me what my dream is, I always say "to get married and have babies of my own".  And that's true, that's all I want.  I'll be doing what I do best, raising babies, getting them ready for the future, and helping them to become good people.

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Lee

Powerful and Persistent and Passionate.  Fearless and Feisty and Fabulous.  Beautiful and Brilliant and Big-Hearted.

I'm not all of those things all the time.  But I can be all of those things and I think this picture does a good job of showing them, or at least suggesting them.  I recently stood up on stage in front of hundreds of people and sang my guts out.  I was great.  I wore a silly wig but I was regal.  I commanded the stage.  And a few weeks later I am just as happy baking a good loaf of whole wheat bread and planting some herbs in my yard, taking my dog for a walk, reading a silly novel and watching TV with my hubby.  So I'm complicated and very simple at the same time.  Hardworking and lazy.  Fearless and fearful.  I am the embodiment of human weakness (especially around chocolate!).  But sometimes I am the embodiment of human strength too.  More generous and optimistic and enthusiastic and supportive and strong and talented and thoughtful than even I expect.

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Michelle

One of the things I take pride in about myself is in how other people seem to like being around me.

Often I hear about how I'm funny, but I want people to realize that I'm intelligent, thoughtful, and a little insecure.

I'm totally capable of doing minor plumbing repairs, changing a flat tire, making a pair of earrings, refinishing a cabinet, using a saw, baking a kick-ass cake, and so many more things... they're all pretty handy skills/talents/abilities.

I love that I am the type of person who can't stop teaching or learning or crying when things are sad or loving life.

Many times when people are looking for fun, I'm the person to help out because I think life should be fun.
I work really hard at being the best I can be at everything I do.

On a side note in affirmation, I chose this picture because I love my niece, and I love how confident she is and how my sister is raising her. She is a child and I think that children possess a purity we can only grasp at. I want nothing more than to teach and reach every child I encounter. My sister wrote this poem for miri [check it out on Nykki's blog! -a], and it captures what I think empowerment should be-- Nykki and I worked for so long on our relationship, and we've each come to love who we are and where we are, and it is absolutely amazing to see her bringing my niece up to be independent, powerful, and empowered, even at the rich age of 4.

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What about you? 

What do you have to say about yourself? 

Totally rad stuff I hope. ( :

Submissions: shoot me an email with your picture attached.

[my email is: aehoff(at)gmail(dot)com]

The deadline is April 24.
Meh. Deadlines are overrated.