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.

YOU ARE SUPERB!

Source: How About Orange.

I love that blog.

Does the banner remind you of anything?

How about how fabulous, fantastic and superb you are? Details about talking about that here, here, here and HERE.
In case you forgot.

Submissions: shoot me an email with your picture attached.

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

The deadline is April 24.

I'm up to THREE entries! Keep 'em coming...9+ to go!

xo

Get Ready!

April 22, 2011

It's almost time for the second annual Self-Affirmation Day!

Last year several people participated and I loved it!

The rules for this year...it doesn't have to be a self-portrait. If you want to do a self-portrait-GO FOR IT! I want a picture of you feeling beautiful, handsome, stunning, amazing, powerful, strong and unique. Your words: What makes you awesome? Truthfully, I can see your beauty, so I want to know what's on the inside. What are your passions and desires and skills and strengths and the things that make you confident enough to say, "Yeah, I'm awesome."

Think about it.

Submissions: shoot me an email with your picture attached. 

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

 The deadline is April 21. 

Don't worry, I'll keep reminding you about this.

Self-Empowerment Day

Oh, happy day!

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 Emily

This picture was taken on an evening when I wasn't going any where special, I just thought I looked super cute and decided to take a picture of myself.  I told someone that once and they laughed at me....so I'm glad to have this Self-Empowerment Day as an outlet to talk about it. :)  This picture has become one of my favorites of myself.  My hair was just beginning to get longer (I'm actually thinking of cutting it back to this length just because of the awesomeness of this picture) and I was at a point in my life when I was truly happy with most aspects of my life (body image, work, social life, spiritual life).  I think that is written all over my face....I really like my smile....not just in this picture, but in general.  I think it's one of my best features.  The scarf....I LOVE scarves!  I also love the color of the scarf and how it is a great complimentary color to the green shirt.  I feel like I just got the outfit coordinating right on with this one. :)  One last thing...I really like the happiness in my eyes in this picture.  I never noticed ever in my life before I took this picture that one of my eyes is a different shape than the other one.  Life lesson: Examining myself is SO important to me because what I sometimes see as a flaw at first (i.e. differently shaped eyes) often becomes something I lovingly embrace about myself.

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 Megan

I love the shape of my face, the shape of my nose, the color of my eyes that are a myriad of colors, the length of my eyelashes, the curve of my hips, the fact that I can't stop giggling once I get started.

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Rachel

If I could look any one way for my whole life, I would want to look like this. I love the color and style of my hair. It's like waves of chocolate cascading down my face. I love that smile. It's subtle and sweet. Like I have a secret. I love the shirt I'm wearing. it's one of my favorites, always fits me well. I think, though, that my favorite feature is the shine in my eyes. It looks like something you would photoshop in. Overall, I love the me I see in this picture and I know I have her in me all the time.

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Kathy

I love to be impulsive. I was too terribly hot on Easter afternoon and instead of turning on the air conditioner, I soaked my hair and tied a wet bandana around my neck. So here in this photo my hair is all tousled and I’m feeling quite cool, thank you very much. I love my smile and my dimples, especially in this photo, (usually I’m too frozen to like my smile).  I love with how I am flirting with the viewer, daring you to be impulsive, too.

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Meagan

(left)

I like this picture.  I think, layered scarfs aside, that it looks natural and relaxed.  I really like my face...I've been told I'm beautiful and now I'm starting to believe it.  I learning to embrace that I am beautiful and powerful and worth loving.  Thanks, Amy, for the opportunity to put that into words.

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Eric

 I take pleasure in this photo as it represents a transition in life for me.  It is a time of bringing back great happiness to a place where it was lacking.  I enjoy my rounded teeth and slightly crooked smile, a bit imperfect but sincere.  I also love my curly hair and sideburns.  It says you can be fun and yet professional.  I am grateful for my eyes as well, piercing with a blue that seems to phase depending on my surroundings.  It is an authentic picture, without any flash or distractions.  The self-portrait is of me as a fresh person, ready for life’s next leg.  

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  Becky

Curls curls curls curls curls. They are soft, bouncy, crazy, laid back, happy, fuzzy, comforting and they probably reflect who I am more now than they ever have. I've made good friends with them and I let them be what they are and love them for it. Same goes for myself. I like my crow's feet! And they are getting more prominent all the time. The are my "tattoo" of my smile, which I wear a lot, and I love that about me.I like my eyes. When I don't feel my age and I think that I have not lived or experienced much, my eyes say something different. All the knowledge and life lessons I have acquired can be seen there. They are inviting and comforting and sparkle when I'm feeling sassy. :)

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  Amy

 

Emotions. They play across my face: I can't help it, I can't control it, and I don't want it to go away! I love emotions. I've tried to hide them, but then I just end up feeling...ugh. So, I live in them. I can go from laughter to tears, from sorrow to joy, from peaceful to impatient. I get frustrated. I feel homesick. I get excited. I feel silly. I cry watching movies and tv shows (Project Runway, anyone?). I laugh reading books. And I giggle...oh, I giggle. Life is full of different experiences and I want to live them all through my fully-emotive being.

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Michelle
(right)

I like this picture. I always used to think my nose was too big and it curved up too much like snobby girls, but in this picture it looks nice. My eyes are my favorite feature: hazel, although you can't tell it in this picture, and I like that I'm not looking at the camera. I think I look thoughtful, in a silly way, and I like that combination. I also like the way my hair looks here. Plus, I really like how silly Meagan looks contrasted with how serious I am. This photo captures a piece of me. A piece I like.

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James

In this photo I see everything good about who I have become over a lifetime of experience.  I buzzed my hair a few weeks ago and I have fallen in love with my new, simple, masculine look, complete with the unshaven face that makes me smile when I notice it in the mirror.  What is it about scruff that makes me so happy?  Unknown.  The hint of a smile is a one-gesture summation of nearly every moment of my life—what would it be without a constant hint of happiness, laughter, joy, absurdity, and even impishness?

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Thank you to everyone who contributed to this first (of many?) Self-Empowerment Day! I really appreciate it! We can say kind things to each other, but how incredible is it to say those kind things to ourselves? Take a moment to tell yourself why you're amazing.

By sharing the beauty we see within ourselves, we
can inspire others to see beauty within themselves. 

Embrace your ability to see yourself as 
the gorgeous human being you are.

(And if you want to share that here...just shoot me an email and I'll add it to this post!)

Hear ye, Hear ye!

Over the course of the next week, I am calling for submissions from you!

Yes, YOU.

The person sitting in front of the screen reading this random nonsense. I appreciate that about you, the fact that you stick with me and read my random nonsense.

On April 22, 2010 I am declaring a Self-Empowerment Day!
(If this day exists in real life, please let me know, but my declared day on April 22 will also exist.)

What do I want from YOU? I want two things.

FIRST: I want your favorite self-portrait. A picture you took of yourself--just you, no one else. Maybe on your computer, in the mirror, by turning your camera around and clicking it, perhaps you're an expert with the timer. Maybe it's a close-up of your favorite part of your face. Do you love your nose? Your fantastic ears? Your smile?

SECOND: I want a paragraph (not a novel) about what you love about this picture and what you love about yourself. Be real. Be true to yourself. Take a good, long look and tell yourself. Do you have a favorite feature? Personality trait? Skill? Talent? I won't think you're arrogant, unless you tell me that your favorite thing about yourself is that you're rolling in bucket-loads of money. Then I might punch you in the baby maker.

I'm hoping to have at least 10 different people to put up on April 22. If I have more, I would love, love, LOVE that.

This is my submission example(I love the self-timer route of self-portrait):

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amy

I'm not fully smiling in this picture. I love my smile, but sometimes I think it's radiance overshadows my eyes. Here, I'm drawn to my eyes. Although I don't look like my brothers, we all have the same eye color, brown in the middle with green at the edges. I like looking in the mirror and seeing that resemblance staring back at me especially since we don't get to see each other enough. My eyes are what allow me to see the world around me. They take in color and light. They compose a picture before I can bring a camera to my face. Eyes show as much joy, sorrow, compassion, pain, warmth, gentleness, welcoming and love as the rest of our bodies. My favorite things to see are sunrise and sunset. Without my eyes, I would miss out on much of my blessed, beautiful life.

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By sharing the beauty we see within ourselves, we can inspire others to see beauty within themselves. 

Embrace your creativity, embrace your ability to see yourself as the gorgeous human being you are.

The deets: Please edit your picture (crop it, adjust color, straighten it--all that jazz) however you want it posted. Please keep your paragraph succinct and to the point. Tell us a story, have a conversation with yourself, love yourself. NO QUALIFIERS! Example of a qualifier: I have pretty eyes, but only when I take time to put on eyeshadow and mascara. You know what I have to say to that: try again! Shoot me an email at aehoff@gmail.com with your submission or any questions. Thanks!