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Life Supports Me: A journal writing exercise
Published March 25, 2012 | 
Today for your journal writing time I invite you to think of all the ways life supports you. Don’t give it too much thought. Just write down anything that comes to mind. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many ways life is working with you. To make this exercise even more powerful add gratitude by giving thanks next to each entry.
I will begin so I can give you an example and then you may take over:
Life Supports Me:
1. My cat is always there to sweetly cuddle me or just to be nearby when I am writing, reading, cooking, or watching a movie. Thank you!
2. My husband is there to talk to and hold me when I am upset about something. Thank you!
3. My body is healthy and strong and enables me to do many necessary and wonderful activities throughout my day. Thank you!
4. My parents and brother are always just a phone call away if I ever need anything. Thank you!
5. I have wonderful neighbors who greet me cheerfully anytime I step outside and are just there ( just the other night my wine bottle opener busted and I just walked my bottle of wine next door and my neighbor opened it for me). Thank you!
6. Whenever I am at a loss about something, inspiration seems to strike just as I need it! Thank you!
7. Money is always there when I really need it. Thank you!
8. My bed and pillows support my body as I sleep. Thank you!
9. Just as I am feeling a little tired and burned out at work it is time for the weekend or a school vacation comes along. Thank you!
10. Recently my dream job opened up within walking distance of my home. No more commute! Thank you!
This is a simply marvelous exercise that I encourage you to try.
Happy writing.
In peace,
Debra
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Cancelling negative thought patterns that cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and self-doubt: a journal writing exercise.
Published March 21, 2012 | 
Here is a list of common thought patterns that lead to anxiety and sleepless nights:
1. “I am not good enough”
2. “I don’t have enough”
3. “What are they thinking about me”?
4. “I look fat”
5. “I am a failure”
6. “I am broke”
7. “I am a paycheck away from being bankrupt and living on the street”.
8. “That’s impossible!”
9. “I can’t”
10. “I’m no good at___”
These are just a few “bad tapes” that many of us torture ourselves with on a regular basis, over and over again.
We are not born anxious or fearful or self-loathing!
We come out into the world these beautiful perfectly wonderful creatures!
Sometime between the time we were born to the person we are now we have learned and been conditioned to fear and be anxious and feel bad about ourselves(either by parents, siblings,teachers, friends, and other people our environment,media, our culture,etc).
Well, the good news is that we can work on cancelling all this bad thinking.
Tonight in your journal please write down a list of your negative thought patterns that you play on a regular basis. You know you have them. Now write them down. Or if you can’t think of any right now, have a notebook handy and when you catch yourself doing it, you can jot it down. Enlist a spouse or close friend to help. They can “bust you” if they hear you utter any negative self talk.
Once you write a fearful or anxious thought down, draw a big X across the phrase. That step alone would be really great. I also like to imagine myself cutting my own throat when I am thinking or saying one of these toxic messages to myself while yelling: CANCEL!!!!!
Now, you can actually re-write your own thought patterns to the reverse (the positive tape instead)
For example
1. “I can’t” can be cancelled and X’d and then “I can!” can take it’s place.
2. “I am fat” can be cancelled and X’d (really imagine yourself slashing your throat here!) can instead be “I love and appreciate my healthy and beautiful body”.
3. When you see something that you think you can’t afford such as a nice car on the highway, a beautiful home in a nice neighborhood, or a pretty Spring dress on the clothes rack, cancel “I can’t afford this”, and replace it with: “I can afford that!”.
You get the idea. It takes a little time. Be patient with yourself. Perhaps tackle one negative thought pattern at a time.
Before long you will be confident, worry-free, and sleeping like that innocent perfect baby you began your life as!
Cheers to that!
In Peace,
Debra
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Posted in Affirmations, anxiety, Benefits of Journal Writing, Depression, Getting a good night sleep, insomnia, Journal Prompts, journal writing, panic attack, Positive living, Self-empowerment, stress, worry | 
anxiety, cancelling negative self talk, cut throat image, doubting yourself, loss of sleep, negative tapes, self confidence, we were not born with anxiety, worry, writing for healing | 
1 CommentSix wishes for this Monday
Published March 5, 2012 | 
My wishes for this Monday:
1. That when challenges come up, I see the bigger picture and keep a healthy perspective,
2. I speak with gentle power,
3. I act on what I believe in and what I know is right,
4. I inspire others by the way I spend my day,
5. In the process, I learn a little bit more about why I am here, and
6. Lastly, may I experience some lightness, play, and laughter as well!
To a magnificent Monday and new week ahead!
Debra 
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Act As If
Published February 25, 2012 | 
Act as if:
You are bigger than your challenges,
You are living the life of your dreams,
and you are excited about all the possibilities…
Act as if:
You enjoy radiant energy and good health,
You slept great,
and feel centered and at peace.
Act as if
Today is going to be the best day of your life…
for you are creating something new each time you focus and
each time you take a blessed breath.
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Three affirmations for your day.
Published January 22, 2012 | 
Three simple but powerful affirmations to focus on today:
1. I Am supported.
2. I Am loved.
3. I Am enough.
Have a blessed day!
Debra
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My dream home and other dreams…a journal writing and visualization exercise
Published January 16, 2012 | 
What we focus on grows.
I believe in the power of visualization. If we are clear on what we want we will attract it into our lives. Back when I was an 18 year old college student I can remember journaling about my dream home as a young married person raising a family.
When I was in my early thirties gazing out at my view of Mount Rainier (at the time we lived on a beautiful property in Washington State) I realized that I was living in the home that I imagined many years ago as a much younger version of myself. That day I dug out that old journal and sure enough, I had the house, the tall fir trees, and the mountain all drawn out..
Well, I am enjoying a new chapter in my life now. I am now in my forties with a new husband, two teenagers, and two cats. I live in beautiful North Florida near the beach. Although we love our current residence, it is not our dream home.
I am visualizing that dream home now and writing about it in my current journal.
You can do the same. You can visualize and write about your dream home, dream career, dream partner, dream vacation, or anything else you want in your life.
This kind of journal writing is a favorite of mine because it gets me excited about my life and all the possibilities.
A few things to note:
1. Be as specific as possible
2. Feel gratitude about all the good you have now
3. Be thankful for whatever it is you are dreaming about as if you have it now.
Just play with it and have fun. Write. Draw and sketch. Getting out some paper and paints or magazine pictures and a poster board would be fun as well.
Some good resources I recommend:
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
The Secret Of Creating Your Future by Tad James
The Secret and The Power by Rhonda Byrne
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How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today? A journal writing session
Published January 13, 2012 | 
Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. ~Peter Ustinov
Sometimes everyday life challenges us and keeps us from being the most loving people we are capable of being. A goal of mine is to live my life with love being my compass. This is not always easy.
This morning’s journal writing session serves as a reminder and a way of focusing on being that loving person that is inside of us.
In your journals, write: How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today? Then list as many things as you can think of. I love doing this exercise in the morning when I am first waking up. It sets a positive tone to my day. If at first I was leaning towards getting a grumpy start, this exercise is capable of changing my outlook, mood, and immediately around considerably! Pretty powerful stuff for something so simple.
Ready to give this a try?
As I often do, I will start with a few ideas for my own journal entry and then it will be your turn.
Let’s see..
How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today?
1. Greet my husband with a smile, hug, and kiss when he wakes up this morning and when I see him when I first get home later this afternoon.
2. Forgive his snoring from last night.
3. Patiently listen to my daughter describe her day when she is home from school.
4. Greet every one of my students with a smile as they enter my classroom this morning.
5. Complain about nothing.
6. Be generous with compliments with everybody I encounter today.
7. Love myself by eating healthy food, drinking plenty of water, and working out.
I will stop here and finish in my private journal.
Have a blessed day full of love.
Debra
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Are you too hard on yourself? Today is the day to begin easing up…
Published January 10, 2012 | 
Why are we so hard on ourselves? We often would not treat other people the way we treat ourselves.
Do you ever:
1. over think things to death and end up not being able to make a decision or take action?
2. not go somewhere or not buy yourself some much needed new clothes because you’ve gained a few pounds?
3. Avoid mirrors or think negative thoughts as you see your reflection?
4. Worry about being or getting older?
5. Worry that you are not a good enough parent or employee?
6. put so much on your plate on a daily basis that you are stressed and burned out by the time the weekend comes around?
7. find it hard to receive gifts or compliments
8. settle for underemployment and not getting paid what you are worth?
These are just a few examples of how we are hard on ourselves. If you can relate to anything on this list you are not alone. We are a society of perfectionists, multi-taskers, achievers who are obsessed about being materially successful, young, and thin.
Phew! No wonder we are wound up so tight at times.
Today, I want you to just focus on one idea:
How can I be more easy and gentle on myself?
That’s it.
I am not going to offer any ideas as to how to do that right now for I want you to see what ideas or insights surface for you.
I will follow up with you later.
You can write in your journal this morning affirmations such as:
I take care of myself by__________
I Am gentle
I Am at my ease
I go through my day taking it easy
I Am enough
In Peace,
Debra
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“I Am an original because…” A journal writing exercise
Published January 8, 2012 | Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. ~Judy Garland
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings
Definition of original: Not derived from something else; fresh and unusual (from TheFreeDictionary.Com)
In your journals, write on the top of the page “I Am an original because:”….
Then write a list of all the wonderful unique qualities that make up YOU.
Ready?
Let’s see, I would like to try this tonight as well..
I Am an original because…
1. Who sings silly love songs to her cats the way I do? ; )
2. I have a way with language and write with a voice that is all my own.
3. I whip up things in the kitchen that are truly my own creations (no recipes, thank you very much)
4. I excel at games such as Jeopardy and Scrabble yet I have a mechanical disability and I find it difficult to put together the simplest of things.. (they had me in mind when they invented the dumb blond screw in the light bulb jokes. Ha! lol)
5. Nobody has my smile or
6. My way with children
I will stop here for I feel fantastic, tall, confident, and happy about the unique qualities that make up ME.
Your turn, sweet friends..
a blessed night to you all!
Debra
I DON’T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING MYSELF
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Drift off to sleep tonight with the knowledge that you are loved
Published January 4, 2012 | 
As I get closer to bedtime I think of all the love in my life.
Love comes in many forms and all of them are the stuff of sweet dreams and a rich life.
As you drift off to sleep tonight think of all the love you have in your life.
You are love.
You are loved.
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