Kindly forward this newsletter to anyone who may benefit.

Dear Friend,

Welcome to this inaugural issue of Action On Purpose, the monthly newsletter of EldridgeWorks.com.  The purpose of this newsletter is to share with you simple and effective tools for personal, spiritual and professional growth.  I have used these tools in my own life, so I know their power as well as their challenges.  I have also utilized them in more than thirty years of professional work with others as a life coach, educator and psychotherapist.  I offer them to you to try, adapt, practice and to nurture your own growth.

Please send this issue to any friends who might be interested.  Also, I would welcome your thoughts or comments on this newsletter.  Have a great month!

Warmly,

Natalie

Natalie@EldridgeWorks.com

P.S.  Interested in some support in clarifying your purpose or taking action on your purpose?  Contact me for a complimentary coaching call to explore whether coaching could help you reach your goals!

“Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul;

 unbelief, in denying them.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Affirmation:  The Foundation Tool

The use of positive affirmation is one of the most versatile and powerful tools you have to strengthen, clarify, and inspire you toward your purpose.  Our inner lives are actually full of affirmations and denials; those things we believe and accept as true, and those we reject or cannot accept.  The conscious use of affirmations helps us to adjust and rejuvenate the lens through which we see ourselves and the world…and that can make all the difference!

In the service of motivating yourself and increasing the confidence to take action, choosing to affirm who you are as you are now is primary.  Making an inventory of what attributes, capacities, skills, or traits you already have is key.  Be aware that these are often things you take for granted, and so may be less visible to you at first glance than the attributes you want to change!  “I am a loving presence.” “I am confident on the dance floor.”  “I am a competent and creative employee.”

As you develop confidence in affirming who you are now, the next step is to affirm your capacity to grow.  Here your affirmations will target those areas that you don’t feel so great about by affirming your capacity to change:  “I can be a patient parent.”  “I can change my diet in healthy ways.”  “I can speak my mind at the office.”

Finally, once you feel secure in your belief that growth and change are possible for you in these target areas, then you can begin to affirm what you desire to become…your goals.  “I will feel good about myself today.”  “I will improve my grades this semester.” “I will be successful in love.”

A truly powerful affirmation combines an aspiration for the future with the truth of the present into a simple, meaningful statement.  You are affirming that what you aspire to be is already present within you.  I like the image of watering the seeds of what you want to grow within…acknowledging that the seeds are already there, and that nourishing them will help them to develop.  What are the seeds within you that you want to see grow?

Guidelines for taking action with affirmations:

Pick a focus. What is it you want to affirm in yourself or the world?  If new to using affirmations, I advise picking a strength you can already identify in yourself. If you feel confident in your strengths, you might choose an area of your life you want to strengthen:  your health, your financial success, your loving nature.  Is your aspiration more global -  that peace is possible, that hope endures, that abundance is unlimited?  Identify what is within you that you want to affirm today.

Generate a list of 3-5 affirmations that speak to you, right now.  It is important that an affirmation has meaning for you, and says exactly what you intend it to.  For this reason, I usually advise people to craft their own affirmations.  However, many find that an affirmation others have used can speak to them in profound ways.  If you are new to using affirmations, or you are feeling uninspired, try reading various affirmations to get a feel for them before crafting your own.  A library, bookstore, or Internet search will lead you to a wealth of examples of positive affirmations.  In crafting your own affirmation, you might want to use a simple format such as, “I am a (insert adjective) (insert noun).”

Here are a few examples in this form:  

I am an incredible artist.                                   

I am a firm and patient parent.              

I am a powerful advocate.                                

I am a dedicated exerciser.

Or experiment with the form, as in:

I welcome success into my life.

I am growing healthier every day.

My life is filled with love.

Generosity flows through me to others.

Choose one, simple affirmative statement.  Stay with it for a period of time, perhaps a month, to really allow it to take root in you.  There are so many wonderful affirmations to choose, but skipping from one to another doesn’t allow the kind of unfolding that a consistent, daily practice can nurture.

Write it down.  Whether it is an affirmation you have crafted, or one you have heard or read somewhere, write it down in your own handwriting and put it where you will see it often.  By writing it down, you are creating a tangible, physical representation of your affirmation in the world.  Whenever you see it, it is an external reminder of what it is you are affirming. So put your affirmation where you will see it often!  I like to write my current affirmation on an index card and place it prominently on my desk. Others may put it on a mirror, where they eat, or on their computer.  How about using the first letter of each word of your affirmation as a password…so you’ll have to recall it every time you log onto your computer?

Give it Voice.  Literally, give it voice by reciting it out loud often, at least daily, for a period of time.  How about a month?  For many it is best to pick a particular time to recite it…while driving to work, or opening your planner, or preparing your breakfast.

Observe what happens over time as the affirmation grows and takes root in you. 

  
~  Action On Purpose Challenge  ~

Using the steps above, come up with a short list of meaningful affirmations, choose one, write it down, and say it aloud at least once a day for the next month.  Observe the impact, over time, of affirming your truth.

 ~  In the News  ~

Check out my new website at www.EldridgeWorks.com, my virtual professional home.  Find information about coaching and psychotherapy services, as well as more about me.  I would love to hear your comments about the website, or the Action on Purpose Newsletter.  Contact me at Natalie@EldridgeWorks.com.