August Writing Challenges: Day 5 - Affirmations

August. The summer is nearly over. Kids are going back to school. You now have some time on your hands.  Okay, you still have a list of chores a mile long, but let's put writing at the top of the priority list, okay?

I am going to challenge you with a writing prompt every day this month. Are you up for it? I hope so.

The writing challenges will be about a variety of topics and hopefully cause you to dig into your writing toolbox to complete with emotional skill.

Watch out, I just might throw in a fun one, well, just for fun!

For the fifth challenge we're going to get a little personal and hopefully in a positive way:

Here is your challenge:

Create several affirmations that are specific to you and provide uplifting words to help you stay positive.

What is an Affirmation? In New Thought and New Age terminology refer primarily to the practice of positive thinking and self-empowerment—fostering a belief that "a positive mental attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything."

There are several general rules for writing affirmations. After you review those rules, you will begin to see that you truly can achieve that which you can conceive. Further, you will being to see that you want to!


Rules for Writing Affirmations:

Use the Here and Now
Write the affirmation as if you're already doing that which you desire to accomplish.

Keep it Real
Write affirmations that are realistic to you here and now. Don't set yourself up for failure. Know it, write it, and do it.

Write About What You Want
Write affirmations that state what you want and not what you don't want.

It's About You
Write affirmations about you and not about others.

Paint a Picture
Write affirmations that paid word pictures for you. Your words should be full of action and power.

Beware if You Share
Write affirmations that are only for you. If you share them, share only with people who will encourage you and not the "it can't be done crowd."

After you have written your affirmations, read them everyday. Read them with power and work at them with passion.

BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE!

Good affirmations start with words such as:

• I control my ...
• I am personally accountable for ...
• I take great pride in ...
• I have a positive ...
• I enjoy ...
• I believe in ...

Here is an affirmation to get you started. 

Blessed are the Weird People

You know you're weird, right?

Oh, no one told you that before? Well, let me be the first.

You're weird.

You write.

You're weird.

I'm weird, well, for other reasons besides writing, but I'll admit it, I'm weird.

We all have to be a little bit weird to come up with the kinds of things we do when we write. I like to write from my dreams, and boy-howdy can I come up with some doozies. And, those are just the ones I write down.

Let's not even discuss the dreams I don't write down. Some are just way too off the weird chart for even me.

I'm going to open up this blog post for anyone and everyone who wants to see if they can "out weird" the other.

Let's have it. What's you're weirdest thing you've ever written? It doesn't have to be something that was published. Just what you've written.

Bring them out of the closet and shake off the dust. Polish them a bit and let's see them - in all their lovely weirdness.

Do you want weird? How about this? I wrote about aliens coming to our world in a giant lobster shaped space ship to hunt the famous lobster hunter down in the Florida Keys. What'd they do with this famous hunter when they found him? Why boiled him and had him with a side of butter!

Now it's your turn.

What weirdness have you written?

Friday Five Minute Exercise: Fear

1. Set your clocks/timers for Five (5) Minutes.

2. Write about Fear. How does the emotion affect  your relationships with others? How does fear affect your writing? How does fear prevent you from accomplishing your goals and dreams? Today, make a plan to conquer a fear.

Get into as much detail as you can for the next five minutes.

3. Ready?

4. Go.

5. Finished? Review and be amazed.

I hope you had fun. Come back next Friday for a new writing prompt.

Was this exercise helpful?

Did you succeed with this writing exercise? Was it helpful? Did you identify your fears? How did you realize that your fear affected your writing? Did you figure out how fear prevented you from accomplishing your goals and dreams? Did you make a plan to conquer a fear? Do you want to share? Was this exercise helpful? Did you enjoy it?

Why or Why Not?