A personal mission statement is a way to express your life’s dreams and purpose while affirmations are ways to help you believe that this mission will come true.
Personal Mission Statement
Whenever one is reminded of one’s purpose and goals, one learns to keep going no matter what. If you haven’t written a mission statement for yourself just yet, I encourage you to start one today. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
In fact, the best mission statements are just simple and easy to remember.
Sample mission statements are:
“To write about everything that I care about.”
“To communicate with parents about building a good family through my art.”
“To share the good news of salvation to teenagers through music.”
Of course, the more specific your mission statement is, the more directed and focused your life is going to be.
You can also read longer missions statements like Birgit O’ Connor’s Artist’s Statement – http://www.birgitoconnor.com/state.html.
One great book that you could use as a reference when it comes to creating (or revising) a mission statement is THE PATH* by Laurie Beth Jones. It’s an amazing book that guides people when it comes to focusing and re-focusing one’s interests in life. It’s not exactly directly related to art or creativity, but it is something you can use whatever you’re doing in life.
*See THE PATH by Laurie Beth Jones!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786882417/indigoinn
Tips for Making Effective Personal Mission Statements:
1) Write it down!
2) Try two versions of your mission statement: a longer, more specific one to guide you in your life and a short, specific one so you can commit it to memory.
3) Be true to yourself! Don’t come up with a statement that seem to be a copy of your parents’/spouse’s/friends’ expectations of you.
Creative Affirmations
Much like personal mission statements, affirmations are good ways to keep inspired and motivated. Shakti Gawain gives one of the best definitions of this idea: “An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.”
I’ve been collecting these treasury of words over the last three or four years. Some of my favorites are:
“Every day and every way, I’m getting better and better and better.”
“This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
“Commitment is crucial to achievement.”
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
“He who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it.”
I’ve got more in my file and I often share them in my classes and workshops. I believe in the power of positive affirmation and I’ve seen how it made the difference in the people I share them with.
If you don’t have at least one or two affirmations to claim everyday, find or make one that you would like to include in your life.
Tips for Building Your Affirmations Library:
1) Keep them positive!
2) Affirmations must be in the present tense (think: “as if it’s already so.”)
3) When you ‘hear’ voices mocking you and telling you that you’re only fooling yourself, say: “Oh yeah? Says who?” or “Shut up!”
4) Norman Vincent Peale’s special tip: “Affirm it, visualize it, and it will actualize itself.”
(c)2001-2005 Shai Coggins. All Rights Reserved.