32-Day Commitment

32-Day Commitment

Because I know that this commitment will keep me on course to my goals, I promise myself that every day for the next 32 days I will take the following action:

I will move steadily toward my goal if every day I spend 15 minutes doing a round of calisthenics. 

(How my 32-Day Commitment will work: I will list Day 1 - Day 32. I will make each day bold as I complete my actions. If the day isn't bolded, I have not completed my actions.)

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

DAY 17

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

DAY 21

DAY 22

DAY 23

DAY 24

DAY 25

DAY 26

DAY 27

DAY 28

DAY 29

DAY 30

DAY 31

DAY 32

Journal Entry #14

From your life plan in Journal Entry #9, copy one of your most important and challenging short-term goals from you role s a student.
School has not started for me yet. I had considered just pretending to go into the future but that really wouldn't work. So my choice of a short term goal is going to come from my role as a healthy individual.

Goal: work out everyday, even if it is just a simple round of calisthenics at home

Write and completely the following sentence stem five or more times:
I WOULD MOVE STEADILY TOWARD THIS GOAL IF EVERY DAY I...
Write five or more different physical actions that others can see you do and that you can do every day of the week, including weekends. So you wouldn't write, "be motivated" or "attend class". Other cannot see your motivation, and you can't attend class every day for thirty-two days straight. Instead, if your short-term goals is to earn an A in English, you might complete the sentence with specific actions such as these:

1. I WOULD MOVE STEADILY TOWARD THIS GOAL IF EVERY DAY I spend at least fifteem minutes doing exercises in my grammar book.
2. I WOULD MOVE STEADILY TOWARD THIS GOAL IF EVERY DAY I write at least two hundred words in my journal.
3. I WOULD MOVE STEADILY TOWARD THIS GOAL IF EVERY DAY I revise one of my previous essays, correcting the grammar errors that my teacher marked.

Chances are, all of these actions will fall in Quadrant II.

1. I would move steadily toward this goal if everyday I spend at least 15 minutes doing a small round of calisthenics.
2. I would move steadily toward this goal if everyday I made the initiative to go to the gym.
3. I would move steadily toward this goal if everyday I ran 2 miles.

On a separate page in your journal, create a 32-Day Commitment Form or Attach a photocopy of the one on page 121. Complete the sentence at the top of the form with ONE action from your list in step 2. For the next 32 days, put a check beside each day that you keep your commitment.

Write your thoughts and feelings as you begin your thirty-two day commitment. Develop your journal paragraphs by asking and answering readers' questions, such as, How self-disciplined have you been in the time past? What is your goal? What were some possible actions you considered? What action did you choose for your 32-day commitment? How will this action, when performed consistently, help you reach your goal? What challenges might you experience in keeping your commitment? How will you overcome these challenges? How do you feel about undertaking this commitment? What is your prediction about whether or not you will succeed in keeping your 32-day commitment?

Journal Entry #13

Write about the system (or lack of system) that you presently use to decide what you will do each day. There is no "wrong" answer, so don't let your Inner Critic or Inner Defender get involved. Consider questions such as how you know what homework to do, when to prepare for tests, what classes to attend, and what instructor conferences to go to. How do you track what you need to do in other roles, such as your social and work-life? Why do you currently use this approach? How well is your system working (giving examples wherever possible)? How do you feel while using this approach to self-management (e.g., stressed, calm, energized, frantic, etc.)?

Work. My system that I presently use to decide what I will do each day is, well was, work. Once I found out my schedule, I planned my days by working on the days I worked and being spontaneous on the days I didn't work. Obviously, considering my history, that has never ever in its entirety worked out for me. 

When I was in school, I had this lime green agenda that was my life. Daily planner, weekly planner, student planner... whatever you want to call it. Let me tell you, I rocked my backpack too! A yack-pack: mini bag with aliens allllllllllll over it! AMAZING! Regardless, that planner kept track of everything for me my first semester. Tests, quizzes, homework assignments, chapters to read. Even kept track of dates such as birthdays and days like mothers day. Then, the self-management tool I rocked! Worked! Never forgot a thing! 

My second semester... well, I didn't do so hot. Worked more than I should have. Partied more than I should have. Didn't study as much as I should have. Didn't tend to my agenda like I should have. I failed. Halfway through, I took a W instead of the F in my College Algebra class and barely skimmed by in my computer class (two subjects and two things that I have never been horrible at at all, not even remotely). 

My systems so far have not rendered me any justice. Kind of. I will still keep a student planner when I start school again. But thus far, my systems have brought me nothing but stress and disappointment in myself.

Write about how you could use or adapt the three self-management tools in this chapter to create a leak proof self-management system and improve your outcomes and experiences. Or, if you do not want to use or adapt any of these tools, explain why. Consider the monthly calendar, the next actions list, and the tracking form. How might you use them separately or in combination? How could you use computers or other technology in your self-management approach? How might you use written self-management tools not mentions here that you may know about? In short, invent your own system for managing your choices that you think will maximize the quality of your outcomes and experiences. 

Now, I spent allllllll day yesterday making my beautiful GIANT monthly calendar. Alll day a bit of an exaggeration. All morning. I have noticed, since first reading this chapter a week or so ago, that keeping and logging things and particular events into monthly calendars makes me take a step further into the right path. I make sure to note everything! I save it to my phone and now also have it written on my calender in my bedroom! Reminders send my phone buzzing like crazy while my calendar is in plain and obvious view everyday when I walk into my bedroom. 

I mentioned my student planner (which I must invest in one very soon before the start of my first class this Month!) that will do me some justice. I am a very visual person I go on to assume. It seems if I write things down and make not of them more than once, I never fail to remember... PLUS I'm always on time which is a complete plus! 

My main interest though, because I would LOOOOOVVVEEE to see where I spend my most time unnoticed is the tracking form. First, you make note of your role, dream, etc, etc just as if you were beginning to write a life plan (which I need to finish mine and combine them as a entire whole huh?)... well actually, rewrite your life plan and for me, I would be using the tracking form for school so I would rewrite my life plan as a student. Then after your short term goals, you make a list of actions that you will take under two categories: Outer (physical) and Inner (mental). Each day you complete these actions you mark the box or how ever you have yours set up and in a week or two weeks or even a month, you can track how you spend most of your time and if you are really taking purposeful, productive actions towards your success and your future. 

So my next experiment is this! 

Because I can and I will! 

Until we all meet again! <3

Journal Entry #12

Write a list of fifteen or more specific actions you have taken in the past two days. 

1. Went to work*
2. Had lunch
3. Called my school*
4. Updated my FAFSA*
5. Ironed my work clothes*
6. Went to the Gym*
7. Relaxed
8. Went shopping*
9. Went out to Dinner*
10. Made banana Splits
11. Slept
12. Watched TV
13. Put my clean laundry away*
14. Gathered my gym clothes together for my next visit*
15. Made a giant wall calender*

Using an entire Journal page, draw a 4 quadrant chart like the example on page 104. Remember to reread the visualization of your dream (Journal entry 10) often to help you stay motivated. Also, remember to say your affirmation (Journal entry 11) each day to enhance the personal qualities that will keep you on course to your dreams! These are both great quadrant II actions.

I don't believe there is any way that I will be able to create a table on blogger. On the other hand, I will list.

Quadrant I (Important and Urgent): 

Ironed my work clothes

Quadrant II (Important and Not Urgent): 

Updated my FAFSA

Called my school

Made a giant wall calender

Went to Work

Gathered my gym clothes together for my next visit

Went to the Gym

Put my clean laundry away

Quadrant III (Not Important and Urgent): 

Went Shopping

Went out to dinner

Quadrant IV (Not Important and Not Urgent):
Had lunch

Relaxed

Made banana splits

Slept

Watched TV

Write each action from your list in step 1 in the appropriate quadrant on your chart. After each action, put the approximate amount of time you spent in the activity. 

Quadrant I (Important and Urgent): 

Ironed my work clothes (30 minutes)

Quadrant II (Important and Not Urgent): 

Updated my FAFSA (10 minutes)

Called my school (20 minutes)

Made a giant wall calender (1 hour 30 minutes)

Went to Work (8 hours 30 minutes)

Gathered my gym clothes together for my next visit (20 minutes)

Went to the Gym (2 hours 30 minutes)

Put my clean laundry away (30 minutes)

Quadrant III (Not Important and Urgent): 

Went Shopping (2 hours)

Went out to dinner (2 hours)

Quadrant IV (Not Important and Not Urgent):
Had lunch (2 hours)

Relaxed (5 hours)

Made banana splits (15 minutes)

Slept (2 hours)

Watched TV (6 hours)

Write about what you have learned or relearned concerning your use of time. Effective writing anticipates questions that a reader may have and answers these questions clearly. To dive deep in this journal entry, answer questions such as the following:

What exactly did you discover after analyzing my time?

After analyzing my time, I discovered that I have recently been spending a lot of time in quadrant II. I am very proud of myself. On the other hand though, I have pretty much a equal quantity of items on quadrants III and IV combined which I would like to down size. Quadrant II is productive and less stressful when you get everything right. My time management is fairly decent but fair isn't good enough. My time management needs to be excellent.

In which quadrant do you spend the most time?

The quadrant I spend the most of my time is in quadrant II. "When you engage in an important activity with time enough to do it well, you can create your greatest dreams." 

What specific evidence did you use to draw this conclusion?

The specific evidence I used to draw this conclusion is if you look at my list in quadrant II, every activity is productive. I plan on beginning school again May 20 and I just found out that none of my financial aid had gone through. So I called the school immediately and found out they hadn't received my FAFSA. That day, when I had gotten home from work, I jumped on my computer and found my mistake I had made and updated my FAFSA to what it needed to be in order to receive my aid for my class I am going to be starting May 20. 

If you continue using your time in this way, are you likely to reach your goals and dreams? Why or why not?

If I continue using my time in this way, there is a possibility I could reach my goals and dreams as long as I stayed on course. I am the type of person who get side tracked easily. One thing I have observed recently though is that if I give myself the leeway to get off course is when I do. I enjoy living a very uniformed lifestyle. Yeah. It's great to have breaks here and there but I am the most happy when I am living a uniformed lifestyle, on a strict schedule, with an agenda for every single one of my days and honestly alone. Not many people can live and understand the way I do. They think I'm boring and want to do this and that. Having other people who think I'm crazy or weird for the way I live is stressful. Not because I care what they think, oh no. More because they tend to throw me off especially when I like having them around. But then I notice change in attitude, stress level escalates and that my dearies is not what I like to live my life for. In order to really truly reach my goals and dreams and my full potential, my quadrant III and IV activities need to be eliminated to a small list of 2 or 3 things.

What most often keeps you from taking purposeful actions?

What most often keeps me from taking purposeful actions is immediate pleasure and laziness. 

How do you feel about your discoveries?

I'm a little disappointed because I thought I had a stronger head on my shoulders. My life has always been pretty simple and I had wonderful parents. Every household has it's ups and downs but I couldn't have asked for a better childhood with my parents. They were fun and loving. My next discovery is to establish how I ended up being so lazy. My immediate pleasures I am slowly but surely grasping control over. My laziness strikes me as odd.

What different choices, if any, do you intend to make about how you use time?

The different choice I intend to make is to always stay productive. Instead of leaving open spots on my agenda, assign times and activities to do when relaxing. For example, tonight my show Once Upon a Time comes on at 8pm-Relax. <--- This is what my agenda should say.

My Life Plan as a Healthy Individual w/ my Personal Affirmation

My Dream: maintain a weight of 160 lbs or less, keep my IBS under control, and maintain a healthy well-balanced diet

My Life Role: a Healthy Individual

My Long-Term Goals in This Role: 

• lose 30+ lbs
• ease my symptoms of IBS
• have a bowel movement at least once a day
• establish a well-balanced diet
• control my eating habits
• run the Zombie Run coming to Orlando

My Short-Term Goals in This Role:

• work out everyday, even if it is just a simple round of calisthenics at home
• go for a run at least twice a week by May 10, 2013
• go for a run at least three times a week by May 30, 2013
• have only one bad day of eating a week for the next month
• always make healthy food choices
• go to the gym as much as possible
• start herbalife and do it the right way
• try to use the bathroom for at least 30 minutes after every meal
• sweat, sweat, sweat

My Personal Affirmation

"I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed."

1. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
2. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
3. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
4. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
5. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
6. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
7. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
8. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
9. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
10. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
11. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
12. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed. 
13. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
14. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
15. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
16. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
17. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
18. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
19. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed
20. I am a determined, ahrd-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
21. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
22. I am a determined, hard working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
23. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and  Iwill succeed.
24. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
25. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and  Iwill succeed.
26. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
27. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
28. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
29. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
30. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
31. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
32. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
33. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
34. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
35. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
36. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
37. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
38. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
39. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
40. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
41. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
42. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
43. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
44. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
45. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
46. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
47. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
48. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
49. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
50. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.

Accepting Personal Responsibility

I don't plan on letting myself get off course and off track.

Stay focused.

Stay focused.

Stay focused.

Stay focused.

I've noticed my thoughts have been negative. My Inner Critic and my Inner Defender decided to start working over time and I am taking a stand. Protesting outside their little office in my brain letting them know this is not going to happen.

So I'm taking a step back and being active in some skills and resources I have been given and provided with to do so. Which is why I am revisiting Chapter 3: Accepting Personal Responsibility. As the subtitle states, "I accept responsibility for creating my life as I want it."

The essence of personal responsibility is responding wisely to life's opportunities and challenges, rather than waiting passively for luck or other people to make the choices for us.

As long as you resist your role in creating the outcomes and experiences in your life, you will fall short of your potential.

When people keep doing what they've been doing even when it doesn't work, they are acting as Victims. When people change their beliefs and behaviors to create the best results they can, they are acting as Creators.

They key ingredient of personal responsibility is choice.

The more choices I make as a Creator, the more I improve the quality of my life.

I am responsible for creating my life as I want it.

Ultimately each of use creates the quality of our life with the wisdom or folly of our choices.

If I take full responsibility for all of my actions, I will discover more positive actions and choices.

If I take full responsibility for all of my thoughts, I will establish better ways to view life.

If I take full responsibility for all of my feelings, I will be able to control which ones overwhelm me.

If I take full responsibility for my education, I will succeed to the fullest extent.

If I take full responsibility for my career, I will promote myself before my supervisor has the time.

If I take full responsibility for my relationships, I will know which ones are more stable and better for me.

If I take full responsibility for my health, I will become the weight I should be.

If I take full responsibility for all that happens to me, I will learn more about who I am.

When I am acting fully responsible for my life, I will make better decisions.

If I were to create my very best self, I will be strong, beautiful, amazing, wonderful, successful, motivated, hard-working, and live a long full life filled with joy, laughter, and all kinds of positivity, great experiences, and the best of people. 

 The Inner Critic: This is the internal voice that judges us inadequate. 

The flip side of the Inner Critic is the Inner Defender. Instead of judging ourselves, the Inner Defender judges others.

The Inner Guide knows that judgement doesn't improve difficult situations. So instead, the Inner Guide objectively observes each situation and asks, "Am I on course or off course? If I'm off course, what can I do to get back on course?"

Creators use their words and thoughts to improve a bad situation.

My thoughts and feelings have been overwhelming me for the past few days which has put a damper on my attitude. In Journal Entry 5, it gives you a list of statements written in Victim language and then tells you to translate them into Creator Language. Participating in this activity, hopefully I can recharge my Creator Language cell and turn my frown upside down.

If I would stop helping other people with their problems and focus on myself, I'd actually lose the weight I would like to.

To lose the weight I would like to, I am going to focus on myself and in the process, if others around me need help I will be there to support them.

If my mom would stop ordering out, I could eat healthier.

Every time my mom eats out, I am going to make a salad and with every bite remind myself of my goal.

If I would get over the fear of my heart pounding out of my chest, I would go for my two mile run through my extended neighborhood.

I am going to start my running up and down my road 8 times which make a mile. Once I get to 16, I will throw my fear out the window and enjoy my two mile run through my extended neighborhood.

If people would stop criticizing and making fun of me, maybe I would excel at the skills I am trying to learn/relearn.

Everyone is trying to help me excel at the skills I am trying to learn/relearn. They aren't being mean. They are trying to give constructive criticism or give me a challenge to meet.

I need moral support from others in order to do good and if I don't get it, I'll never get healthier.

I will support myself in my mission of living a healthier lifestyle. I am strong and wise and know what decisions I should and shouldn't make involving my diet and exercise routine.

My friend got me so angry that I couldn't even finish and enjoy the rest of my workout.

I took what my friend said personally when I really did it to myself. I feel as if she is making fun of me when really she is laying a challenge out for me to meet or beat. I will finish, enjoy, and workout my aggression within the rest of my workout.

I'll try to do my best this workout.

I will do my best this workout.

I work early mornings and I'm always tired when I get home which makes it hard to exercise.

I work early mornings so when I get home, I'm already warmed up for my workout. I will just change into something breezy and cool and go for a run/go to the gym when I get home.

Life is a journey with many opportunities and obstacles, and every one requires a choice.

Our choices reveal what we truly believe and value, as opposed to what we say we believe and value.

I believe it is a wise choice to use the Wise Choice Process to Assess my situation, Diagnose my problem, Plan a route, Implement my plan, and Evaluate my results. So Let's get to it.

What's my present situation?

My present situation is I am 30 pounds heavier than what I wish to be and 30 pounds heavier than the healthy weight I should be. 

How would I like my situation to be?

I would like my situation to be healthy. I would like to weigh no more than 160 pounds and I would like to have a healthy eating habit the majority of the time.

What are my possible choices?

Work out everyday.

Run at least 4 times a week.

Eat a salad once a day.

Choose carrots and celery or an apple as a snack.

Eat smaller portions.

Stop eating out.

Stop all consumption of fast food period.

Pretend all the junk food my parents buy doesn't exist.

Tell myself I can and will every day.

Believe I can and will overcome my lack of will power.

Overcome my lack of will power.

Build will power towards saying no to myself.

Say no to my urges for junk food.

What's the likely outcome of each possible choice?

Work out everyday: tone up.

Run at least 4 times a week: lose weight.

Eat a salad once a day: proper nutrition

Choose carrots and celery or an apple as a snack: proper nutrition

Eat smaller portions: proper nutrition

Stop eating out: reduce amount of fats and fillers I consume

Stop all consumption of fast food period: reduce amount of fats and fried unhealthy food

Pretend all the junk food my parents buy doesn't exist: start creating better eating habits.

Tell myself I can and will everyday: build confidence

Believe I can and will overcome my lack of will power: build confidence

Overcome my lack of will power: create self-belief

Build will power towards saying no to myself: build strength

Say no to my urges to junk food: control over my emotions and build strength within myself to remember that my long-term goals are more important than my immediate pleasure!

Which choices will I commit to doing?

Why not all of them? I will work out everyday. Run at least 4 times a week. Eat a salad once a day. Choose carrots and celery or an apple as a snack. Eat smaller portions. Stop eating out. Stop all consumption of fast food period. Pretend all the junk food my parents buy doesn't exist. Tell myself I can and will everyday. Believe I can and will overcome my lack of will power. Better yet, Overcome my lack of will power. Build enough will power towards saying no to myself. Say not to my urges to junk food. 

It isn't too much to strive for. Because in all reality, all you have to tell yourself is "I can and I will." And I most definitely can and I most definitely will.

When and how will I evaluate my plan?

In about a month, I should see at least some results if not dramatic results. If the dedication is there, this plan is fool proof. If I missed something, in a month I will come back and revise. But I'm not giving up. I did it once. I can do it again. And I will!

A few days ago, I went to a Weight loss meeting held here in town. My girl friend who I have been helping out for a few weeks now has her first weigh in and she has lost 6.5 pounds in one week! Phenomenal! I was soooo proud of her. But my Inner Critic started talking to me after I have learned this amazing fact for the day! Before we had left her house, I had gotten on her scale and it read 190... 2 pounds heavier than what I was a week ago. Learning this, I couldn't stop the conversation in my head. 

"Just accept the fact that you are fat"

"You failed once again... go figure! Ha!"

"You'll never lose weight like you did for the military."

Where were you Inner Guide?! I had lost you while I was in this situation and boy oh boy was it hard! Now that you are here, help me tell myself what I should have been telling myself.

"I am heavy but it isn't something I can't work towards losing. I can do it!"

"Yes, I didn't lose any weight this week but remember, there is always next week and I will try harder!"

"I'll dedicate myself the way I did for the military and I will lose this weight again! If not faster than before!"

BECAUSE I CAN AND I WILL!

Journal Entry #11

Write a one-sentence statement of one of your most motivating goals or dreams in your role as a student. You can simply copy one that you wrote in Journal Entry 9 (or create a new one if you prefer).

One of my most motivating goals as my role as a student is to make the presidents or deans list every semester.

Write a list of personal qualities that would help you achieve this educational goal or dream. Use adjectives such as persistent, intelligent, hard-working, loving, articulate, organized, friendly, confident, relaxed, and so on. Write as many qualities as possible.

1. focused
2. persistent
3. organized
4. motivated
5. intelligent
6. healthy
7. determined
8. hard-working
9. outgoing
10. confident

Circle the three qualities on your list that seem the most essential for you to achieve your goal or dream as a student (from step 1).

1. determined
2. hard-working
3. confident

Write three versions of your personal affirmation. Do this by filling in the blanks in sentence formats A, B, and C below. Fill the blanks with the three personal qualities you circled in step 3 above. NOTE: Use the same three personal qualities for each of the three formats.

Format A: I am a _____, _____, _____ man/woman.
Example: I am a strong, intelligent, persistent woman.
Format B: I am a _____, _____, _____ man/woman, _____ing _____.
Example: I am a strong, intelligent, persistent woman, creating my dreams.
Format C: I am a _____, _____, _____ man/woman, and I _____.
Example: I am a strong, intelligent, persistent woman, and I love life.
Don't copy the examples; create your own unique affirmation.

I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman.

I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, creating my future.

I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.

Choose the one sentence from step 4 that you like best and write that sentence five or more times. This repetition helps you begin taking ownership of your affirmation and desired qualities.

1. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
2. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
3. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
4. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
5. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
6. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
7. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
8. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.
9. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed. 
10. I am a determined, hard-working, confident woman, and I will succeed.

Write three paragraphs--one for each of the three qualities in your affirmation. In each of these paragraphs, write about a specific experience when you displayed your desired quality. For example, if one of your desired qualities is persistence, tell a story about a time in your life when you were persistent (even a little bit!). Write the story like a scene from a book, with enough specific details that readers will feel as though they are seeing what you experienced. Your paragraph might begin, "The first quality from my affirmation is... A specific experience in my life when I demonstrated that quality was..."

I was determined to enlist in the military and nothing was going to stop me. I had just gotten back from the horrible, ice and snow covered winter in the hills of beautiful West Virginia. The green grass and the giant monstrous palm trees were an absolute delight to see! The smell of the orange blossoms, the open flat land where you could see miles and miles. So great to be home. Our blue little country home hadn't changed a bit either. The same dark blue shutters around the front window and the blossomed gardenia bushes in the front flower beds! Home sweet home and nothing could beat it. I spent a few months running around, seeing everyone I had left behind right after graduation and catching up but wasn't being productive. My father, the man I will always look up to because of his ridiculous amount of wisdom convinced me to follow a dream... enlist in the Air Force. "But I'm too heavy and I can't lose weight!" I used to always tell him. But I saw a recruiter anyways. Staff Sergeant Smith couldn't have been any more blunt and forward yet supportive and sensitive the first day I met him. "Well, I will tell you that you are definitely over the maximum weight limit by a handful but I run a program on Tuesday's and Thursdays where my recruits come in and we train together." I went on to explain how shy I was and how much I truly honestly cared about what other people thought of me. "Judgement free. We are all here for a reason and if this is something you want to do and getting this weight off of you is a goal you need to accomplish in order to follow this dream, we support you and are there for you no matter the circumstances." So for two or three weeks, I went and met with the other handful of recruits at the recruiting office in Kissimmee and we trained, pushing each other to our limits and never leaving anyone behind. We were all going to succeed. Then one day, out of the blue, I woke up early in the morning, the sun barely peaking over the flat horizon and the giant palm trees and said to myself through sleepy eyes, "I'm going to go for a run." I forced my stiff body out of bed, stretched, changed into something comfortable and threw on some sneakers before opening my garage door to the humid, sticky morning air and setting off. At first it was difficult but I did it every morning, working hard towards my main goal. Right at the crack of dawn, and within 3 months, I was 15 lbs below the maximum weight! That was almost 50 lbs in 3 months. But I was determined to meet that max weight limit and there was nothing going to get in my way.
When I received my medical discharge, I felt like the world had ended and my life was over. I came back home to this beautiful sunshine state and decided to put everything behind me. It was a new day and a new beginning. Within two days of being home, I had a job serving tables and making decisions on where to go to school and what to go to school for. I gave work my all, working hard everyday, always having a positive attitude and saving up as much money as I possibly could. By September of 2011, I was enrolled into Brevard Community College and ready to begin my education. Next to my enlistment, I had never been so excited and full of joy in my entire life! I was ready to start!
I took two easy and simple classes my first semester, one being the On Course class which I am now rereading the book and blogging my journal entries. I was making a difference and succeeding. My only fear before starting school was meeting new people and asking the questions I needed to ask in order to make sure I understood every lecture in every class. One thing I learned within my first semester was the level of confidence I actually possessed. I had absolutely no fear of throwing my hand vigorously up into the air to ask a question about anything I didn't understand, especially in my intermediate algebra class. I was healthy, determined, hard-working, and confident all through my first semester landing me a place on the presidents list.
My goal for this upcoming semester is to be determined, hard-working, and confident as I was in my first semester. I've done it more than once in many different situations which takes the question from being "why?" to being "why not?". I know I can... And I will!
Until Tomorrow! <3