The Crafting of an I AM Statement

As we learned in Lesson 1.1, the I AM statement can be a valuable tool in building a sustainable well-being. Crafting our story to truly define ourselves as inherently worthy of safety, value and purpose might stretch what we’ve always believed, but can open us to a bigger vision of who we can become.

The lesson talks about a work team that shares their I AM statements with one another: “When days are tough or things don’t go as planned, the team members remind one another of their I AM statements and point out that, although the circumstances of the day may be difficult, that doesn’t change who they are – it doesn’t change the truth of their ‘I AM’ statement. In the bad moments, these workmates encourage one another with the true statements of who they are, and remind each other that the difficult circumstances cannot change their true core value. This team has found their I AM statements to be a powerful tool for overcoming life’s hurdles without losing their self-belief.”

MY I AM STATEMENT

To help you in crafting an I AM statement, let me first share mine. This I AM Statement has been crafted over quite a period of time and self-evaluation, and with input from others. It's also always changing. It is a living organism as it grows and evolves with me. I try to speak this I AM Statement out loud everyday so my ears can hear what my mouth is saying and my core can believe it:

* I AM a person worthy of honor & respect: I matter

* I AM a person who deserves good things and will no longer allow shame to be part of my self-story

* I AM a healthy person; prioritizing care for my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being

* I AM a life-long learner, testing myself for continual renewal and transformation

* I AM a good husband and father; I love my wife and children honestly, passionately and unconditionally

* I AM a lover of people, bravely sharing honestly in my relationships in order to avoid secret agendas

* I AM integrous, character-filled even in the dark

* I AM a excellent; I complete tasks in order to fulfill my destiny of success

* I AM a unique carrier of a beautiful and powerful message; my voice matters

* I AM a positive impacter of people, facilitating the transformation of world changers

* I AM a leader in a movement of transformation that impacts my city, region, state and the whole world

I’m not all of these things everyday, I fail greatly at them regularly. But I never stop reminding myself that these are true characteristics of me, even when I fall short of them.

Some of the characteristics are directly related to ways I’ve failed in the past. I think it's powerful to take a past failure and to make it a declaration of strenght going forward. It's saying “that past failure in no way defines who I am!" By allowing myself to believe this is truly who Paul Swearengin is, I can start to believe it and my I AM Statement can truly become who I am.

My I AM Statement is crafted into categories:

• The first four bullet points are about who I am, personally.

• The next three bullet points are about "others" - those in my sphere of influence, or inner circle.

• The final four bullet points relate to my interaction with the broader world and speak to my purpose for existing on this earth.

The I AM Statement looks like our Reconstruction U cohort work. First, work on me and my identity (where safety may lay.) Then, how do I work from that identity with others in regular relationship (from whom I sense my value.) Finally, what is my vision for the person I am to impact the greater world (this is my purpose.)

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN CRAFTING AN I AM STATEMENT

• What are personal qualities I desire or changes/improvements I'd like to make?

• What are characteristics given to me by others (family, authority figures, media) that I feel are detrimental to my well-being? How can I craft an I AM statement to counteract that untruth?

• What relationships really matter to me and who do I want to be in those relationships?

• What are my unique gifts and qualities that I want to cultivate even more in my life? Why are those things important to me?

• What is the passion of my heart and my gift I have to offer the wider world?

The answers to these questions are items that I recommend end up in your I AM Statement. Telling yourself, daily, the aspirations of who you want to be will craft a story for you that creates and atmosphere of possibility to become what you envision. That vision can become a cornerstone towards a life that is fulfilling, sustainable and powerful.

My love and energy with you as you craft an amazing I AM Statement about the amazing YOU that you are. Be well!

- Paul