The Millenisance -Episode 1: Love Yourself- Your Journey Begins
Week 1 of the Millenisance carries two themes:
"Really Feel Unconditional Love for Yourself" which is from The Last Year of Your Life by Clint Arthur and "The Journey Begins" from the book Life Makeovers: 52 Practical and Inspiring Ways to Improve Your Life One Week at a Time by Cheryl Richardson.
At this moment, it is January 2022. It is a new year and a new change. What many changes that we whole heartedly decide for ourselves are often based on is the amount of love that we have for ourselves. Our choices reflect the arsenal of self-respect or lack thereof that we give to ourselves. Unconditional love sees us in our most desolate form and knows that our soul is greater. Unconditional love tells us to take the first step on the lifelong journey of transformation.
Many times, we punish ourselves with detrimental thinking by comparing ourselves to others or even our past selves. The lower-level phrases that we hiss at ourselves we would never say to a person whom we adore. Why do we say these things to ourselves? Lack of self-love prevents us from taking that first step. Even if a decision to change is made, sometimes we are too self-critical to take action.
. One method to overcome the fear of moving a small inch towards a better you is the Kaizen Method. The Kaizen Method is a Sino-Japanese word which means "improvement". Tiny, minute action steps are used to achieve a greater end. One example would be doing the exercise, jumping jacks. In this example, your goal is to do 50 jumping jacks daily. To you, this may be intimidating. But what if you did only one jumping jack daily for 30 days? Doing one jumping jack is so simple and much less intimidating. Soon, you will find yourself doing three, then 10 and you will realize that you have surpassed 50. You have reduced a 700-page novel into a baby board book.
The first assignment comes from The Last Year of Your Life. Clint suggests writing a list of 10 but if 10 intimidates you, you can simply write one thing. The writing prompt is
WRITING PROMPT 1: List 10 Things That You Love About Yourself
Some will find this easy and others difficult. But if you dig deeply enough, you will find something. I didn't find 10 things as of yet, but I have a few so far, which are:
I love that I always strive to develop myself spiritually, mentally and physically, even when it is challenging.
I love that even when I have an unpublished manuscript, I will always find a way to bring it into creation.
I love that I am learning to speak up for myself and respect myself more.
I love that I still have perseverance even if I have failed on a grandiose scale.
I love that I have a drive for the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
I love that I am becoming more forgiving and gentler with myself as I mature.
Your list does not have to stop at 10 nor does it have to be written in one sitting. It can be something that you add throughout the weeks, months or years. A woman in her seventies that I once knew, Mama Moon (may she rest in peace), placed affirmations for herself around her home. The signs said phrases like "I am beautiful" or "I am worthy" along with Scriptures and other sacred writings. She placed them all around her bathroom mirror. She placed them on the wall in her bedroom so that she would wake up to affirmations. Place them everywhere, for your subconscious is taking note.
The second assignment comes from Life Makeovers. Richardson, in addition to recommending getting a journal to express yourself with, encourages us to reflect on the past year in this prompt.
WRITING PROMPT 2: List 3 Ways You've Grown in the Past Year
There is an Adinkra symbol called Sankofa which means "Go back and fetch it." It is looking back on the lessons of the past in order to gain more wisdom and direction for a better future. "Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?" asks Judges 19:17. Reflecting upon the year before, what wisdom have you gained? Are you more outspoken or have you grown in patience? Has your parenting style improved, or have you become a more adept musician? If you cannot think of three ways, then one reason will suffice. Here are three of the ways I have grown in the past year:
I have grown in my awareness that I must prepare for a future of stability by taking action now.
I have improved in making my needs a priority.
I have become more aware of my personal power.
When you take note of your progress, no matter how small that you think it is, you will be inspired to focus more on your self-development in the current year.
During Week One, reflect upon these words from Drops of Gold by Emma Curtis Hopkins.