"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."-Dr. Seuss

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" -Dr. Seuss

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."-Buddha

Make A Pledge To Yourself

I pledge to:

have the courage to embrace and love myself exactly as I am today

recognize the strength and beauty in my body

engage in positive self-talk

celebrate my uniqueness

focus on all the things I am able to do because of my beautiful body

practice gratitude for the strength in my body today

not base my happiness on the way I feel about my body

stop judging other women by the way they look

make peace with my body

be an ambassador of Real Beauty and shine my beauty wherever I go

I found it on www.realbeautyis.com , not sure if it is still on there. This is also another great site to check out. 

Dear Self....

Dear Self :

I love you today!
I honor you today!
I respect you today!
Today, I intend to take good care of you.
Today, I intend to do everything in my power to
   make sure that you have the best day you ever had.
Today, I will do everything I can to make sure that you grow
 and shine
 and have a good time.
Today, I realize that I Am It!
For this I am so grateful!


From: Don't Give It Away! A workbook of Self-Awareness and Self-Affirmations for Young Women by Iyanla Vanzant. <----Great book to pick up for yourself and other young women in your life.

Giving Up Can Not Be An Option

I wanted to let you all know that you should go after your heart's deepest desires. Whatever your goals are that you want to accomplish, go after them. Make a plan and figure out the steps you need to take so that you can accomplish them. Do not let any obstacles keep you from getting to your goal. Remember that an obstacle is a learning tool to let you know that you have lost sight of your goal. Stay focused, work hard, and be determined to accomplish your goal. I have had a few obstacles on my course to getting into a nursing program. I wanted to give up but one of my mentors told me that obstacles are just stepping stones to your destination. So I just had to regroup and get focused on what I needed to accomplish. The results of never giving up and being determined and persistent is that I am now in a great nursing program that starts on Monday, March 22, 2010. I am now closer to accomplishing my goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. So I am here to tell you that nothing can keep you from your dreams but you. Keep working hard and it will payoff. Go for it, I know you can do it.

Wish You Were Someone Else?

A Self-Esteem Poem. Written By Ellen Bailey


Why would you want to be someone else
When you could be better by being yourself
Why pretend to be someone you are not
When you have something they haven't got

Cheating yourself of the life you have to live
Deprives others of that only which you can give
You have much more to offer by being just you
Than walking around in someone else's shoes

Trying to live the life of another is a mistake
It is a masquerade; nothing more than a fake
Be yourself and let your qualities show through
Others will love you more for being just you

Remember that God loves you just as you are
To Him you are already a bright shining star
Family and friends will love you more too
If you spent time practicing just being you"

http://www.help-my-self-esteem.com/self-esteem-poems.html

Journaling

Journaling is a great thing to do. All you need is something to write with and some paper. You can put together your own journal or you can buy one. Just make sure you personalize it. With journaling you can do a lot of different things, like you can write about your feelings, daily activities, your goals, your progress, there is no limit on the topics you can write on because this is your personal journal. You can draw pictures, write poems, quotes, lyrics, or paste pictures of things that represent you. Journaling is very therapeutic and it helps people to cope with certain things they may be going through. In one of my college English classes, my teacher gave a topic everyday to write on or sometimes we would have free choice to write about whatever we wanted. The only thing the professor said was to just keep writing and do not worry about errors. She called it the "puke it up philosophy", just let the words come out on to the paper. So I hope you take the time each day for some personal journaling time, if you don't already and if you already are just continue to do so. Happy Journaling. Remember this is your personal journal and journey. Write, Write, and write some more.

I Am Grateful For...I Am Thankful For...

Create a gratitude journal or notebook. You can get them at any store for an inexpensive price. Like always you can be as creative as you wish. When you do anything just make sure you make it your own, put your own twist on it. I want you to take time each day, either in the morning or evening or whenever you find time. But I suggest you pick a time to write in it everyday, so you won't forget. I keep mind by my bed and I write in it before I go to sleep. You are going to start off by writing 5 things in your life that you are grateful for. For example: I am grateful for a bed to sleep in. I am grateful for the support of my family. I am grateful for being able to take a hot shower. Everyday try to add on to your list. Doing this journal will help you realize that you have so much to be grateful for and that your life is not as bad as you make it seem. Make this your daily activity and appreciate all that you have in your life. 

Remember This....

Don't Quit

Anonymous

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and its turns, As everyone of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When they might have won, had they stuck it out. Don't give up though the pace seems slow, You may succeed with another blow. Often the goal is nearer than, It seems to a faint and faltering man, Often the struggler has given up When he might have captured the victor's cup; And he learned too late when the night came down, How close he was to the golden crown. Success is failure turned inside out The silver tint of the clouds of doubt And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!