I Am!
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” -Jim Rohn
I had some extraordinary accomplishments in 2010. I was very successful in accomplishing my goals. I was able to cross off many of the goals that I set out to complete in that year. I was living in my dream home -in my favorite city. My kids were in the best school, they had the best teachers, an awesome principal. My business was booming, my family was in a great place - so I thought. Then, 2011 showed up and socked me in the mouth. It was a totally different chapter. I had an abrupt move, I closed my business, downsized, and my husband and I lost over 50% of our wages. One early Saturday morning, I woke up in a not-so-great mood, thinking about who I wasn’t, and what I thought I should be and what I should have. After achieving so much success, I felt my life was going backward. Later that afternoon, my husband called me and began to remind me of who I REALLY am, what I meant to him, to God, and to our family. He reminded me of the important role I played at my church. After we hung up, I began to reflect on the good things in my life. Although I was experiencing some rough moments, great things were still happening in my life. Sure, I lost some of my wages, but I also launched a brand new business. Even though I moved to a much smaller home, I had a lot less financial responsibility and stress. I also had more time to work on my passions. I finished another new book and I had a few other exciting things in the works. I was not doing too badly for someone who was going through a rough time and encountered some extreme life-changing transitions. I began to take a look at my vision boards, and read through my journals, workbooks, and glanced at photos from the previous year. I realized that I wasn’t where I wanted to be, but I was definitely not where I used to be. I had accomplished so much in the past years and I was very proud.
That compelled me to take another step. I decided to create a new and different type of journal. It’s called the “I Am” journal. The purpose of this journal was to look at it each time I felt challenged by the day. This would become my new tool that would constantly remind me of who I am, aside from finances, job positions, and material possessions. Although it sounds simple, it is very powerful.
Here’s where I started:
I am Sheréa
I am an American
I am African American
I am a female
I am a wife
I am a mother of three
I am loved by God
The statements above remain true, no matter where I worked, what business I owned, or what city I move to. So I figure, if I just work on being better at the above statements, I’ll always be somebody. I’ll always be ME. I am Sheréa and I’m proud and happy with who I am.
I realized that although I haven’t yet earned my masters degree, I should celebrate the community college units that I was taking now and learning so much from. That although I wasn’t earning my ideal income, I still had my earning ability, no matter where I lived. I realized that being a goal setter was not just about looking forward to the future, but acknowledging the present, because it too is a gift. Remember, it is who you are, everything else is just extra.
Success Note: I love Joel Osteen’s book, “The Power of I am”. I have it on Kindle and Audiobook. It’s a continuous reminder to strive towards believing who GOD says that I am - not other people.
Sheréa VéJauan is the author of the 2017 Goals Journal, as well as several other titles, including, My Goals Journal, Realistically Speaking: Speaking What's Real, Keeping What's Holy, 7 Simple Steps to Achieving Your Business Goals, 3 Simple Steps to Creating a Powerful Vision Board, 52 Mondays Companion Journal, and many others. Sheréa resides in Southern California, devoted wife of twenty-five years to her husband Brian, and mother to their three children, Reginald, Jasmyn and Kennedy. http://shereavejauan.com/