“I AM” Affirmations

for Self-Esteem

By Dr. Marilyn Powers and Steve Viglione

(Photo above: Children at The Galilee School in Nairobi, Kenya receive books during The I AM Foundation’s visit in 2008.)

Welcome to our read-aloud column for parents and kids based on The I AM! Affirmation Book: Discovering The Value of Who You Are. We believe that when we discover our true value, we bring that value to our families, communities, and world.  There are over 157,000 copies of The I AM! Affirmation Book in print;  it has been gifted to children in 40 countries and over 900,000 other books have been gifted to children and adults across the world. You can gift books also!

I AM QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

“This book [The I AM! Affirmation Book]  is commendable in how it leads the mind of the child to refreshingly welcome vision, using animals characters that populate the dreams of childhood, to build good resolutions.  We are fortunate that this work has been translated into Sinhalese, Tamil, and English and gifted to our children.

I convey my most sincere thanks to you for this work done especially for children, to help them become architects of a good society in the future.”

Shiranthi Rajapaksa, First Lady of Sri Lanka

I AM AFFIRMATION OF THE MONTH:

I Am Patience!

And even if I think things go wrong,

I know inside me very well,

They’ll turn around before too long.

I Am Brave!

And I allow myself to feel,

Each feeling that I have.

It’s part of being real.

An affirmation is a true statement, and the truth is that you are a loving intelligent caring being full of potential and worthy of love, respect and appreciation.  Whatever we choose to say after the words “I am” affect our feelings, moods, and even how we see the world. When they’re positive, these beliefs support us in feeling more confident and capable at school, at home, wherever we are.

Some days, nothing seems to go right.  You feel like you’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed.  You stub your toe, you walk into the bathroom door, your eggs are cold instead of hot, and your Mom is impatient and snaps at you for being slow to get ready for school.  The way you begin your day can set the tone for what follows.  When you think nothing is going right, even before you’ve left the house, it can be very discouraging.  That’s the moment to affirm and remember, “I Am Patience! And even if I think things go wrong, I know inside me very well, they’ll turn around before too long.”  An affirmation spoken out loud can change your focus, lift your spirit, and help you think up instead of down.  When things are going wrong, it’s important to affirm, “I Am Brave! And I allow myself to feel, each feeling that I have. It’s part of being real.”

When Michelle got her reading test back and scored a D, she felt scared and mad.  She was scared about what her Mom would say and she was mad at herself for getting such a low grade.  She burst into tears, tears of anger and frustration.  Her teacher came over to her desk and acknowledged her feelings.  She understood Michelle’s frustration and heartache.  She asked Michelle to see her at recess that morning so she could help her improve her grade.  She reminded Michelle to be patient with herself and to read The I AM Patience Affirmation in her I AM! Affirmation Book: “I Am Patience! And even if I think things go wrong, I know inside me very well, they’ll turn around before too long.”  Later that morning the teacher reassured her that she could turn this grade around.  She discovered that when Michelle studied she was also on the computer, and the noise distracted Michelle from concentrating so she could remember what she was reading.  The teacher invited her to shut off the computer when she prepared for a test, and that would support her remembering the material.  Michelle went home and told her Mom about her grade and her teacher’s advice.  That night, her Mom made sure the computer was off when Michelle studied.  The next day, Michelle got a B instead of a D.  Michelle had been patient with herself.  Her teacher had validated her feelings and offered her a better study habit.  Yes, things turned around for Michelle when her feelings of helplessness and frustration were turned around into hope and using a new study habit.

The fact that things can go wrong, the fact that we need to accept our feelings of disappointment, frustration and fear, are all part of our growth.  What’s important when things go wrong is to first acknowledge the feelings, and then to have the patience to discover a way for making them right.  When we speak an affirmation out loud, it helps us both to validate our feelings as well as to open up our mind to a creative solution.  The experience of things sometimes going wrong isn’t wrong.  It just is what is.  However, our reaction to things going wrong is what makes the difference.  And speaking an I AM! Affirmation can make the difference between feeling hopeless and shutting down, or feeling acknowledged and moving forward.

I AM! Affirmations help build our confidence, support us taking action, and encourage us to share our feelings and have them validated.  The outcome is our experience or feeling successful when we have persisted and practiced.

We hope you enjoyed our column and remember to send us a quote on how the I AM affirmations helped you or your child this month.  We will be running one in every issue.  Send yours to IAM@NorthStarFamilyMatters.com.  It is our joy to support you and your child.  We look forward to seeing you next month.

Steve Viglione is the founder and CEO of The I AM Foundation and author of The I AM! Affirmation Book: Discovering The Value of Who You Are, Dr. Marilyn Powers, Ph.D., is the Co Founder of The I AM Foundation and married to Steve.  They live in California. www.iamfoundation.org.

In 2005 I was visiting my friend Bruce Descoteaux in San Diego.  I noticed the I Am Book on his coffee table and picked it up to see what it was.  Needless to say, I couldn’t put it down.  I read every word and found myself a little emotional.  The words in that book were the words I’ve believed and lived by my whole life.  It was as if Steve Viglione wrote down my thoughts.  I found myself filled with excitement – as if someone else got it, but took that next step and did something about it.  Later that evening, I phoned my Mother and read the entire book to her.  She too got very emotional and agreed that the words in the book were exactly the words I’ve lived by my whole life.  From that moment, I was hooked.  Since then, I’ve given 10% of my income to the I Am Foundation every year – - even in tough times.  I believe with all my heart that these books can change a child’s life forever.  Still today, I carry 50 or more books with me in my car and hand them out to every child I see.  The feedback I get warms my heart.  This organization allows me to feel a part of changing the world one child at a time.  I’m proud to be a supporter of the I Am Foundation.

Cakeypies began to be conceptualized in early 2003 in my home kitchen.  For the next 5 years, I ran test after test to find a creative and delicious way to combine my favorite cakes with my favorite pies and turn them into one extraordinary dessert.  Finally, in 2008, I did it.  Cakeypies were born, and exceeded all of my taste expectations.  They were not only delicious, but got better as the days went by versus drying out or turning syrupy like most cakes and pies.  Then it was a matter of finding a national company to license my product in the retail grocery stores.  I was told this was next to impossible and would take years of sales figures, a large network of distribution, and a whole lot of luck.  But, in 2009, it happened.  And so began the process of perfecting my dessert on a large scale, creating packaging, labeling, getting nutritionals, and working out distribution channels.  Which brings me to today.  What I am now searching for is a national television show like Oprah, Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Bonnie Hunt, or even the morning news shows to feature my product.  Once we are scheduled for appearance, we will begin our launch and make sure the product is available immediately for the consumer.  Once launched, we will be excited to have The I Am Foundation as our official charity of choice.  A portion of the proceeds from every Cakeypie sold will be given to the I AM Foundation to help change the lives of children all over the world.  I have been a proud supporter of this great charity for many years and plan to be for a long time to come.  Here’s to our future – one child at a time!

Kenn Cross

Owner, Cakeypies

(619) 952-5207

Marti Hare

Martin Hare is a Wealth Manager with the Merrill Lynch La Jolla, CA office. Martin has joined The I AM Foundation’s advisory board and we welcome his expertise in finance as well as in Charitable Lead Trusts.  A charitable lead trust (CLT) can provide a payment stream to the charity for a specified period. At the end of the trust term, the CLT transfers the remaining assets to individuals named by the grantor-or any remaining assets return to the grantor. For more information on how you can work with Martin Hare and The I AM Foundation on a CLT, please contact Martin Hare at 1.858.456.3640.

Marti frequently asks groups of supporters of various non-profit organizations these questions:

1. Why do you financially support this organization?

2. What is the number one reason why people don’t give more to the organizations they love and care about?

Marti answers: “The number one reason is that people want their wealth to go to their family members.”

The Charitable Lead Trust is a strategy that helps family members receive their wealth by significantly reducing estate taxes while leaving a legacy through their favorite charity. So everybody wins.

Download Charitable Lead Trust document, for more information.

Mr. Hare also assists a select group of affluent clients in investment management, tax, estate and wealth transfer planning. Martin Hare develops personalized, strategic solutions to address the complex needs of individuals with substantial wealth. Together with specialists in different areas of expertise, they offer clients a comprehensive range of services, including: discretionary portfolio management; stock option analysis and sophisticated retirement planning; hedging and monetization of concentrated equity positions; life insurance analysis and funding; and a full complement of wealth preservation and transfer services. Martin Hare also provides access to Business Finance Specialists that help businesses improve cash flow through lending solutions. Business Financial Services include specialties in corporate financing, currency hedging and conversion, corporate cash management, business succession planning, company valuations, corporate divestiture, sale of business’ (M&A), and commercial lines of credit.

His team takes an institutional approach towards investing, and focuses on risk managemet. They strive to deliver superior consistent investment results through the positioning their clients’ portfolios similar to those of the largest and most successful Endowment Funds.

To make sure that the financial needs of the clients are covered in all aspects, the team also communicates regularly with the client, their CPA, and their Attorney.

Mr. Martin Hare started his career in the investment industry in 1981 as a runner at the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a runner with C&D Commodities. Over the years Mr. Hare worked in many capacities learning the business from the trading floor to the office. His path of Runner, Pit Broker Assistant, Trader, Market Maker and Registered Representative has given him a base platform that creates a very unique outlook on how global equity and commodity markets interact. During his tenure on the trading floor, Mr. Hare earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Elmhurst College attending night school. In 1991 Mr. Hare entered the Wealth Management industry to bring what he learned from the trading floor to private investors and institutions. He has worked with the top investment firms in the industry and joined Merrill Lynch in 2004. Mr. Hare specializes in the philanthropic and advanced estate design and management arena for the team.

Mrs. Marcia Vance started working in the financial industry for E F Hutton in 1989. The names changed on the doors and Mrs. Vance ended up working for Smith Barney until 1999. Mrs. Vance joined Merrill Lynch in 2005. Her total emphasis is on the Client servicing side, processing any and all client requests.

Children in the Philippines Needing Our Support

From the President of the San Diego Classic Lions Club:

My name is Remy Deramos, President of the San Diego Classic Lions Club, a non-profit organization in California.  My husband Manuel Deramos and I would like to ask for your help and support in donating I AM! Affirmation Books to our project to the Philippines.  We are conducting an educational, nutritional, dental, vision and medical mission to the Philippines.  We are leaving the US on January 6, 2010 and will start our mission on January 11, 2010.

We have been fundraising at Qualcomm Stadium and put that money into the fund for the shipping.  We are there every Chargers game, concession #351.

Also, a part of this mission is to help the schools/students who are victims of the past four typhoons.  We are bringing together the Philippino community to help with shipping clothes and blankets.  Also, what we need are books and school supplies for the schools.  The schools have been devastated, and in some provinces, the water is up to the roof.

Please let us help the less fortunate Filipinos who are still suffering from these calamities.  The children need our help.  I hope you can support us in this mission.  We are scheduled to go to 5 provinces in the Philippines:

The areas that we are going to are the Laguna Province,  Bayambang, the Pangasinan Province, Tabaco in the Albay Province (where the land slide is) and also to Manilla, the capital and Bataan, Olongapo, and the Zambales Province.

There are 13 of us traveling into Manilla from Los Angeles on January 6^th 2010.

This mission is being sponsored by The San Diego Classic Lions Club based in National City, CA.  We meet every 1^st and 3^rd Friday each month.

We want to reach 2,000-3,000 children on our mission.  We are working with The I AM Foundation to gift as many Filipino children as possible with The I AM! Affirmation Book: Discovering the Value of Who You Are.  For every $10.00 donated to The I AM Foundation, the San Diego Classic Lions Club will receive two of these books, which will change the lives of the children who receive them.  They will know somebody in the world is thinking of them during this extremely difficult time in their lives.

Our deadline for shipping is December 15^th, 2009.  Please make your donation today so we can have the books shipped to the Philippines and ready for us to gift to the children when we get there.

For those who would like to make a contribution in the other areas of the campaign for shipping, medical, nutritional and educational supplies, please call Remy Deramos at The San Diego Classic Lions Club directly at 619.818.9322 or visit www.sandiegolions.org. To sponsor children receiving The I AM! Affirmation Books please click here for The I AM Foundation’s Campaign to the Phillipines.

Thank you very much,

Remy Deramos

About The I AM! Affirmation Book

Endorsed by World Leaders

Over 157,000 in print

Now translated into 17 languages

Great gift for children, teachers and communities

Gifted in all 50 States and 40 Countries

Click here to order

Thank you to our Sponsor Aero Financial for contributing to this campaign.

The I AM! Necklace for Gift Giving

The I AM! Necklace was inspired and created by Adam Lorell of  The Diamond Connection Jewelers in San Diego, CA.  As a 2009 Point of Light for The I AM Foundation, Adam Lorell created this pendant for people who are either inspired to have one for themselves or to gift it to a loved one.

Our own Dr. Marilyn Powers wears one of the necklaces (shown in photo) this one is in 18 KT Gold.  The I AM! Necklace can be customized in gold or silver and even with a diamond or birthstone on it.

One of our other Points of Light Carol Kuck received an I AM! Necklace from her partner Nancy Weichel as a gift. Carole says:

“I am so grateful for my I AM necklace that I received from Nancy as a gift to honor a milestone in my life.  As I wear it I am reminded of who I AM and how much I AM loved.  It is a beautiful and powerful statement that attracts interest and sparks conversation with others.  I love the personalized touch in its creation.”

-Carole Kuck

Orders for the necklace are placed directly with Adam Lorell or Ryan at The Diamond Connection at 1 (619) 296-8900.  The Diamond Connection Jewelers generously gifts 25% of all I AM! necklaces purchased to The I AM Foundation as their Point of Light Contribution.

We are grateful to all of you who are interested in ordering your own I AM! Necklace to give as a gift or to wear for yourself. Your purchase supports our global book gifting missions. Thanks so much.

“Giving Back to the Local Community in Costa Rica”  Retreat Program

Brought to you by The Beija Flor Resort and citizens of the world for the children of Costa Rica.

Point of Light Spotlight on Adam Lorell and The Diamond Connection

We would like to thank our 2008 and 2009 Point of Light Adam Lorell of The Diamond Connection of Old Town San Diego who sponsored 500 children to receive I AM! Affirmation Books in Costa Rica. Adam is also one of the owners of The Beija Flor Resort there in Costa Rica.

We’d also like to thank Adam’s Public Relations Director, Martha Hoffman, for her help. Adam and Martha are seen in the middle/center of the photo to the left. We are also grateful to Martha for referring her brother Mauricio to be our illustrator for I Am The Earth: Positive Affirmations for Loving Our Planet.

From Adam Lorell…

The children in the area of Mal Pais and Santa Teressa, on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, are some of the most spirited and pure of heart beings in the world.  They come from loving homes with parents that instill the traditional Costa Rican value of “family first.”  These children are so full of light despite the many challenges they face.

The Beija Flor Resort of Mal Pais (formerly known as Boscomar) is helping these children through a “Fund Raising Retreat Program.”  We provide a scenic location for yoga studios and other groups from around the world to host their retreats.  Proceeds from these retreats are then donated to the local community to help local schools, provide much needed care packages, and assist local organizations already set up to help those in need.

Retreat participants have the opportunity to meet with these children (to read with them, do arts and crafts projects, etc).  Most importantly, people from around the world have the chance to make a difference in the lives of these children, face-to-face.

“Giving Back to the Local Community Retreat Program” is The Beija Flor Resort’s small part in helping these children blossom into individuals that will in turn want to help lift others up.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to help. One of the ways we are helping is through the gifting of The I AM! Affirmation Book: Discovering The Value of Who You Are. We believe this book will make a tremendous difference in the lives of the children there.

With Love, Pura Vida

Adam Lorell

The Beija Flor Resort Family

USA + 619-316-6203

e-mail children@BeijaFlorYogaRetreats.com

Web Site www.Beija-Flor-Yoga-retreats.com

From Recipient: My name is Jennifer Smith, I am a Special Education Teacher and I currently work in a low socially economic school where the funding is very minimum and the school in need of books to stock the classroom libraries. I am a special needs teacher (mild moderate disabilities) and would like to add to my classroom library. Most of the students at my school have never stepped foot out of Gulf Coast area let alone the state of Mississippi. It is through books that I learned about other places, things that I knew I would never get the opportunity to see due to my economic status. I would appreciate any donations that The I AM Foundation is willing to give in order to help my students build there reading skills, levels and explore places that they may never get the chance to experience.  Visit our website.

From The I AM Foundation: Dear Jennifer, we are grateful for your request and are happy to grant you enough books for your classroom. We have shipped you a classroom set of I AM! Affirmations Books, an I AM! Affirmation Poster and a copy of our Kenya Book Gifting DVD so you can share with your children how The I AM Foundation gives this book to children around the world. I will post your request on our blog and see if anyone else would like to send you books or materials they can contact you at jennifer.smith@biloxischools.net.  Please let us know when you receive the books and how the children like them. Feel free to have them share their messages with us and we will post that on the blog as well.

Happy Halloween from The I AM Foundation and the children at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School! All five hundred kids at this school in New Orleans, LA received books as gifts from The Million Books for Kids Campaign.
Wishing You a Spooktacular Day,

The I AM Book and Music Gifting Team

The I AM Foundation has posted a position on Volunteer Match for a Team Leader who would like to help us with gifting our newest book I Am The Earth: Positive Affirmations for Loving Our Planet on Earth Day 2010. It is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. So what better way to celebrate Earth Day then to gift our children with a book that supports them in becoming great stewards of our planet for generations to come.

Positive Affirmations for Loving Our Planet