I am light. I am peace. I am joy. I am love. I am healthy. Is it hard for you to think or say such things out loud. Take a deep breath and repeat this mantra over slowly or if a deep breath is uncomfortable, take a slow steady easy breath and repeat the mantra over slowly. I use the slow steady easy breath most often. What happens? Work on being aware of how you feel when you try this mantra.

If the above "I am" statements do not seem to work for you, create your own. Use other statements such as I am beautiful, I am loving, I am caring, etc. I initially did an exercise like this when I was a boy in Boy Scouts. The Boy Scout Law was... A scout is... or I am... Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful,Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Later in my 20's and early 30's I wouldn't have even tried such an exercise because I was too macho and a "MAN" did not say such sissy things. In my later 30's and 40's I probably would not have done such an exercise because I had lower self esteem would not allow it.

Then I went through a divorce and started "working" on myself through various self growth programs and reading many self growth type books. I attempted to meditate. With a subliminal tape/cd which helped me "meditate" ( I do not know if I ever mediated correctly-ha ?) I accidentally found that I was having chills go through my body. The chill feeling that most people get when they hear a song which resonates with them. I later learned that I could induce the "chills" feeling through my head and down my spine throughout my body by saying things such as "I am love" and "I am peace."

If you can get past any feelings of low self esteem or "macho-ness" can you feel the "chills?" Maybe someone else does not have to go through what I had to? This chill feeling I believe opens your chokras and makes you ONE with the universe if even for a second or a few moments. It is an opening. And if you do not feel the "chills" that is OK.

Just saying the words of "I AM"_________ opens you and expresses who you are. Better than I am stupid or I am not smart or I am________. I believe words have meaning. Why not say something powerful which is what you ARE !!! than the self defeating stuff I hear people say about themselves everyday.