Welcome to our read-aloud column for parents and kids based on The I AM! Affirmation Book: Discovering The Value of Who You Are. There are over 122,000 copies of The I AM! Affirmation Book in print; it has been gifted to children in 30 countries and over 708,000 books of many titles have been gifted across the world by the I AM Foundation. We believe that when people discover their true value, they bring that value to their families, communities, and world. There are two ways we discover our value and self-worth. One is through the thoughts we choose and what we believe about who we are and the other is from the messages we receive from our parents, teachers, and other adults.

“On Monday, October 22, 2007 you visited our school and my children received The I AM Affirmation Book. They have not been able to put this book down! They absolutely love it! … I have seen first hand the effects of low self esteem on children and how [the book] changes their success in the classroom. I get overwhelmed with emotion when I think about what The I AM Foundation is accomplishing because I know that every kid in any situation needs this support.”
--A third grade teacher at Arlington International Leadership School in Jackson, TN


An affirmation is a statement of truth. What the I AM! affirmations do is affirm the truth about each of us-- that we are loving, intelligent, caring beings full of potential and worthy of love, respect, and appreciation. Whatever we choose to say after the words “I am” affects our feelings, beliefs, and how we experience the world. When we say positive affirmations, these beliefs support us in feeling more confident and capable at school, at home, or wherever we are.

It is perfectly okay to have differences. What is not okay is to force our opinions on others verbally, physically, or emotionally because they disagree. We can listen to others with respect instead of judgement, even if we think, feel, or believe differently.
When we choose to listen with care and respect instead, our patience is rewarded by:

• A better understanding of each other as we respect our differences
• A solution that meets everyone’s needs
• An opportunity to reconsider our opinions as we learn new ideas that help us value the differences between us.

Life is always changing and every day there’s a new tomorrow. We never know how things are going to turn out. Sometimes what seems like a bad thing might actually turn out to be a good thing. And even when something seems downright bad, it doesn’t mean that something wonderful won’t come along next.
Four practices to support us:

Communicate and listen to differences rather than bully, intimidate, or use physical force.
Value the differences between us rather than judge right or wrong.

Learn to give empathy (being aware of how someone feels) and compassion (caring about their feelings) for other people as you do your best to understand their point of view.

In disagreements, practice stepping into the value of who you are by remembering that what someone says or does is never about you, even if they think it is.
Bobby’s father is a lawyer, he wears a suit and tie to work. Maria’s father works construction and wears jeans and boots to work. Bobby told Maria that his father was more important than hers. At first Maria felt sad and angry when Bobby said that. Then she remembered her I AM statements and that everybody has equal value and that what Bobby thinks or says isn’t about her. So, the next day she said hello to Bobby and said, “Bobby, I think both of our dad’s are just as important but you can think whatever you want.” We all have different skills and talents, and all are needed. Even people who are ill, homeless, poor, or unemployed have value. We have value simply because we are alive.
Practice the affirmations by role playing or talking about your feelings. Sometimes it’s hard to do something new, but over time, affirmations can help us learn to flow with life instead of struggling against it. We hope you enjoyed our column and remember to send us a quote on how the I AM! affirmations help you or your child. We will be running an “I Am” quote in every issue. It is our joy to support you and your child and we look forward to seeing you next month.

---

About the Author:

Steve Viglione is the founder and CEO of The I AM Foundation and author of The I AM! Affirmation Book. Marilyn Powers, Ph.D., is the Vice President of The I AM Foundation and is married to Steve. They live in California. www.iamfoundation.org