This is a guest post by Mogie Adamchik, who submitted the following essay as an assignment in Dr. Chris Patti’s course at Appalachian State University.
This essay has been featured on the Optimal Living Daily podcast – Episode 1185.
My alarm goes off at 7:30 AM. I flip over my phone to shut it off, and there’s a reminder: “Know your worth.” 9 AM, usually sitting in class, another reminder: “Don’t settle for less than what you deserve.” 10 AM: “You are strong.” These are a few of the reminders I get on my phone throughout the day. I’ve been doing this since last summer, and it’s made a big difference. I have to thank one of my close friends from golf, Haeley Wotnosky, who shared this idea with me as something she does to build confidence. Even though it’s a small and simple idea, I thought it was worth sharing with others too.
Reminders can serve as that first step towards a deeper appreciation for ourselves. After Haeley shared this idea with me, I put off implementing it because I honestly thought it sounded silly and really wouldn’t make a difference. Now, I can gladly say I was totally wrong. It really does make a difference, no matter where you are in life.
During the school year, life gets really busy. Maybe you can relate? I’m a student athlete on App State’s golf team. Balancing 20 hours a week of practice, traveling, a full course load, and a social life can wear me down and make me forget I’m human. I’m 19, trying to build doors today so I can open them tomorrow. I go from one assignment to the next, one task to another, hustling here and there, and it’s too easy to get lost in the shuffle. One thing that brings me back is my habit of daily reminders.
These reminders can act as affirmations of one’s life goals and personal story. If my goal is to win a conference championship, I set a reminder: “I am the SunBelt individual champion.” My brain sees it so many times that it learns to accept it as reality. Then, when I’m in that situation, I have already become comfortable with myself in that identity. It helps me visualize success and take down mental barriers.
Obviously, daily reminders can go much further than sports. I’ve applied them to relationships, presentations, and self-worth. A couple weeks before I had to give a big presentation for a class, I added a reminder: “You are an excellent speaker,” and another: “You got this!” It’s important to recognize how these little things can really change your attitude during the day.
At 3 PM, I get an essential reminder: “I love you.” This may seem minor or cheesy, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt discouraged because of the stresses of the day. When I see this self-affirmation it makes me smile. “I love you, Mogie. You’re going to do this. You’re already crushing it! Stay strong—power through. It’s going to be alright.” Clockwork reminders help pull me out of whatever funk I’m in and draw me back to the present. It’s a reset and reassurance. We know we have people on our team in life, but they might not know where we are or how we’re feeling. In addition to reaching out to those who support us, we can build and practice the habit of becoming our own best allies!
We know what we need and what means a lot to us. This is a lesson in self-love. It’s crucial to respect ourselves. Once we’re comfortable with who we are and confident in our identities, that is when we can best spread positivity and love to the people around us.
I believe that we have a responsibility as humans to grow, and why not try something so simple if we have the chance to better ourselves? I strongly encourage you to pull out your phone and set a daily reminder. You can start right now, with just one! Make it as bold or subtle as you’re comfortable with. If you have a meeting with your boss, maybe you can remind yourself that you are confident and won’t be intimidated. If you have a presentation, perhaps tell yourself you’ve done your best to prepare and that you’re ready to knock it out of the park. Maybe all you need is a reminder that you can do this.
9 AM reminder: “I will live today to the fullest. I am an incredible human being. I am worthy of love. I am worthy of success.”
Yes, you are! We all are! I’d say don’t forget, but, if you try this practice for yourself, you’ll get a reminder.
Mogie Adamchik is a sophomore at Appalachian State majoring in Advertising. She is on the golf team, and in her free time she loves to hike and travel. After graduating, she aspires to make ads for the golf industry and inspire more people to take up the sport! You can reach her at: mogieadamchik [at] gmail.com.
Dr. Chris J. Patti (PhD) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Appalachian State University, nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. As an ethnographic writer, his research highlights intimate, relational processes at the heart of human experience through listening to and richly representing stories of love, loss, and transformation. He has published several peer-reviewed articles and chapters on the theme of suffering and compassion. His other passions are rock climbing, longboard surfing, and intentionally doing nothing with his mindfulness meditation club Zen & the Art of Applied Communication. Follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/awarenessbites
You can email Dr. Chris Patti at patticj [at] appstate [dot] edu.
