I AM Somebody
"You do not belong here."
I remember her telling me like it was yesterday. Sixth grade, new town, new school system, new town, and the friend groups had already formed their impenetrable walls. Those words cut deep, carving a memory that would last my entire life.
We've all heard them – those words that create deep fissures in our souls and cracks in our confidence.
The whispers that keep us from believing we are somebody. The somebody we want to be.
"You're too direct."
"I don't even like you!" (A former Sunday Sunshine reader's parting words to me in an email)
These judgments, these external voices – they try to define us.
But they don't get to write our story.
The Power of "I Am Somebody"
During Super Bowl LIX, the NFL aired a commercial with NFL players reciting Reverend William Holmes Borders' powerful affirmation to children:
"I am somebody.
I may be young, but I am somebody.
I may be small, but I am somebody.
My clothes are different.
My face is different.
My hair is different.
But I am somebody.
I must be respected.
Protected.
Never rejected.
But I am somebody.
I am somebody.
I am somebody.
I am somebody.
I am somebody."
This wasn't just a commercial – it was a reminder of a fundamental truth: We are all somebody today, just as we are. And we have the power to become the somebody we deeply want to be.
The Science of Becoming
In my work with high achievers, I emphasize the power of the "I AM" practice – what Napoleon Hill calls Autosuggestion in his book, Think and Grow Rich.
It's not just positive thinking; it's a proven performance enhancer.
Our subconscious mind governs 85% of our daily thoughts and acts upon whatever it's repeatedly fed.
Think of it as programming your mind for success.
When you focus your thoughts on who you want to be, you signal to the universe that you're ready to become that person. Hill teaches in his writings that faith is a state of mind that must be cultivated through positive thoughts and visualization.
The Secret to Making It Work
Here's the secret to success: feelings. As you write your I AM statements, you must feel them in your bones. Infuse them with:
Confidence
Achievement
Empowerment
Fun
Ease
Freedom
These emotions are the nourishment your aspirations need to grow.
Daily repetition of your major goals and I AM affirmations takes mere minutes but carries the magnitude of rocket fuel for your becoming.
Your Inner Cheerleader
We are all somebody.
The most important voice to listen to...your biggest cheerleader...It's you.
High achievers know that external validation will never define them. They write their own story, cultivate their own confidence, and fuel their own success.
Thanks to the NFL for this powerful reminder.
And thank you, dear readers, for being somebody – exactly as you are, and exactly as you're becoming.
