Courageous Mantra Blog

Writing Prompt: Use Positive Affirmations to Overcome Negative Beliefs

Jayleen Gerace · June 26, 2021 · Leave a Comment

What’s holding you back from your dreams?

Is it fear of success?

Fear of failing?

Or maybe it’s a combination of both.

Or it’s the feeling that you’re too young, too old, not smart enough, or too broke.

No matter your fear, this is a reminder that you are enough exactly as you are right now.

You don’t need to take another class or earn more money, or change who you are.

You can start taking steps towards your dream today.

I often need this reminder myself, and this poem came from one of my deepest fear: that I don’t have what it takes to be a successful writer and artist.

Poem: you are enough

Intuition will Listen

Inspiration will come

Stop and Listen

your soul is whispering,

“you are enough.”

Poem and Art by Jayleen Gerace

brush pen art

Art and Poem by Jayleen Gerace you are enough Intuition will Listen Inspiration will come Stop and Listen your soul is whispering, "you are enough." — Poem and Art by Jayleen Gerace: medium: brush pen

Writing Prompt: Use positive affirmations to overcome negative beliefs.

Open your journal to a blank page and write your dream at the top of the page.
Now set a timer for 10 minutes. List as many limiting beliefs that you can think of that makes it so you will not achieve this dream. Let your inner critic out of its cage and go wild on the page. Try your best to just let the thoughts flow without self-editing or backtracking.
Now that all your limiting beliefs are down on the page, take 3 deep breaths. Take note of how you feel.
Take all of your negative beliefs and write a positive affirmation next to them.

For example, “I don’t have what it takes to be a successful writer and artist.” becomes “I’m learning the skills and mindsets it takes to be a successful writer and artist.”

“I’m too old to be an astronaut.” becomes “My wisdom and life experience are essential to be an astronaut.”

What limiting beliefs do you have that keep you away from your dreams?

Let me know in the comments, then write a positive affirmation next to this negative belief.

For example, “I don’t have what it takes to be a successful writer and artist.” becomes “I’m learning the skills and mindsets it takes to be a successful writer and artist.”

Poem/Writing Prompt: Write a letter to your Pet

Jayleen Gerace · May 15, 2021 · Leave a Comment

My dog, Hank posing very well at sunrise at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Utah.

Dear Hank,

Do you know that I love you?

When we first met,

you sat next to me on the back step

and licked the tears off my tender face.

I knew I loved you at that moment.

I can feel you breathing at my feet.

I love when you lay with me on the bed.

I can’t help but cry when I think about life without you by my side.

Somedays, I get overwhelmed with joy thinking about you.

When people ask to see pictures

I delight in sharing your sweet face.

My cheeks flush with life

and my heart flutters.

Do you know that I love you?

I wonder, do you know that you are sick.

and if you know what we are saying when we are around.

I know you can read energies.

Love is vulnerable my sweet boy.

Love is vulnerable.

I can’t imagine life without you.

You’re my lovely little shadow

trailing my every move

as we make our way around

the house.

Your rich milk chocolate eyes drip with wisdom and serenity.

I wish I knew what you think in your doggie brain.

Thank you for being my friend, my family, my companion.

I will forever and always love you.

Love,

Jayleen

Writing Prompt:

Write a letter to your pet. Write in the form that fits your mood or style. For example, write a poem, essay, letter, short story.

In this blog post, I wrote the letter as a poem.

Do you have multiple pets? Pick one for this writing prompt and write to another pet the next time you sit down to write.

In the comments below, tell me about your pet(s)

What’s your pet(s) name?
What kind of pet do you have? (a dog, cat gerbil, horse, etc.)

Happy Writing!

Green Tea

Jayleen Gerace · December 11, 2020 · 1 Comment

I pour hot water into a cup and
watch tea leaves swirl and spin
water fills to the rim.

Steep. Sit. Sip.

The tea is
done.

Pine

Jayleen Gerace · December 8, 2020 · Leave a Comment

There’s a place

a place to explore

a place filled with green, lush trees

and vines and the smell of

pine.

Walking on fallen needles and leaves

fragrant, soft, brown ground

under my feet.

A place where solitude and peace

awaits.

3 Ways to Capture New Ideas for your Journal or Writing Practice

Jayleen Gerace · November 18, 2020 · Leave a Comment

Do you struggle to find new ideas for your journal practice?

Have you ever had this experience?

You grab a pen and a journal. You open the journal to the next blank page, click your pen, and place the pen’s point on the page. And then, your mind goes blank. You think to yourself, “Now what? What do I write about?”

Can you relate to this?

I can. This feeling sucks!

And maybe you’re looking around at other writers or bloggers and think, “How do they write so much? And where one earth, are they getting so many good ideas?”

I will share the 3 ways that I use to capture new ideas for my journal practice.

After reading this blog post, you will have 3 actionable ways to start capturing new ideas for your journal practice and take your journal practice to a new level.

Step 1: Be open to receiving new ideas.

New ideas are always around you. Once you start to look for new ideas for your journal practice, the ideas will start to come to you in unexpected ways. You may be at the grocery store, work, home, or walking your dog. You may be watching a youtube video or scrolling through Instagram or reading a book. Be open to new ideas, and the ideas will find you.

Step 2: Capture the Ideas.

Okay, so imagine your laying in bed wide awake. And thoughts keep flashing through your mind. Maybe it’s about a project at work or a journal prompt idea. You look over at the alarm clock. The neon green digits flash at 3:00 AM. You think to yourself, “Oh, I really should write this idea down, so I remember.” But you decide to roll over and go back to sleep. “I’ll remember tomorrow,” you reassure yourself.

By the next morning you forget all about the idea. And move on to start your day.

It’s important to capture your ideas. That way you can use them when you need to.

There are several ways to capture your ideas. Pick the one that works best for you, or use all three.

Carry an “Idea Journal.” This is a small journal that you carry around with you to keep track of new ideas. This is only for ideas and journal prompts. Write on the front “Idea Journal.” Keep the journal and a pen in your purse, bag, or pocket. You can also keep a journal on your nightstand so that you can write down your late-night ideas. Note: I like the pocket-sized softcover Moleskine journal for this. You can usually buy a 3-pack.
In your journal, leave the first 2-pages blank. Write on the top of the page “Writing Prompts.” These pages are for new writing prompt ideas. I’ll sometimes write down quotes for inspiration here, too. You can return to these prompts anytime you feel stuck and need inspiration for your journal practice.
Use Google Keep – This is an app that you can download on your phone that connects to Google calendar. Create a note and title it “Writing Prompts” or “Journal Ideas.”

So there you have it, 3 ways to capture new ideas for your journal practice. I hope this helps.

Now, I want to hear from you!

Let me know in the comments below…

How do you come up with new ideas for your journal or writing practice?
Which tip from this blog post are you going to use to capture your ideas?