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I live on a content diet of hero’s journey movies, comedic sitcoms, and books with happy endings. It balances out the morning briefings from NPR and the morose coating my thoughts get when left unattended for too long. I fill my social media feed with body-positive stylists and self-care advocates and quotes by powerful women. I fill my well with all the hope and healing and resilience I can grab, building my blubber for the colder waters.

Image result for affirmators! gentleness card

One of the more whimsical pieces of my content diet is the deck of Affirmators! cards l keep in my office. I’m the type of HR person who puts out toys and candy to try to lure unsuspecting team members into being friends with me. The cards are inspirational humorous horoscopes of positive affirmations. They are quirky and smile-worthy and take some of the cheesy-ness out positive affirmations by leaning way into it.

To use: shuffle, pull at random, take it as the message you need for the day. For example, here’s the card I pulled for myself yesterday:

Gentleness: I speak with gentleness, and I listen with gentleness. I align with the gentlest part of myself, and I take joy in being receptive, open, and unafraid. I am like a baby deer who's best friends with a baby elephant. The baby elephant wraps its little trunk around my shoulders and we lie down gently on the grass, daydreaming and talking about what sort of humans the clouds look like.

I’ve used these cards as ice breakers for trainings, including having my leadership team pull and read a card at an offsite planning meeting. It lightens the moods and starts us off on a positive note. Yesterday I walked up to an employee and had her take a card to start her day.

Mostly, it’s just fun. I want to look for more ways to add a little whimsy to my life. (Is that Gretchen Rubin again? I do seem to quote her often.)

With Love,

Natalie