Reclaim Your Personal Power With the I AM Practice

“Speak your truth even when your voice and hands are shaking.” Most of us have heard these words before in some form or another. When you hear them, what happens? Can you feel what rises in your body? Perhaps there is a turning in your stomach disagreeing, or agreeing? Maybe a tightening in your throat intending to close off speech?

Throughout our 3-part series, we’ve explored different aspects of the self-love mastery process. We learned ways to practice self-love and become the superhero of our lives, discovered the real meaning of self-awareness and how to use the power of discernment at will, and now, we will practice the crowning jewel of self-love, one that anchors our return to the authentic self: self-worth.

When we love ourselves without shame, we’re free of the false self and fear-based thinking, and we’re able to create our lives intentionally, in real-time. When we believe fully that our individual truths matter — that what we feel and say has value and is worthy of being said and heard — we have found our self-worth.

By embodying our worth, we rise beyond the truths of others that we took on as our own (before knowing we had a choice). We reclaim our personal responsibility and we take ownership of our choices and reactions. The personal power within self-worth is intoxicating and also one of the most underused gifts on the planet.

Embracing self-worth is something not many of us are taught in Western culture. It’s why so often we find ourselves not living the lives we want. However, we are able to take back our personal power with dedication, practice, patience, and persistence.

To speak our truth from a place of self-worth, we must first harness the power of the world’s most powerful words: I AM. Using these words can be uncomfortable at first. With time, we gain clarity and resolve in our decision making and experience deep joy and peace.

“I AM” is a powerful elixir within self-love mastery. This is also the third and final lens we learn to look through.

Would you like to use “I AM” to claim your own personal affections and absolute self-worth? The Internal Journeys “I AM Love” exercise below can be practiced right here, right now, and ideally will become a ritual in your life to support your self-love mastery process.

5 Steps to Self-Worth With I AM

1. Vow to yourself and the universe that it’s time to begin your own self-love practice.

2. Pick a time to practice every day (or a few times a week) and a special space. Before bed is a great time to practice so your intentions will settle during dreamwork.

3. In a state of prayer or meditation, declare you are taking responsibility for your own needs and wants by acknowledging yourself and committing to love yourself first.

4. Close your eyes and say aloud to yourself “I AM love.” Repeat it many times, slowly, softly, or however it feels right to you (there is no wrong way).

5. Whatever comes up (strong emotions, resistance, the inner critic), be compassionate with yourself and continue to practice lovingly.

Listen to what comes up as you start to practice. Does it feel good, right, funny, or do you feel unsure? Remind yourself that whatever you are feeling is ok. It is a practice, your practice, and the truest way of knowing and being with yourself first each day.

When I started practicing I AM work, I wasn’t sure of myself and the process felt awkward. Every time I declared to God and the Universe “I AM Love,” I felt like I was immediately grabbing it back by adding “But, AM I?” Despite my hesitations, I kept at it, and today, “I AM work” flows naturally and with authority.

When I look back, I see how not loving myself truly for who I was, and not knowing how to speak my truth, left me in many unwanted and vulnerable situations in life. During those experiences, I was agitated and sensed there was something better out there for me. Luckily, I was able to remember who I came to be, my authentic self, through the deep inner work I now teach others at Internal Journeys, such as the “I AM” practice.

Loving ourselves first is not selfish, or narcissistic—it is healing and defines our self-worth. I personally believe it is the missing link in our very real, very human, evolving lives.

But remember, self-love is an inside job and something you must choose to do for you.

I hope you’ve found helpful tools to support your internal journey that can guide you back to your original, authentic self. I am here to support and act as your guide as you walk deeper into the mystery and power of your truth. Find me, and a community of like-minds, at www.internaljourneys.com.