This is going to take a minute or two to explain, so please bear with me…
Roughly four years ago, a fully formed idea came into my head during a meditation session: to write a book with my friend, Amy Blaschka. All the details materialized in a single moment, something that never happened to me before, so I took the inspiration seriously.
The book would be called “I Am”, and it would be a series of positive, upbeat reflections that each started with the words “I am…”.
Here’s an excerpt from the email I sent to Amy later that day, telling her about the book idea and suggesting that we take turns writing passages:
Anything is fair game, as long as the effect is to remove a reader from his or her everyday thoughts and feelings. The more immersive and different the journey, the more effective it will be at clearing (or perhaps resetting) a reader’s mind. We might suggest they are a force, or an idea, or emotion. We can take them to a different time or place. They could be a planet or rock, a dream or thought, a force for good or a molecule so tiny… well, you get the idea. Let’s be as positive, creative, experimental, and free-flowing as possible.
To her credit, Amy instantly agreed to partner on this concept, and we wrote the book in just two months; eventually we created a website that shares most of the book’s content for free.
To this day, however, there are quiet moment in which I wonder: why did I get nudged—either by my subconsciousness or some other force—to write the book?
***
Sunday morning, another I AM idea appeared out of nowhere.
As the sun came up, I lingered in bed, drifting in and out of sleep. It was wonderful, peaceful and restorative. The thought I am relaxed crossed my mind. A few minutes later, it morphed to I am healing.
By this point, I was mostly awake and thinking: it’s time for me to write an I AM book just for me, one in which most days I write a personal observation that begins I am… _______.
This would be a book—okay, “journal” is a better name—that keeps going, perhaps over many years. I’d keep it private, and use it to process my thoughts and emotions in a highly positive manner. But later in life, I may share it with my children, as a gift, so that they can fully understand their father.
Then, I had one more thought: everyone should write an I AM book.
Which leads me to this question:
Does anyone want to come along on this “I AM” journey with me?
Each of us would start our own private I AM journal. We’ll write it in what we please and do it with the sole intention of helping ourself. To be clear, this would be no different than any personal journal, except that each passage would begin with the words “I am”.
But every month or two, we’ll have a group call in which we compare notes. I’m thinking that we share observations about process rather than content.
Here are some examples to help you understand how these calls might go:
How do you balance being optimistic (i.e. positive self talk) vs. being willing to process your emotions? That is, if you are afraid, should you write “I am afraid” or “I am overcoming my fears”?
To what degree do you tell your story versus chronicle your feelings? That is, do you write “I am a servant leader, born in the Midwest and raised to do hard things” or “I am alone and isolated”?
How much do you write? How often?
What helps you dig deeper? Is there such a thing as too deep?
Looking backwards over months or even years, which observations resonate the most with you?
How does it affect your posts to know that someday you might allow others to read them?
One caveat: this is a brand new, untested and unrefined idea. I won’t be offended if no one wants to join me on this journey. But I’ll be glad to welcome all who wish to come along for the ride.
To join me, please comment “I am IN!” I’ll then reach out to you privately.
I am in! Thank you.
I am in!