Today I Will

Today I Will: 100 ways to make your life calm and creative

You know you 'need' to meditate - because you've been told to - or maybe you want to learn to meditate but find it too difficult to establish a meditation practice. The answer you're looking for is affirmations, which work like mini meditations: your attention can be focused on the affirmation for a short period of time and give your brain a chance to let go of extraneous thoughts. You can repeat affirmations throughout the day for little moments of calm.

The affirmations in TODAY I WILL... can help you develop mindfulness in a busy world, in just a few short minutes a day. They also provide moments of inspiration to uplift your everyday life.

Each affirmation encourages you to make simple changes to daily routines and ways of thinking. The practical purpose, wisdom and joy associated with each affirmation are explained to you as you are guided towards your calm and creative nature.

Start changing your life in a positive way: TODAY I WILL ...

Carmen Warrington is an accomplished performer, meditation artist, songwriter, celebrant and author. Carmen has a degree in psychology and is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Through her business, Calm and Creative, Carmen lives in Melbourne and runs workshops which focus on creativity and meditation for professional artists and people who simply want to experience and develop their innate artistic talents. Today I Will... is also available on CD through Carmen's website at www.calmandcreative.com.au

Today I Will: 100 ways to make your life calm and creative
Hachette Australia
Author: Carmen Warrington
ISBN: 9780733634871
RRP: $16.99

Interview with Carmen Warrington

Question: What inspired you to write Today I Will?

Carmen Warrington: I was in a year of transition and endings and one frustrated morning I rather crossly called out to the universe "What am I supposed to be doing with my life?". Next minute the ideas came pouring in and pretty soon, I had a first draft of the book. There's a saying -you teach what you need to learn', so I like to think that this book is a gentle reminder for me as well as for the readers.


Question: What are affirmations?

Carmen Warrington: Affirmations are positive and empowering messages you say to yourself, to change the way you think and feel about yourself. Any message, repeated often enough, becomes a belief. By saying affirmations you are replacing negative beliefs about yourself with positive ones, enabling you to make changes in your life and be all that you were born to be.


Question: Are affirmations, meditation for the time poor or unmotivated?

Carmen Warrington: Affirmations and meditation are quite similar in many ways but I'd like to highlight a difference. Affirmations can be said while you are doing certain activities such as walking, doing housework, styling your hair. Meditation asks you to put aside all activity and sit with the purpose or returning to stillness. Both are helpful, both are transformative, and both require a certain motivation to do daily.


Question: Can you give us an example of the most popular affirmations?

Carmen Warrington: An affirmation that many people use is "I love and accept myself as I am" to counteract all the negative beliefs we hold about ourselves. To reduce stress you could affirm 'Everything is unfolding as it is meant to, and all is well." On the theme of abundance, affirmations on gratitude are lovely, for example 'I am grateful for my life of abundance, all my needs are met and I have enough to share."


Question: How can we make small changes to develop mindfulness?

Carmen Warrington: Be a little more discerning about what thoughts you allow into your mind – there's so much mental junk-food out there. Every once in a while, take a deep breath and focus on being, instead of doing. Be kind and encouraging to yourself, not critical or dismissive – be careful how you talk to yourself. Ponder the idea that being able to love others starts with being able to love yourself.


Interview by Brooke Hunter