Did you ever have to write standards in grade school? “Standards,” or also called, “writing lines” was given when a student or class misbehaved. Students were required to write the same sentence, repeatedly; twenty-five, fifty, or even seventy-five times.
(One hundred or more usually meant, you, or the class, did something really bad). LOL
Not sure if they still implement this form of disciplinary action in school anymore, however, I had to write these “so called” standards, a time or two (or six). Luckily, I did not have to write over seventy-five! (Ok maybe once!) But mine usually looked something like this:
“I will not talk in class”
“I will not talk in class”
Nonetheless, I hated writing standards!... For one, I thought they were sort of pointless, and just a waste of paper. (Unless, you had to write them all on the board, that is.)
Well, today, after all these years (let me slow down… not that many years!) I thought those writing standards days were all over, and behind me, ---until today.
But this time, it was NOT a teacher, dean, or a principal that assigned standards for me to write. No! It was actually me!...Yes myself.
Never thought that I would ever have to write “standards,” “writing lines”, or whatever they call it these days, again, but today, I did.
I picked up a pen, paper, and instructed myself to write the following sentence ten times… (I really wanted to give myself one hundred and fifty, but given I was on a time restraint and ten is probably all I can do anyway). I wrote:
“Today, I will no longer be hard or critical of myself… but only good to me. I will allow myself to make errors, I will slow down, and be my best. Today, I will love myself.”
“Today, I will no longer be hard or critical of myself… but only good. I will allow myself to make errors, I will slow down, and be my best. Today, I will love myself.”
Wither or not what I wrote was “official” standards, writing lines or just plain old affirmations. However, I'm glad I did.
Glad I stopped to give myself permission to be a little kinder to me.
Also, I see why they used to call them “standards.” Because writing the above was the “standard” of love and care, that I decided to live by and follow, today...and nothing less.
However, I am sooooo glad those writing standard days are all over!
Choose to be kind, good and loving to you today!...And always!
(So you don’t have to write standards!)
Have a good day!
CJ