BRONX, NY- Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well. Remember a few weeks ago I wrote a post about the DIY gifts and mentioned a secret project? The secret project was given as holiday gifts to some special people in my life. People who have had my back and showed me support when I needed it most. As a thank you, I decided to make them MyIntent bracelets to add inspiration to their goals.
I started out this project by ordering a MyIntent makers kit. The company created by Chris Pan has a mission: “MyIntent Project is a catalyst for meaningful conversations and positive action.” Tokens are stamped with a word that means something to the individual who wears it. Finding the perfect word takes time. The makers kit includes a hammer, stamping base, practice tokens, stamps, question cards, a small tote bag, and bracelets.
While waiting for the makers kit to arrive, I texted my friends and asked them a simple question: “If you can choose one word to motivate you throughout the day, what would it be and why?” To avoid my friends from getting suspicious, I disguised the question as if it were a social project for the blog. I got a variety of answers and loved them all. Once the makers kit came in, I set up shop and got to work stamping their words on the bracelets.
As I banged away on the tokens, I kept the intentions in mind. Stamping the bracelets was harder than expected. The practice tokens were a mess. I did the best I could keeping the letters as straight as possible. I also stamped a new one for myself. When the bracelets were complete, I placed each one in a DIY box along with a printout of the intention. The boxes got put into paper bags. It was like looking at a rainbow.
Fast forward to a few weeks later, and everyone received their gifts. The gratitude I received from my friends was heartwarming. All agreed that I could share their word and intentions with others:
It’s a word that signifies strength and courage in the face of obstacles and that’s something I hope to keep in mind everyday no matter how difficult things get. PERSEVERENCE
It’s one of my core values. JOY
Everything is a lesson in life. LESSON
Life will always throw challenges at you and if you are determined enough to get through that on a daily basis, then there’s nothing you can’t accomplish. PERSEVERENCE
Love can bloom and flourish into many things, just like people. It’s hope for growth. LOVE
Well, there’s already hate and sadness in the world, and we as individuals tend to dwell on that. Being able to smile off a joke or an “I love you” or bonding with someone can really affect the outcome of one’s outlook on life. It can change the tune real quick of someone’s bad day. I know that if I start my day happy, I’ll end it the same way even if I’m tired. At least I know I had a great day. I’m infectious to my family and friends making sure they smile and find joy if they cannot on their own. In the bad times, it is easy to frown and fall, but we need to smile and have that drive that inspires us go through with the rest of our lives. HAPPINESS
The love of those I care about keeps me going. LOVE
It’s what I’ve done and will continue to do throughout my life. FORWARD
I want to travel. I want to experience all life has to offer. LIVE LIFE
I love when Rafael told Jane these words when she was afraid to shoot for her dreams on Jane The Virgin. It resonated with me because my anxiety gets the best of me in moments when I want to be happy and enjoy life. I want a reminder to fight my demons. BE BRAVE
I want everyone to think about a word that would motivate you. Is there a goal you are working on? What virtues or values do you want to work on? What obstacles do you want to overcome? I want to give a special thanks to all my friends who chose to participate in this post. You are amazing!
Photos: Rosa Elena Burgos, Jasmine Cordero, David Lightfoot, Gallia Lightfoot, Jonathan Noriega, and Angelica Lopez.
Last Updated: February 22, 2022