Film and Voiceover Actress, Storyteller, Candid Conversationalist, Public Speaker and Freelance Writer Ashley Nicole Dennis is the industry’s best kept secret. The Fort Worth, Texas native has a knack for “keeping it real” when it comes to her life experiences and shares the lessons she’s learned along the way, with the hope of inspiring others to greatness through her craft.
Several years ago, I began to set myself on a path to healing from the inside out. At the time, I was a single mother of a then-teenaged son, struggling to make ends meet, and rapidly approaching the end of my thirties. I was lonely. I was hurting. I longed for someone, anyone, to come along and rescue me from my circumstances. I realized, however, that the only someone that had the capacity to save me was…me! So, I became my own “she-ro” the best way I knew how; I started writing my way out of my pain.
Writing has always been my saving grace. While I was a voracious reader as a child, I was an equally gifted writer. One of my favorite birthday gifts I received growing up was a small, pink and white diary with gold trim and its own mini set of keys. I would spend hours tucked away in my room, jotting down my endless thoughts about the world around me. It’s no wonder I decided to study Print Journalism during my freshman year of college in 1999.
Fast forward decades later, I reflected on how writing was, for me, my way of escape. As a wrestled with my ever-present thoughts of rejection and hopelessness, I started writing the following affirmations as an antidote to combat my personal struggles with depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Every affirmation listed was in direct response to a self-defeating thought—spawned from either a false narrative I had told myself, or a negative opinion that I was blatantly told by someone else.
Throughout my journey of self-discovery, I learned the key to overcoming the issues that plagued me was to simply start calling out the attributes I desired to see manifested. I started getting up every morning to stand in front of my mirror and recite each affirmation to myself, word for word, until they started to stick. In doing so, not only did I take back the power I had willfully given to others, I soon realized that the characteristics I desired to see I already possessed. In fact, they were my greatest superpowers. I needed only to shift my focus on my strengths, not my weaknesses. With that said, it is my prayer that the words I share bring a message of hope, healing and self-acceptance to the reader:
- I accept that I am more than capable of succeeding in every area of my life.
- I accept that I am loved and deserve to be loved unconditionally; I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but myself.
- I accept that someone else’s rejection of me has no bearing over my self-worth. I am still valuable and deserve to be treated as such.
- I accept that I have amazing gifts, talents, and abilities to offer the world, and that the world is indeed a better place because I am in it.
- I accept that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made”.
- I accept that I have the right to own my faults and my feelings without being ashamed of either one.
- I accept that my voice is valid—what I say and how I feel matters.
- I accept that I am a great mother and a good person.
- I accept that I am worthy of every good thing life has to offer me.
- I accept that if I want acceptance from others, I must first learn to love and accept myself.
- I accept that it is okay to say “no” and to put myself first.
- I accept that despite the negative situations that I’ve experienced, I am not defined by them.
- I accept that good things can and will happen for me.
- I accept that I am whole and complete just as I am; I lack nothing.
- I accept that there is nothing wrong with me; my character flaws are merely a reflection of my humanity.
