Not too long ago a kind, selfless customer shared with us a great story about our products…

One day, she was wearing her “I am… HAPPINESS” wristband as she always did, when another person noticed it.  This other person was quite down on her luck and said she sure wished she had “Happiness.”  So, our kind-hearted customer gave the stranger her “I am… HAPPINESS” wristband, thinking that she obviously needed it more. After giving the stranger the wristband our customer told her to focus on thoughts of happiness.

This simple story sparked a wonderful thought into our minds here at I am…™ Clothing.  If there is someone in need, do that person a favor.  Don’t ask for anything in return; just tell the person you helped to help someone else down the line.

This concept was written about by Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Benjamin Webb dated April 22, 1784.  In his letter, Benjamin Franklin says:

“I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro’ many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.”

The concept was further popularized in 2000, with Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel Pay It Forward. Soon after, her novel was adapted into the Warner Brothers film, Pay It Forward.

We at I am…™ Clothing think that this could be easily done with our wristbands.  We call it “Give your Happiness”.   Wear your wristbands as you always do, but when that time comes that you see someone in more need, simply  “Give your Happiness“, “Give your Love“, or “Give your Strength“.  Give your wristband to that person, tell them to focus on thoughts of happiness, love, or strength, and ask for nothing in return.  Tell them to give the wristband to someone else in more need down the road.

We would love to start hearing more stories about our wristbands changing hands and helping people.  Go to our Contact Us page, and tell us where you got your wristband, or who you gave your wristband to.

Feeling from Your Heart……………Thinking from Your Head

Focus on the here and now……………………Focus on the detail
Successful thought patterns………………….Unsuccessful thought patterns
Awareness…………………………………………..Resistance to flow
Positive emotional state……………………….Ego-driven
Adaptation Potential……………………………..Inflexible
Suppresses effects of stressors………………Reliance on possessions
Perception of internal power………………….Perception of power in possessions
You say what you feel…………………………….You leave things unsaid

The practice of Taoism strives to foster inner serenity and equanimity, encouraging the individual to live and act according to the laws of the Tao. A person is required to suppress his own will, or what you might refer to as ego. It is preached that whoever devotes himself to the Tao achieves harmony with it not through intellect, willpower, or conscious action in the head, but intuitively in the heart by adapting to the way of all things. According to the fundamentals of Taoism, nothing in the cosmos is fixed; everything is subject to change, and the wise realize that by accommodating to this constant and consistent change they experience growth. Adaptation is the key to success. This is the growing and becoming that governs the visible world.

Taoist belief stresses letting go of what’s in your head and allowing yourself to become aware of what’s in your heart. This is a belief that can be easily put into practice, yet takes years to master. The following is an exercise to help you become more aware of what is in your heart.

Imagine you have a chest in front of you. For the next ten minutes allow yourself to think from your head. This includes all emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Let yourself relax and become aware of your thoughts. Notice how your body responds to each thought in your head. If you feel positive, do nothing. If you feel negative, place the thought into the imaginary chest along with the feelings which accompanied it. Set a timer for ten minutes and begin. At the end of the session lock the chest and cast it off into an imaginary ocean.

Repeat this exercise, but this time allow yourself to feel from your heart. Do this by controlling your thoughts and only choosing ones which make you feel good. Every thought is under the control of the mind. You have this capability even if you’ve never before been aware of it. Notice how your head is responding to each feeling from your heart. If you have a positive thought, place it into the imaginary chest along with the feeling which accompanied it. If you have a negative thought, do nothing. Set a timer for ten minutes and begin. At the end of the session lock the chest and place it inside your heart in remembrance of this activity. It will remain there for as long as you allow it. It can be accessed at any time you need a lift. This exercise will help you begin to realize the difference between feeling from your heart and thinking from your head and will help you to start increasing your happiness.

10 Simple Ways to Increase Your Happiness:

1. Always have something to look forward to- a vacation, date, party, celebration. If you don’t have one on the calendar, then create one.
2. Focus on what you do have, and not what you don’t have.
3. Surround yourself with things you love: people, places, or things. Have minimal exposure to things which seem irritating.
4. Focus on long-term satisfaction. Use the discipline in your mind to delay gratification.
5. Reward yourself a little bit each day by reveling in your daily accomplishments.
6. Be easy on yourself and others- we all come forth with good intentions.
7. Appreciate the experience of the physical form while you also keep in mind your spiritual side.
8. Don’t get caught up in the details of life.
9. Show your kindness and compassion everyday- share your gifts.
10. Love yourself as the wonderful creation that you are

Your mind is a treasure chest which should be filled with precious gems and jewels symbolizing happiness, strength, love, gratitude, generosity and contribution. Your thoughts should be reserved for things you hold most dear. Thinking is a perpetual process reflecting the supreme human privilege to create thoughts which in turn manifest into your reality. By making a conscious effort to honor your mind, you increase your positive thought patterns for your self as well as for everyone else around you. This is your choice, as it is not your abilities which reveal who you are, but your choices. It is your choice to determine your own reality.

To begin to create your reality, begin by defining your “I am”. Your sense of “I am” provides the foundation upon which all self-perceptions are based. The way you see yourself influences the way the world sees you. Your self-perception is the pillar from which you see the world. I am happiness. I am gratitude…The I am statement is the most powerful reflection of what you understand to be true about yourself. It reflects what you know in your head and what you understand in your heart. It represents more than just your physical, but also your spiritual side which unleashes your potential. “I am”, two small words, creates a bridge connecting your current self-perception to what you want to be. When you think of I am, think of what choices you let define you in your heart. Do you choose happiness, love, gratitude, strength…..or a combination of many? What is your I am?

The I am…™ company is an inspiration. The external influences the internal. Think of a time when you felt good about yourself on the outside. You felt bigger and better as you exuded positive energy. This energy affected not only your own mind, but also the minds of people around you. Positive energy inspires you to treasure the thoughts in your mind. This creates even more positive energy. When you are feeling good about yourself you are making the world a better place.

What you choose to put on in the morning has a direct effect on your thoughts. A person who chooses to wear apparel with a positive message, for example an I am…™ shirt, hat or wristband says to the world: I treasure my thoughts. I exude positive energy. I want to make a positive change in the world. I want to live positive every day. This is our mission here at I am…™. We want to inspire you and those around you to change your life for the better by making a conscious effort to think positive thoughts. Our apparel is an inspiration for this purpose. Treasure what you carry around inside your mind.
People who wear our apparel remark:

“I found myself looking at the world differently. I smile more and make an effort to see the goodness in life. The I am… happiness shirt makes me want to be a better person.” –John from San Diego, CA

“I am amazed by the compliments I receive when I wear my I am… love shirt. I feel more loving and people look at me with an open heart. I absolutely love the love.”
–Andrea from Boston, MA

“Gratitude is an outlook which helps me to achieve my dreams. My shirt is a constant reminder to be thankful for all that I have.”
-Paul from Danbury, CT

When you change your outlook you change your life. These quotes exemplify the inspirational foundation upon which the I am…™ company was built. What is your I am?

Send us your questions, ideas and most of all your positive thoughts!

Next week: 10 ways to increase your happiness, without opening your wallet!