2019: Your New Manifesto

Livestrong
Livestrong Voices
Published in
4 min readJan 15, 2019

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Here we are in mid-January. How many times have you been asked the question: “What are your New Year’s Resolutions?” Or even less formal “What are your plans for this year?”

There are some people that jump to answer these questions, laying out carefully thought-out plans that turn into goals that they convert to accomplishments. Some people make vague plans or general goals, and some people do not make any plans or goals. No matter where you fall in making goals or resolutions, consider this:

What is your message?

In Guillaume Wolf’s , “PROF. G”, You Are A Message: Meditations for the Creative Entrepreneur, PROF. G states, “Everything you are, everything you have, everything you do is a message. You might not know it, but you’re constantly projecting a message around you.”

You might have heard this advice before — to be clear and intentional with your message. Consider your message to be your personal manifesto. A manifesto is defined as a written statement declaring the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual or group. A manifesto can be a bold call-to-action, it can challenge assumptions, it can be a tool to project your message, or a declaration of your essence.

Here at LIVESTRONG: “We believe in life. Your life. We believe in living every minute of it with every ounce of your being. And that you must not let cancer take control of it. We believe in energy: channeled and fierce.” That is just one part of our essence, as well as part of our manifesto.

A manifesto helps you decide what you want to put all of your time and energy into. It’s about the real stuff, the work, the meat and potatoes. Many times we’ve heard individuals say “I didn’t really hear anything after my doctor told me I was diagnosed with cancer.” We’ve seen the moments on screen, the camera zooms in on the individual, everything around them becomes quiet or even blurred, and then all of a sudden the camera pulls back to focus and it is life again. What’s next?

Here at LIVESTRONG, we kick in the moment you’re diagnosed. We help you accept the tears. Acknowledge the rage. We’re about the practical stuff. Planning for surviving. Banking your sperm. Preserving your fertility. This is the real stuff, the tactical part of the LIVESTRONG manifesto.

What are your specific goals? How do you contribute to the world? Why do you exist?

A manifesto is you at your core, it’s your foundation. Think about that core when you are faced with making life-impacting decisions. What is it honestly telling you? This is no time to pull punches. We know you’re in the fight of your life. We know that you have goals to be accomplished. Understand the fear and nervousness, channel these emotions and tap into that inner core.

So how do you write a manifesto and what makes something a manifesto?

Well first, a manifesto is for you. It’s valuable in the fact that it is a constant source of inspiration for the writer. It’s unique in the sense that you do not have to show it to people. Because it’s personal, it can just be seen and read by the writer. Since it is also the writer at the core, there is really no right or wrong way to write a manifesto.

So where do you start?

  1. Pick the topic you would like to write about. Get inspired. For example, if you want to write about your quality of life during treatment, write about what that would look like. This can include members of your care team, their purpose, their work, and how it all contributes to your quality of life during treatment goals.
  2. Confirm your values. Write down your beliefs, motives, and be intentional on choosing what your values are. What are the values you use to make life decisions? What are the values that represent you at your core?
  3. Be intentional in your language. “Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything. This is LIVESTRONG.” Be bold, be strong, encourage yourself and use language that empowers you, speaks to your core, and challenges you to achieve.
  4. Write it. Again. And again. And one more time. Don’t type, write it down with a physical pen and paper. This makes it tangible, makes your manifesto real. Make notes, start with “I believe…” or “I am…” Think of your core, your essence, and your motivations. Include these and make your language inspiring.
  5. LIVE IT! Be your message. Remember what you are projecting –you do this by reading your manifesto and practicing self-awareness. Acknowledging that this is who you are at your core. Keep in mind that your priorities and goals will change over time. The manifesto is a living document, let it grow, it’s your friend, it’s your confidant as you continue your life.

Finally, as you continue this year think about your message and remember to be kind to yourself — you’re doing great!

Need a little inspiration? Watch our manifesto video:

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