About Affirmations:
Your thoughts impact your feelings and your behaviors. Your thoughts affect your self-esteem, your relationships, and your ability to show up as the best version of yourself. Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. How do they work?
By the time we become adults, our brains stop forming new neural pathways naturally. Our thoughts and habits become default responses and can be much harder to change. Harder, but not impossible. Utilizing daily affirmations is like going to the gym for your mind. The daily practice helps develop new neural pathways and a new (more positive) default response.
This simple affirmation practice has the power to rewire your brain and improve your mindset.
Choosing an Affirmation:
STEP 1: Identify the areas of your life where you feel self-judgment or doubt. If nothing comes to mind, try keeping a mental journal of all the times you say the phrase, “I should…” The word should is an indication of self-judgment and will point you in the direction of where you could use some self-acceptance and empathy.
STEP 2: Write down the negative thoughts that come up for you when you think about that situation or area of your life. (Get them out of your head and onto paper.)
STEP 3: Consider how you want to feel in that situation or area of your life. Choose an affirmation that is the opposite of the thought or belief.
Here are some examples in case you get stuck:
I am worthy of love and affection.
I am stronger than my fears.
I am living my dream life.
I am a strong and capable mother.
I am not afraid to start over.
Need more inspiration? Check out my weekly affirmations on Instagram.
Using Your Affirmations:
Write your 2-3 empowering "I AM" statements on your mirror cling, a notecard, or post-it note. Then display them on your bathroom mirror and look at them every morning for at least the next 7 days. Practice saying them out loud - even if you don't yet believe them. (This might be difficult at first, but it is part of this growth process.)
The small act of looking in a mirror and speaking affirmations to yourself can result in a major shift in your mood, outlook, and confidence in your own abilities.
Give it a try over the course of the next week. Pay attention to your inner voice and see if your daily redirection has a positive impact on your thoughts and feelings.