Recently I’ve been running through what feels like a movie series worth of life adventures, culminating with my car being stolen about a month ago. Everyone deals with life’s obstacles in different ways, but I thought I’d share one that I use daily and has been in use since I was 6 years old.
When I was a kid, mom would work at 6:30, so she’d drop me off early at school around 6. But that meant wake-up time was like 4–4:30; as a kid, that’s a nightmare. To get me in the right mindset for the day, and probably stop me from being a tiny grump, mom had me recite simple affirmations. I had no intention of believing in them or liking them, but as the years went on, and we continued this every morning (no kidding, even on non-school days if we got in the car we did it) I came to appreciate the power of these affirmations.
I am smart
I am special
I can do anything
Jesus loves me
- These are the affirmations my mom had me say every morning.
These days, I’ve developed my own set of Affirmations based on my goals or to help regain perspective. When I find myself “out of balance” I recite these affirmations. Especially when there’s a negative thought that just won’t go away.
I have everything I need.
My blessings far outweigh my worries
I adapt quickly
Creating your own set of affirmations isn’t that difficult — but it takes a bit of thinking. While there are TONS of books and videos with ideas for your own affirmations; I encourage you to think of things that are true for you in your life. You hold onto these things that you affirm when you’re dealt a blow on your journey through life.
HOW TO DO IT.
Look, affirmations don’t have to be “I wish” statements or manifestations of the future. In fact, affirmations have been proven to be effective at stress regulation when they’re simply true. No future “hopeful” tense or manifestation is needed.
When I was first getting on my feet after moving out of my mom’s house, I was BROKE. but one of my affirmations was:
As I continue to put in time, my work will pay off.
Nothing mind-blowing. Just a simple statement, that put things in perspective when I was feeling down, and statistically, it was true. Work at something long enough, you’re going to see results.
Think of practical examples for your life. Maybe you’re juggling taking care of the family and the job. Here are some questions to help get you started:
What systems or resources allow you to provide for your children and perform at work? Spouse, reliable vehicle, low cost of living in your area, maybe you set yourself up early on or have a way of having passive income, etc.
I am loved and supported
I choose to live in the best area for my family
My vehicle is a tank, and survives EVERYTHING.
Rinse and repeat for various situations in your life. Keep them short, relevant, and TRUE so that you’ll remember them. Being able to call upon them at a moment's notice is part of what makes affirmations so powerful.
Anywho, I’m talking about these because they’ve been incredibly top of mind and continue to help me as I navigate life. You can be 6 or 60+, alone or with a group of people — give it a try. I truly believe affirmations will help shape the way you see the world.
