I was 22 when I got laid off from my job. In college I was president of every club, captain of every team, graduated early with honors and 4 different majors. I didn’t think I would be the one who would be let go from a job.
A friend of mine used to go to an 8 AM yoga class at a local gym and convinced me to join her one day. I got there and expected to be uncomfortably hot and sweating for 55 minutes, but this class was different. The instructor asked us to grab yoga rugs.
This was a different kind of yoga than I was used to. There was no sweating and no complicated poses. In fact, I remember spending most of the time on a soft rug with a blanket, laying on back, repeating words of encouragement. This wasn’t just yoga – this was therapy.
At the end of the class, the instructor passed around a deck of cards. She told us to choose one from the stack and pass it along to the next person. We weren’t allowed to look at them just yet.
As a class, we flipped our individual cards over and were told that this positive affirmation was our mantra for the day. We held it close to us, repeated it with our breathe, and sat in silence to meditate with it.
Mine was resilience.
I felt empowered.
Related: 8 Easy Habits To Get You Started With Self Love
No matter what phase of life you’re in, you may find yourself looking for some positivity. Complications can arise in relationships, in your career, at home, or within yourself.
In the 21st century we have all heard of positive affirmations and how effective they can be when practiced daily. I mean Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Lopez are doing it. Maybe there is something to it.
I know that many are skeptical of affirmations and think that it is simply part of the rise of the new age pseudo-science mumbo-jumbo, but there empirical that show how self-affirming our believes to ourselves can have a positive effect. The key is to do it in a positive manner; telling yourself “I am not a bad person” will not help, you should opt to say something like “I am a kind good person”.
Self affirmations and the science behind it
The self-affirmation theory explains how individuals react and adapt to things that threaten their self-concept, their idea about who they are. Self-affirmation practices act as a buffer and reduces defensiveness and increases the confidence levels of individuals.
The key to using affirmations is to establish your core identity through these affirmations. Maintaining a universal narrative about yourself is important to you self-preservation it allows you to be more flexible and adaptable.
With the right affirmations we will come to realise that we do not need to be exceptional in comparison to others to have a happy fulfilling life. We need to know our identity and that will allow us to place an emphasis on aspects that we personally value in life and then we can work on being competent and good.
Our self-integrity is often based on acting in a manner that truly warrants praise. We don’t say “I am a good parent” because we want to hear that from someone else but because we want to act in a manner that deserves such a praise. It is about creating that identity within ourselves and not about external validation.
Examples of positive affirmations for life
There are so many things that individuals can choose to affirm within themselves. Many associate this action with healing and self-improvement so you can choose an affirmation that works best with who you are and your needs.
- I listen to my intuition and trust my inner guide
- I give myself the care and attention that I deserve
- I am at peace with who I am as a person
- I trust myself to make the right decision
- I make a difference in the world by simply existing in it
Daily affirmations for success
Being successful requires various traits and it has to be relevant in your field and work with who you are. We also need motivation to keep working hard and achieving our goals. Affirming our abilities will encourage and motivate us
Here are a few affirmations that will help you establish confidence and build on your abilities.
- I am confident in my ability to {insert skill here}
- My drive and ambition allow me to achieve my goals
- My mind is full of brilliant ideas
Positive affirmations for happiness
We all tend to seek out happiness and we associate it with a variety of material possessions but it is often something that we need to establish from within. Being happy is about gratitude acceptance and peace. Here are a few affirmations that can help you find the happiness you seek from within.
- I am grateful to be alive. It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day
- Happiness is my birth right. I choose to be happy and I deserve to be happy
- Being happy comes easy to me. Happiness is my second nature
- Good things are happening to me
Affirmations for work
We are at work for so many hours at a time. It can be draining, exhausting and overwhelming even if we are capable of the tasks at hand and we are doing a job that we love. Sometimes we can all use a little support and these affirmations here can serve as an example for you to find one that works.
- I am completely energized to find my perfect job
- I am open to new and exciting opportunities to find my ideal work
- I am calm and confident
- I have limitless potential
- I see myself in my dream job
- I am deeply fulfilled by what I do
- I have all the skills and knowledge to deliver at my dream job
Related: Do These 10 Things Every Single Day
Examples of positive affirmations for healing
I know healing sounds like a buzzword. It is all the rage now but with good reason .So many people are becoming bolder to break out of generational trauma or work through societal pressures. The number of people engaged in healing has increased because we are exposed to so much more information about what we deserve and who we really can be.
These affirmations here can inspire to find a mantra for your own healing journey.
- I give myself permission to heal
- I am willing to forgive myself
- I am ready to forgive anyone I feel has hurt me
- I let go of my perceived pain
- I’m willing to see things differently
- I let go of my need to be right
- I accept the lesson my pain is offering me
Self affirmations for women
As women we live in a world where we are constantly battling something or rather. From beauty standards to reproductive rights. Sometimes we could use some some help. Here are some affirmations that can help us feel grounded and truly embrace our womanly strength.
- I am at peace with my body
- I combine femininity and intelligence beautifully
- I embrace being a woman
- The world deserves my authentic happiness
- The universe will guide me on anything and everything divinely
Daily affirmations for health
Health is truly the most important wealth. I’m not trying to be cheesy but I know that being healthy leads to a better quality of life. Here are some affirmations to get the ball rolling on your healthy living journey.
- I am open and receptive to all healing energies from the Universe
- I love my body
- I will invest in my health because I am worth it
- I’m full of energy
Positive affirmations for morning
How many of you actually wake up filled with excitement and joy? Or do you relate more to rolling out of bed drowsy and annoyed. Maybe incorporating a moment of peace and affirmations to your morning can help change that feeling.
- I am growing and going at my own pace
- I belong here and deserve to take up space
- I have everything I need to succeed
- I practice gratitude for everything that I have and everything is yet to come.
How to use affirmations
If you want affirmations to have any impact you need to be consistent. Neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to change an adapt according to situations is how affirmations work. So, by consistently creating a mental image of you doing something or being someone (within reason of course) you will be able to activate parts of your brain that would engage if you were actually experiencing these things.
Affirmations will not entirely transform your life but it will create a starting point. Remember to keep your affirmations realistic and in the present.
Why are affirmations so powerful?
Affirmations are a conscious effort that negate the negativity and release you in a way. For many it is the negative comments that we remember and repeat to ourselves so choosing to say positive things and consciously elevating ourselves really creates a narrative about us that is closer to who we want to be.
Many affirmations begin with “I am” so you are now supposed to trust the mantra and act as if. It is not magic because you still have to do the work and put yourself out there but now you have convinced a part of your brain to believe for instance, that you are capable and now you have live that reality.
Final thoughts on Positive Daily Affirmations
Affirmations and these mantras that you adopt have to be deeply personal and specific to your goals and self-identity. This practice is closely related to the Law of Attraction way of life. It is about believing in what is to come and sending out good vibrations. it is about creating your dream reality.
Here is a quote I think about a lot.
“If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.”
-Regina Brett
This is a reminder that you should manifest based on what you want and what works for you. It is not about trying to be someone else. It is about being the best version of you.
