TRANSFORM YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
Originally posted Apr 19, 2021
From Super Siobhan:
You ever notice how quick and willing we are to offer love and words of encouragement to those we care about and even those we barely know, but to ourselves we prefer to be our own worst critic? For example, how often do you say to your significant other, your parents, or your kids "I love you". When was the last time you looked yourself in the eye and said those same three words to yourself?
Why is that? Vulnerability and fear.
Brene Brown, author of great reads like "Daring Greatly" and "The Gifts of Imperfection", made a great point once about our natural reluctance to ask for and receive help. She said when we attach a negative value to receiving help, we're really assigning value to ourselves when we offer such help to someone else. I feel this thinking is also true when it comes to how we talk about and how we talk to ourselves. It is easier for us to share supportive and loving words to others because it also makes us feel valued as we watch the power of our words lift up another. But it feels really vulnerable and triggering if we offer to ourselves such strength and encouragement, as if somehow it is an acknowledgement of our own incapability and weakness.
When you repeat things often enough to yourself, you believe them as truth and you include them in your thinking pattern, which is then adopted into your behavior. We know this to be true because think of how many times you have told yourself how you couldn't or shouldn't do something only to prove yourself right by self-sabotaging and stopping yourself short.
Thankfully, positive affirmations, (what we like to refer to as "Awesome Talk") are even more powerful than negative thoughts because they release you from negativity, stress, doubt, fear, worry, and anxiety. When repeated over and over again, they begin to take charge of your thoughts, influence your subconscious mind to access new beliefs, slowly change your thinking pattern, and yes, will ultimately change your life.
To get the most benefit from affirmations, you'll want to start a regular practice and actually make it a habit. Like brushing your teeth and putting lotion on and chugging water. It is an important piece in daily self-care and self-love.
Start easy. First try looking at yourself in the mirror and simple say, "You got this." Work your way up to 3 to 5 minutes at least twice a day. Try saying affirmations as soon as you wake up and/or before you hop into bed. Repeat each affirmation about 10 times. OUT LOUD. So you hear yourself and your brain processes what you are declaring. You want to not only say it, you want to hear it so you can feel it so you believe it so you become it.
Here are some tips to help you create your personal "Awesome Talk".
Start with the words “I am.” The two most powerful words in the English language.
Use the present tense.
State it in the positive. This point should be obvious, but just to make sure we are on the same page...
State it as fact. No use of words like 'sorta', 'kinda', 'sometimes'.
Keep it brief. You do not want to go on and on and tune yourself out.
Make it specific. For example, "I am awesome at Awesome Talk".
Include an action word ending with –ing. Like, "I am amazing!"
Say it with feeling. For example, "I am AWESOME!!!!!!"
Be sure to click on the link below as our very own Wonder Nat will lead you through a powerful and empowering positive affirmation meditation to help you get into the headspace to tap into your most awesome self.
It’s always good to remind ourselves there’s room to improve but there is a difference between self-reflection and trash-talk. So next time you catch yourself in the rear mirror, or right before you find the perfect filter to take that viral-bound selfie, stop, smile, give yourself a wink, and say with total confidence, "I. AM. AWESOME".