As a young child, we quickly realize that life has many challenges. Yes, even at an early age. As we grow, we learn that we need to find ways to help us persevere through life’s challenges and difficult times. Children grow up in different environments. In some households, that comes with negative criticism disguised as constructive. Others may grow up in a home that believes in verbal praise or verbal validation. For those people who have grown through the criticism, they may have taken on negative self-talk because that is what they are used to hearing. Affirmations are a great way to help reset and control our thoughts about ourselves or our thoughts regarding a particular situation.
If you are like me and grew up in church, you were taught early on a scripture that reads something like life and death lies in the power of the tongue, The Holy Bible (King James Version) Proverbs18:21. As a teenager, when faced with negative or combative comments, I remember reassuring myself through this verse and trying to shift my thinking. At the time, I did not realize that this was me affirming myself. As I moved into my twenties, I began to find positive quotes. I would post them on my desk at work, my bathroom mirror at home, and save them in the notes section of my phone. I quickly realized that through affirming myself I developed mental strength.
On the website, https://psychcentral.com/health/why-positive-affirmations-dont-work it states that practicing affirmations daily can help with overcoming adversity and improve your mindset. In other words, it helps you to combat negative thinking, negative self-talk, and other negative words told to you by someone else. I am ultimately, helping to replace the negative with the positive. Each morning I wake, my routine includes prayer, solitude, and reading the affirmations I’ve written on my mirror. When I dress for the day, I have affirmations on my vision board to help remind and align me with my goals.
Affirmations coupled with grace from God, and working hard have put me in places that I would have never imagined for myself. Even when dealing with self-doubt, I have accomplished personal goals within my career, family, home, and personal health that I never saw as attainable. I am a victim of self-doubt, self-judgment, and all the other negative self-statements that could be made. However, when I have a hint of negative talk to myself, I remind myself that I am loved. I remind myself that I am capable. I remind myself that I am loved. Finally, I remind myself that I can do hard things. Below you will find a few of my favorite affirmations.
Affirmations:
- I can do hard things.
- I am loved.
- I am capable.
- I will not quit on myself.
- I will stay true to who I am.
- Mediocrity cannot exist where growth is occurring.
- I will not lose. -Jay-Z
You got this,
Krasia