“I am so tired”, “I am so late”, “I am so busy”, “I am so stressed”? I bet you say those things to yourself all the time, don’t you? When was the last time you said “I am so in love with my life”, “I am so proud of myself” “I’m having a great day today” or “I am so happy”?
Affirmations are short, simple yet powerful statements that help to assert something to be true in your subconscious mind (sort of like making your sub-conscious thoughts, conscious). Most powerful ones, start with the words “I am”. Research proves that affirmations actually change brain on a cellular level- our thoughts have a direct connection to our level of health. Affirmations can empower you, they make you aware of your thoughts and they’ll make you want to surround yourself with things you love.
Sometimes you might feel like there’s too much going on at once in your life. One of my favorite ways to deal with feelings of being overwhelmed with life, is through meditation and affirmations. You can write them down on a piece of paper, your planner, a sticky, and make sure read them (or say them), every single day, as many times as you want. The more you use these affirmations, more believable they will become.
I AM MEANT TO HAVE AN AMAZING LIFE
This, is one of my favorite affirmations, one I use every single day. I’ve said this to myself, for a very long time. Sometimes, we look at someone else’s life and can’t help, but feel envious. Whether it be their lifestyle, family or career. We think, “oh, easy for her/him to say, they don’t have to struggle, like I do“. Every time we think that, we use an excuse. It’s almost like telling yourself that you aren’t deserving of good things in life, it’s like telling yourself that you don’t believe you can have wonderful things in your life. It doesn’t matter how dull or ordinary you think your life is- you are meant to have an amazing life. When you believe that, you’ll start noticing all these wonderful and stunning things about your life, and you’ll want to create and go after more of those things, people and experiences that make you happy.
I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN
It’s probably not very often that you give yourself credit for the things you’ve accomplished. How often do you stop and think about some things you’ve overcome however big or small they might be? I think that we all have a tendency to be a little hard on ourselves. We always want to go after bigger, better things, and when you feel overwhelmed, it can sometimes feel like everything is falling apart. Tell yourself that you’re doing the best you can and don’t be afraid to give yourself some credit. Remember, that it’s okay to take a break sometimes, and that you can’t always “do it all”.
I LOVE MYSELF UNCONDITIONALLY, RIGHT NOW
I used to have something similar written down on a post-it note and have it taped up to my mirror where I’d see it every morning while getting ready: “I accept myself, unconditionally, right now“. After a while I thought that I should change “accept” to “love” because “love” is a much more powerful word. When you accept something it’s sort of like tolerating or recognizing it, whereas loving something or someone is caring deeply very deeply for it. It’s the most important thing that you can do for yourself. How different do you think your life would be, If you loved every single thing about yourself? I’m not talking about conceit, but acceptance, love, confidence, being comfortable with yourself, not having to question every single thing you do. Think about it. If you’re struggling with self-acceptance or confidence, or feeling stuck, confused even, I highly recommend you read Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on it by Kamal Ravikant. Some of you might know that I’ve struggled with depression for a few years, and I can honestly say that picking up this book changed my life.
I FORGIVE MYSELF AND SET MYSELF FREE
Do you get upset with or blame yourself when you happen to make a mistake or when things don’t go your way? Forgiving yourself is what’s going to set you free, because constant blame-playing will only make you feel anxious and upset. When you blame yourself for something, even if it’s a small mistake, you build up anxiety. Things won’t always work out as you planned. And when that happens, or when you happen to mess up, take a deep breath and say “I forgive myself, I set myself free.”
I AM IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE
Yes, there are some things that happen in your life that you cannot control. Things that will stress you out, things that will make you feel overwhelmed. What you can control though, is how you react to those things. Don’t pay any attention to things and people who don’t serve you. Tell yourself that you are in control of you life. We all experience some twists and turns along the way, but the key is to respect and accept them as they are, rather than letting them control us. You can control how you react to stressful situations or events. You can either let them break you, or you can accept them and move on.
I MAKE PEACE WITH THE PRESENT MOMENT
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate on the present moment”- Buddha
This one is a great affirmation for all my over-thinkers out there. It’s so important to try to be present as much as possible, enjoying every single moment of your life. No, it’s not always easy, especially when we’re so used to thinking about the past or worrying about the future. There is something magical about being present, when your mind is free of judgement in every single moment, every single thought. When you make peace with the present moment, and don’t try to make it pass, as quickly as possible.
You need to know when to take a step back and focus on your wellbeing. Especially these days, when it seems like so many of us have so much going on. There are so many things we try to focus on at once. Remember that you can live your life both with a purpose and passion at the same time.
