Using Affirmations (and 20 of My Favourites!)
Affirmations are a powerful tool to shift your mood and mindset into an energy that’s more aligned with what you want to experience.
Sometimes, they can feel like a lie. I get, I’ve been there too. If you genuinely feel like crap or a situation really is dire, it can feel stupid or even offensive repeating positive statements. But like gravity, even if you don’t believe it, it still works.
There have been many times in my life where repeating certain affirmations over and over have helped me through anxiety and panic attacks (see #5 and #17 on the list). In those moments, I may not be able to change my state my emotional, but giving myself reassuring thoughts to focus on (rather than the anxiety or panic) has helped calm me down.
Since introducing affirmations to my life (and I admit I don’t use them enough), it’s also opened my eyes to my general mindset. Sometimes I don’t realize how negative or self-pitying or self-victimizing I am until I start using affirmations, and it always serves as a reminder for me to readjust my thinking. Rather than beating myself up about it, I use it as a tool of self-awareness to course-correct.
I find affirmations to be most powerful when you align the thought with the feeling. It takes a bit of effort, a bit of practice, and sometimes a lot of surrender. If you read my last blog post, I talked about the power of visualization. One of the key components is not just visualizing the situation, but feeling the corresponding feelings as well. It’s the same for affirmations. I find it works best when you can take your time, focusing on the weight of each word and the feeling you want it to bring. Sometimes it’s hard if you haven’t felt a certain feeling in a long time (like peace, happiness, health, etc.) A trick I like to use is to remind myself of a time I felt that way (no matter how long ago, no matter how “big” or “small” it feels— if it elicits the feeling, lean into it). For example, I even do this when my sinuses are congested and I can’t breathe through my nose properly. I’ll remember what it feels like to take a long, deep breath through my nose, how good and clear it feels to feel the breath moving through me, filling my lungs, expanding my chest, pushing my belly. And then I surrender. The more you focus on something, the more you interfere with it. Sometimes you need to just let things flow. And you know what? It pretty much always works. I really swear by this technique because you can apply it in so many ways. And if you’re trying to create an experience you haven’t had before, use your imagination! What do you imagine it would feel like to be at peace? You’d feel calm, relaxed. There’d be an underlying knowing that all is well. You wouldn’t have any tension in your body. You’d sleep great and feel this sense of relief. You get the idea. However it is you want to feel is what you want to harness.
The great thing about affirmations is that you can use them whenever you need them. You can say them out loud or to yourself in your head. You can say them while looking at yourself in a mirror, while you’re showering or getting ready, while you’re sitting in traffic, in the bathroom stall, while you’re sipping your favourite beverage. I have three favourite times I love to do my affirmations and I find these moments most impactful:
In the morning: Either while I’m still in bed or typically, just after I’ve gotten up I’ll sit down to meditate for a few moments. It’s an incredible way to set intentions for your day and set the tone for the energy and experiences you want to have. The best part of doing it in the morning is that then it’s done and you can go about your day, knowing you’ve already declared your intentions.
In the shower: Bathing is a ritual for me, not just for hygienic reasons but for the purpose of purification. Water is a powerful tool for cleansing and incredibly, it also holds onto memories (there’s tons of cool research and experiments on this!) When I get into the shower, I always begin with the same ritual of releasing any energy that doesn’t serve my highest good, I let go of anything that’s bothering me, and then I repeat affirmations or set intentions for the energy I want to be aligned with.
Before bed: I hate to go to bed feeling anything but good, and I know you know how poorly you sleep when you’re stressed out, angry, feeling emotional about something, or have a chatty mind. I always meditate before bed and let go of what’s bothering me (often, we have to surrender to the same thing many times before we can fully let it go) and then I’ll repeat affirmations that make me feel good, hopeful, calm, or whatever it is I need in that moment. I’m not saying it’s a cure-all for an amazing night’s sleep, but the effort makes a difference.
Each stage of the brain’s consciousness (from alert to deep sleep) correspond to different types of mental activity. When you’re first waking up, the brain is transitioning from delta to theta waves, which is linked to deep meditation and subconscious programming (among other things). In this state, you’re more susceptible to messaging. And when you’re winding down at the end of the day, your brain transitions from alpha or beta to theta. Meditation is an excellent way to prepare your mind and body before affirmations and it’s why I love to combine the two. (If you’re interested in hearing more about the different stages of brain waves, I’d be happy to dedicate a post about it. Let me know in the comments!)
I hope these insights help you to get everything you can out of affirmations. Sometimes, positive thinking is too big a stretch, and that’s okay. In those cases, use neutral statements instead. Affirmations are a bit of a fun experiment for me. I genuinely enjoy coming up with new ones to align myself to what I want to experience. You can find lists of affirmations for just about everything, which is something I’m grateful for because I had no idea where to start when I was first getting into it. Over time, you learn which ones work best for you in different situations. Now, here are some of my favourite affirmations I use! (In no particular order):
Everything is working out better than I expect.
I am exactly where I need to be.
I am always on the right path.
I am full of love and surrounded by love.
I am safe, I am grounded, I am protected.
I let go and surrender all of the stress, worry, anxiety, fear, confusion, doubt, and burdens that are weighing me down.
I allow myself to be free.
I can feel the relief.
I call back my power and energy from all people, places, and situations that do not serve my highest good.
All of my needs are taken care of.
I am more supported than I know.
The Universe has my back.
I am capable of overcoming challenges.
I am open to solutions.
I am in flow with life.
I am perfectly aligned with my dream life.
With every breath, I feel more calm.
I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am blessed, I am abundant, I am thriving.
I’m open to the infinite possibilities of the Universe.
Life just keeps getting better and better.