Affirmations that Work

20 Positive Affirmations Can Change Your Life

The media today is full of headlines and sound bites of shootings, terrorism, political bashing, and abuse of all sorts. It is little wonder, then, that I find myself thinking overly negative thoughts.

I may have a stressful day at work and wish nothing better than to unwind and relax at home and, lo and behold, I find the TV is filled with uninspiring, if not plain scary, ‘news’ and ‘shows’ that often make me feel more anxious than I was before I switched the TV on.

I find myself wondering, “I wish things in the world were more positive”!

Then it dawns on me, while I may not be able to control the world around me I can certainly make my day more positive in spite of outside influences. After all, what better way is there to contribute to yourself, and the world, than by being the “positive you”, the world, and you, so desperately need?

So, about a month ago, I began saying to myself a set of positive affirmations each day when I awake and before I go to bed. I find the benefits of my ‘daily affirmations’ to be uplifting of my spirit and positive to myself and to the people I interact with during the day. The best thing of all, I did not need a prescription to change my mood! This is what I notice when I use my positive affirmations on a daily basis.

While the events of the day don’t change, or the people, or the news, or the general negative attitude of the world around me, I begin to experience more energy to embrace my day. I accomplish more and, when I take breaks with the people I enjoy being with, I do so without feeling guilty that I’m not ‘getting things done’. As I accomplish more during the day my ability to do more increases too. My work ethic increases, my ability to be swayed and bogged down by the negativity around me decreases and, I find myself smiling a lot more. I’m even sleeping better at night!

Psychologists, life coaches and professional mentors will all tell you there is benefit in the use of daily affirmations. What’s more, there’s plenty of documented clinical evidence that positive affirmations stimulate the ‘reward centers’ in the brain, ventral striatum (VS) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), which are the same areas that respond to pleasurable experiences like ‘eating your favorite meal or winning a prize’. If you’d like to learn more you can read this excellent study from the University of Pennsylvania: ‘Neural Mechanics of Self Affirmation’

If you wish to make a positive change in your life, I encourage you to take this 30-day challenge with me.

Put a list of 10 to 20 positive affirmations on your phone, on your bedside table, or taped to your bathroom mirror (my favorite spot – can’t miss them that way), and say them aloud to yourself in the morning and at night. I have supplied a list of 20 positive affirmations here to help you get started.

Some helpful tips for this challenge are these… be patient. This is a 30 Day challenge for a reason. It will take time for you to see the full benefit of the affirmation process.

• Make certain your affirmations are about you, your life and your goals.
• Keep them simple. This is a simple process so keep it simple.
• Keep them positive and focus on what you want.
• Keep them in the  ‘present tense’. You cannot fix the past so speak to your affirmations ‘today’.
• Keep saying these affirmations whether you believe them or not.

Here are some some sample affirmations to get you started:

1. I have an abundance of energy
2. I am free of pain
3. Today is my day
4. Today I will change my life
5. I am strong
6. I am beautiful
7. I am loved
8. Unlimited energy will fill me today
9. Today, I’m a magnet for ideas
10. I will be a giver of love today
11. The sunrise fills me with confidence
12. I can overcome all challenges
13. Today, I will learn and grow
14. I will be a better person today
15. I will help someone today
16. I love who I see in the mirror
17. Success will find me today
18. I am grateful for another day to shine
19. Today is full of possibilities
20. I will be fearless today

Most importantly, have fun!

If you, or someone you know, struggles with feeling good about yourself, your life, or your future, contact us at Barrington Behavioral Health and Wellness. Phone: 888-261-2178 or email: help@barringtonbhw.com

Dawn Sherwood, LCSW

Dawn enjoys guiding adolescents, adults, and seniors with a variety of diagnoses including depressive disorders, chronic illness, anxiety disorders, and more.

Dawn is passionate about assisting individuals in becoming their own agents of change through understanding and empowerment of themselves.

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