I love using a good affirmation.

I know, I know… so many people think that it is just positive thinking woowoo. I kindly disagree. I’m not trying to get you to buy into pretending that crap doesn’t happen in this journey we call life and that you pretend it doesn’t exist. I am encouraging you to focus on the gold despite the dirt. And not to add more dirt to your gold or ignore you gold altogether because you are spending so much time nourishing the dirt.

I want you to nourish your gold.

You are worth nourishing…. so pour the love on. Make it thick. Love yourself better than anyone else ever could. Besides, no one else knows exactly what you need, when you need it, besides you. Use that information to set your self-love ablaze.

First thing to understand about affirmations, they are not going to work overnight. Why would they? You have spent years tearing yourself down with negative statements and thoughts. It is going to take time and consistency to build yourself up.

This is a brain exercise that is assisting you in creating new healthy and happy habits for yourself.

Second thing, it is going to feel uncomfortable! Again… why wouldn’t it? You will be saying super awesome things about yourself. Which will be unusual. So it’s going to be like putting on a pair of jeans that fits just right, but feels like they are too tight because you are used to getting the pair that you look frumpy in. You know the ones that hide your body? That keep you feeling safe and invulnerable? So embrace the fit. Stop hiding behind the self criticism.

It’s time to break free.

How I make my affirmations work for me.

1. I pick a statement this is outside of my comfort zone. That’s right. The bigger the awesome statement… the more I know it is the one for me. If it feels too big and uncomfortable or I don’t believe it at all, then I know it is the one I need to say. And then I start to say it hundreds of times a day. It’s going to take that amount in order to heal all the damage I have been doing to myself by tearing myself down over the years. Plus, the healthiest relationships have a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative, so I have some catching up to do. Don’t you?!
2. I add movement when I am saying my affirmations. This means I say my affirmation during yoga, when walking to the kitchen to get a snack, or once I park my car and am walking into a building. Heck, I’ll even do some jumping jacks while saying it. Ask my clients, most likely, I have had them do this in one of our sessions. It changes your state. Makes it more fun and your brain and body start to believe you much faster. Win-win.
3. Make the statement positive and present tense. My affirmations are always including only positive words and in the present tense as if it is already true for the moment. Remember, it doesn’t matter if I actually believe the statement. I’m going to say it anyway with a goal of 400 times a day (or once every 2 minutes while awake) for 30 days at least.
4. I can change my affirmation to match my personal challenge of the day or moment. Having several affirmations that I can grab onto at any moment is very helpful for me. This allows me to pour love on myself whenever I need it. It also has a fantastic way of helping me calm my breath, relax, and tap into my confidence.
5. Be realistic. If you say a statement one time all frumpy with your head down and then instantly say, “this is dumb and doesn’t work,” don’t expect it to work. You get to nourish your dirt or your gold. And we all grow through dirt… even the flowers. So keep pushing through. Experiment with what works for you. Perhaps smiling and jumping while saying them work for you. Or doing sit-ups, doing chores, or when you are in the shower. Find your way of releasing your magic. And then let it flow.

Some of my go to affirmations:

• I am love.
• I am a masterpiece.
• People enjoy being around me.
• I’ve got this.

Do you have an affirmation that you love and would like to share? Please do so in the comments.

And if you would like assistance coming up with a good affirmation for yourself, I’d love to brainstorm with you until we find the one that speaks to you. And then nourish your gold. Because, baby, you are gold.

Much Love,

Steph