The Importance of Affirmations

An affirmation is words that are used to strengthen ourselves and our mindset by manifesting. They are phrases that are said to condone an outcome. For example, someone in need of money may manifest money by saying "I will continue to work hard and be great at what I am doing and a promotion will come soon". Many people use affirmations to obtain different things. I feel the most popular use of manifestations is to gain a sense of confidence or security.

For women, we live this life that is held to a higher standard. We need to look, talk and act a certain way to stay up to societies norms. This puts a lot of pressure on us especially if we don't necessarily fit that norm. This can lead to insecurities and lower self confidence. Affirmations are a good strategy to remind ourselves that we are enough the way we are.

I use affirmations to increase my self confidence and to aide in the process of loving myself. This is a long and tough journey, but I feel affirmations really help. The following affirmations I used to say every morning after waking up.

- I am happy, I am healthy and I am abundant.

- I am worthy of happiness in all areas of my life.

- I am successful and when I fail, it is just a lesson

These affirmations are quite broad, but are very meaningful. I liked saying these as they were a reminder that even in bad days, we can choose to let it go and see the happier side of things. Also, it tells that failing is natural and should not be feared. It is a part of learning and succeeding.

Other affirmations I like are:

- "I am superior to negative thoughts and low actions"

- "I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful"

- "My ability to conquer my challenges is limitless; my potential to succeed is infinite"

(Harra, 2018)

Another way I used affirmations was when I was studying for my masters. I was having difficulty focusing and studying because it was getting nice outside and others with less responsibilities were taking advantage of the warmer weather. I would write on sticky notes reminders of the importance of working hard now and enjoying myself even more when the work is done. This method helped me finish my work and I was able to reward myself for finishing strong.

Affirmations can be used for so many things and can be changed for specific occasions. I recommend using them because they work! Please use them and let me know what words worked the best for you!

Harra, C. (2018, November 6). 35 Affirmations That Will Change Your Life. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/affirmations_b_3527028.