Daily Affirmations 🪞

I’ve gotta say that Stuart Smalley pretty much nailed it with that quote.  While just a fictional character for Saturday Night Live, his mock self-help show (like this classic episode with Michael Jordan) highlighted that daily affirmations can help us reframe our feelings of doubt and unworthiness into positive thoughts and actions.

Back when I watched this show in the early 90’s (IMO the golden years of SNL), I laughed hard at the idea of looking into a mirror and saying any of those things to myself. Not that I didn’t have those feelings of low self-worth and wondering if people actually liked me, but because I never really thought that saying these things to oneself would help or make any kind of difference.  Little did I know that 30 years later, I’d finally see the value of positive affirmations and that I’d be the one talking to myself every morning…minus the mirror.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I started my Morning Routine back in 2018 which included daily affirmations as it’s the 2nd step in the S.A.V.E.R.S. framework. As a reminder of what the S.A.V.E.R.S are:

• Silence

• Affirmations

• Visualizations

• Exercise

• Reading

• Scribing/Journaling

Over the years, I kept hearing about (and ignoring) all the benefits of positive self-talk; things like increased confidence, lower stress and anxiety, and improved overall health just to name a few.  And even when I first committed to trying affirmations out, I didn’t really believe the words I was saying. I was just repeating someone else’s suggested words.  However, while it didn’t feel authentic, it got me into the regular practice of saying positive things to myself. And as I started to say them more, I started to adjust the language to have it suit me, AND I actually started to believe the things I was saying!  

So in full transparency, I’d like to share with you the affirmations that I say to myself every morning.

• You are Stronger than you seem, You are more Beautiful and Braver than you believe, and you are Smarter than you think you are.

• I am committed to being a healthy, fit, active person because I know that the better I take care of my body, the happier, healthier, longer life I’ll be able to live. In order to do this, I am committed to at least 30 mins of purposeful movement and exercise every day; and I am committed to filling my body with healthy energizing food, in the quantities that it needs, without overindulging.

• I am committed to nurturing meaningful relationships so that I can become a better wife, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, step-mother, neighbor, coach, and friend. In order to do this, I am committed to practicing less judgment, becoming a better listener, and reaching out to those that I love, instead of waiting for them to reach out to me.

• I am committed to being an ongoing student, so that I can become more knowledgeable about my work and profession, about my hobbies and interests, and about the world and life in general.  In order to do this, I am committed to at least 30 mins of intentional learning 3 days a week, with the goal of truly learning and absorbing the information, instead of just doing it to mark it done.

• I am committed to not only maintaining my financial security but building my wealth and truly supporting the belief that money will come easily and freely.  In order to do this, I am committed to spending with my budget, purchasing the things that I need and plan for, not just the things that I want, and I am committed to continue to save and invest for my future so that when I retire, I can do so without any financial worries or burdens.

• I am committed to bringing a mindful awareness to my daily actions and individual relationships so that I can stay present and engaged with who or what is in front of me.  In order to do this, I am committed to at least 10 mins of meditation daily where I can create space for an open, calm, patient, nonjudgemental mind, and allow that to carry over into my everyday activities and personal interactions.

• I am committed to cultivating a positive emotional well-being and not letting the events of the world, or the emotions of those around me, bring me down.  In order to do this, I am committed to practicing gratitude daily, and truly appreciating all the people, pets, beings, organisms, creatures, that have enriched my life, and helped shape me into the person I am today.

• I am Stronger than I seem, I am more Beautiful and Braver than I believe, and I am Smarter than I think I am.

• I am exactly where I want to be, where I need to be and where I should be in life right now.  

• May I be happy; May I feel at peace and be at ease; May I learn and grow from my mistakes; May I always choose to love and be loved.

Phew, are you still with me?  

I know that seems like a lot but these each address important values in my life and speak to the person that I want to show up as each and every day. It’s a way to start my day off on a positive note and gives me a framework for how I want to approach each day.  And while I did start with a bit of a “fake it until you make it” mindset, it has now transformed into an expression of my true authentic self.

So, how does this apply to you? Well obviously, I’m trying to make a case for incorporating affirmations into your daily routine. Yours certainly doesn’t have to be as lengthy as mine have become, though please feel free to use any of it if it resonates with you.  Many folks use mantras (here’s 16 suggestions) which are usually shorter phrases or single words. Or if you’re interested in The Miracle Morning affirmations I started out with, you can get them for free through this link and heading to “Start Here” -or- email me and I’ll send them to you directly!

If you’re ready to create your own, trying using this template:

• I am committed to _______ so that I can _______.  

• In order to do this, I am committed to _______.

Whatever it is, start small, start easy.  Use Stuart Smalley’s words or any of mine. It’s ok to start by saying them quietly to yourself but then try to say them aloud and with confidence. It’s ok if you don’t truly believe yourself at first but keep saying them. You deserve to talk to yourself with the kindness and positivity that you give to others.  Mirrors are optional.