HOW A MORNING AFFIRMATION CAN CHANGE YOUR DAY FOR THE BETTER

A morning affirmation is a powerful way to make each day better. I didn’t believe this was true until I tried it for myself.

Read on to see just how much difference a simple morning affirmation makes to my life and how it can do the same for you.

MORNING AFFIRMATIONS ARE A POWERFUL WAY TO SET THE TONE FOR THE DAY AHEAD

This used to be me… “affirmations, schmaffirmations, whatever”. But then I tried using a morning affirmation and everything changed.

I have been known to snarl if someone tells me to ‘think positively’ about something I’m having trouble with. To me, it feels like I’m pretty much being told that the thing I’m having trouble with is all my fault – which maybe it is, but there’s more constructive ways of helping if this is the case!

In fact, there have been studies done about the negative effects that being told to ‘think positively’ can have on some of us.

So with this in mind, you can see why I was a little dubious when I read in the book Tiny Habits that it’s great to start the day with a positive affirmation.

But I’m happy to say that my dubiousness has since been firmly put back in its box and I am now a hugely happy convert to the power of affirmations and moreover I am a true believer in the power of morning affirmations.

Want to know more? Dive in….

WHAT EVEN IS AN AFFIRMATION?!

In the simplest terms, ‘to affirm’ something means asserting that it exists and is true.

So an affirmation is something you say or think that can help tune your mindset and how you think and behave.

A positive affirmation can help you sidestep and challenge negative thought patterns and behaviours. It can set the tone for the way you go about your daily life.

HOW I DISCOVERED THE POWER OF USING A MORNING AFFIRMATION

As I mentioned earlier, I was dubious to say the least that using a morning affirmation would have any noticeable impact on me. But my scepticism was kicked into touch once I started using a simple positive morning affirmation.

The one I started using as part of my morning routine and am STILL USING TODAY AND EVERY DAY is a slight paraphrase of an affirmation that BJ Fogg suggests using in his book Tiny Habits… “it’s going to be a great day”. The paraphrasing is completely unintentional, it’s just the way I happened to write it down!!

Why this affirmation? Well, mainly because I started reading Tiny Habits as part of a mission I am on to make changes that improve my focus during the day and to help simplify my life, strip it back and focus on the things that really matter.

THE MORNING AFFIRMATION THAT I USE EVERY DAY

The affirmation that I use every morning is this…

Today is going to be a great day

The idea with a morning affirmation is that it is the first thing you say or think when you get up in the morning. I wrote it down on a sticky note that I could see when I first got up, because I wasn’t sure I’d even remember to say it.

I started on the first morning by thinking the affirmation rather than saying it out loud. But on day two I said it out loud and quickly realised that it was more powerful for me that way. And I got the nicest surprise when I found that there really was a difference to my mindset during the day as a result of using the affirmation.

I tweaked my affirmation ritual further by moving from saying it as I got out of bed to saying it to myself in front of the bathroom mirror. I felt like I wanted to look myself in the eye as I said it, to really help push the message home.

I’ve been using this affirmation every morning for almost three months, and my mindset change has been marked. It sets me up to push back on the trials and trip-ups that can occur in a day and spurs me on to refuse to give in.

I guess that what it’s done is increase my resilience, which given we are currently all in a state of flux like never before, with lockdowns and homeschooling, is nothing short of remarkable.

Almost three months in, I don’t really need the sticky note any more, but it still sits on the side in the bathroom, just in case, because I don’t want to let this new positive change to my life slip.

WHY IS THIS AFFIRMATION SO POWERFUL AND SO USEABLE?

What I like about this affirmation is its simplicity. It’s a very open affirmation, it’s not about going out and doing one specific thing or setting goals. It helps me set my mind to making sure that the day is as great a day as I can make it. It doesn’t stop things going wrong or challenges occurring, but it sets me up to deal with them and not let them get me down or beat me.

The thing is though that you do need to say the affirmation every day. Every. Day. This is because affirmations work as a result of the brain’s ability to change and adapt to different circumstances, something called Neuroplasticity. It turns out that the human brain can get a little mixed up between reality and imagination and as such creating a mental image of doing something activates many of the same brain areas that would be activated by actually experiencing that thing.

So regular repetition of an affirmation encourages the brain to take it as fact and when you truly believe you can do something your actions often follow.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS I’VE EXPERIENCED

I’ve learned through experience that there are many benefits to reap from affirmations. The benefits that I have experienced from saying my affirmation is each morning over the last few months include that it…

• motivates me to act, either to make something happen or to deal with a challenge
• helps me focus on my goals and the things that will enhance my life
• has seemingly magically changed the habit of falling into negative thought patterns into forming more positive ones
• has influenced my subconscious to have new beliefs
• has led me to feel good about myself and boosted my self-confidence and self-worth, mainly as a result of all the good things that have come about as a result of using this affirmation

WHY SAY AN AFFIRMATION FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?

The morning is not the only time to say an affirmation, but it is an incredibly powerful time to say or think one.

If you say your affirmation first thing in the morning, before your brain has chance to wonder into thought, you are to all intents and purposes heading off negative thoughts before you’ve had time to even think them. It sets your mindset for the day.

TRY USING A MORNING AFFIRMATION AND EXPERIENCE HOW IT SHAPES YOUR DAYS

If you are still as dubious as I was before I started using a positive affirmation each morning, why not set yourself the challenge of using one? I can wholeheartedly recommend ‘it’s going to be a great day” or my paraphrase of it… “today is going to be a great day”.

But you can also try creating your own affirmation. Here are some ideas of great morning affirmations that you can use to inspire your own affirmation:

MORNING AFFIRMATION IDEAS

1. Today is a new day, a new beginning and I start the day with fresh eyes and a fresh mind
2. Today, I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy
3. No one controls how I feel about myself, but me
4. I am focused, excited and ready to take on whatever comes on my way today
5. I believe in myself. I am capable of whatever I set my mind too
6. My body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil
7. I feel so much joy and happiness in this moment and radiate that energy throughout my day
8. I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful
9. To make small steps towards big goals, is progress
10. In this moment, I give myself permission to release negative thoughts and allow the good energy to flow in
11. My business is growing, expanding, and thriving
12. Creative energy surges through me and leads me to new and brilliant ideas
13. My ability to conquer my challenges is limitless; my potential to succeed is infinite
14. I trust myself, and my instincts, above anyone else
15. I am courageous and I stand up for myself
16. I am thankful for what I have, even if it is not perfect
17. I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends
18. I acknowledge my own self-worth; my confidence is soaring
19. I am unique, so I will be uniquely successful
20. To love myself, is the ultimate love
21. I believe in my ultimate potential
22. My mind and my heart will remain open today
23. Always choose kindness, you never know what someone is going through
24. I am a powerhouse; I am indestructible
25. Though these times are difficult, they are only a short phase of life
26. My efforts are being supported by the universe; my dreams manifest into reality before my eyes
27. I radiate beauty, charm, and grace
28. I am capable of what I am willing to work for
29. I am conquering my illness; I am defeating it steadily each day
30. I will love myself the way that I say I want others to. They cannot do for me, what I will not do for myself
31. My thoughts do not control me, I control my thoughts
32. No negative thought will take root in my mind
33. My obstacles are moving out of my way; my path is carved towards greatness
34. I will achieve great things, through small steps
35. I will have a positive impact on someone else’s day
36. I will not take for granted that people know what I love and appreciate about them
37. I wake up today with strength in my heart and clarity in my mind
38. I am fierce. I am unafraid. I am bold
39. I already have everything I need
40. I release all the negativity within me, and open myself up to happiness and opportunity

I really hope that I’ve helped you to be open to the possibility that saying a morning affirmation can have a positive impact on your life. I’ve been doing a lot of work on finding ways to improve my wellbeing, including finding more time for myself and starting each day with a simple morning routine that sets me up for the day ahead. Saying a morning affirmation has brought about really positive change for me and I believe that it can for you as well, so go on, give it a try!