In today’s society, women are consistently told that they aren’t pretty enough, skinny enough, nice enough, loud enough, worthy enough — the list goes on and on. These ideas are reinforced and reflected in every sphere of our lives, starting on social media, and ranging to basic conversation.
How can we alter our mentality if we are constantly fed these negative thoughts? This question puts most people at a stump.
I, for one, have struggled in the past to escape this rabbit hole of ideas; sometimes, I still do. However, I have been able to minimize the voice of my inner critic by practicing daily affirmations to strengthen my confidence and self-awareness — something I think everybody should try.
The walls of my dorm room are covered in affirmations: “Be good. Do good.”, “The only way out is through.”, “Do it because it makes you happy.” In surrounding yourself with positive messages such as these, you can better weed out the intrusive thoughts sustained in your mind. Therefore, the negative thoughts that plague certain aspects of life can be shut down and replaced with better ones. I have come to understand that journaling and meditation can also help fuel the ambition and drive necessary to start incorporating affirmations. For example, every morning before class I engage in breathing exercises and answer the questions of: What am I grateful for? How can I practice what I preach in order to spread positivity today? How can I learn to accept myself for the human being that I am?
There is no “right way” to engage in affirmations. They are simply a stepping-stone to guide you towards self-love and acceptance. As silly as this sounds, they truly do have a massive impact on one’s outlook on life. Since I’ve started practicing daily affirmations, I have noticed a huge shift in my mood and mentality — ALL for the better.
Listed below are some of my favorite affirmations. It’s my hope that you’ll take some time to read through them and apply them to your daily routine!
“I am not what happens to me. I am what I choose to become.”
“I love myself. I love my body. I am enough. I am loved. I am strong. I am wanted.”
“Be the energy you want to attract.”
“Focus on how to grow with clarity.”
“I’ve got the power: in my vote, empathy, conversations, wallet, time, and desire to learn.”
“My imperfections are what make me so beautiful.”
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