How To Harness The Power Of Positive “I Am” Affirmations
Have you ever learned about the power of positive “I am” affirmations?
In today’s day and age, it can be easy to get swept up into the internet world of having the perfect life. No matter where you look, someone always has something bigger or better: fancy vacations, the perfect wardrobe, or a great house. It’s easy to measure ourselves against influencers and our friends and family, but doing so distracts us from who we really are, and what we want.
So how do we get back in the swing of things, stay positive, and learn to feel good?
Answer: We learn to love ourselves!
Why? Because your relationship with yourself is the most important one you’ll ever have. It might sound cliche, but it’s true: self-love is the best gift you can give yourself. So why not try and master the art of daily positive “I am” affirmations that will help you harness the self-awareness and positivity that you need to succeed and live your best life?
Studies suggest that around 80% of the way we talk to ourselves is negative. That’s right—80%. The majority of your time is spent criticizing yourself. This can result in low self-esteem, depression, and lack of motivation. Basically, it can deter you from reaching your goals and leave you physically and emotionally exhausted.
Positive affirmations are a powerful antidote to negative self-talk.
It’s proven that positive affirmations can rewire your brain and train it to be happier. They’re a way for you to connect with yourself, feel good, and change your perception about yourself and the world by rewiring your brain.
But how do you start practicing daily positivity with positive “I am” affirmations? Glad you asked. Here are some tips to get started.
Realize negativity is a choice
The way we see the world impacts how we exist in it and how we feel about ourselves. So if we’re going through life thinking negatively of ourselves, we’re going to see the bad in life rather than the good.
If you’ve been stuck in a negative circle for too long, there’s still hope: you can train your brain to think of yourself and of the world in a positive light. Yes, it might also take a lot of training, perseverance, and motivation. But positive “I am” affirmations are a great start to practicing daily positivity in your life, improving your mood, mental health, and physical health.
Grab a journal
This is an easy part: get a journal that you adore.
Whether it’s one that your friend has made you, or a fancy one from a calligraphy store, make sure you get a journal that you’ll want to write in every day. The Five Minute Journal is my favorite, and it’s been shown to help improve people’s moods. It also gives you prompts that include daily affirmations, or other prompts to help you understand yourself and your goals better.
Learn more about the Five Minute Journal below:
The Five Minute Journal: I am a huge fan of the five-minute journal. It only takes a few minutes a day to write out your intentions your gratitude and your goals for that particular day. I especially look forward to opening my journal at the end of each day and writing out and reflecting on how my day went. The Five Minute Journal is set up in a way to ensure that you are happier more successful and overall more intentional about your day.
This is a great way to get in touch with who you are, and figure out what makes you special! Understanding yourself is a super important part of positive I am affirmations.
Writing down your thoughts in a journal is actually more powerful than saying them out loud. Studies show that you’re more likely to remember something when you write it down. It doesn’t matter if you have perfect handwriting or the most beautiful gel pens in the world: it’s getting thoughts down in writing that matters.
Write a person list of good things in the present tense
A great way to start figuring out what positive “I am” affirmations to write down is to and figure out what you admire in the world. Think of a time in your life when someone did something that you respected. Or think of a unique trait your best friend has. Then write all of those things down—every positive word or experience you can think of.
Examples of this could be: “I like my friend because they are kind,” or “I like this place because it is peaceful.”
Depending on how your mental health is, it’s sometimes easier to find the positive things in other people rather than ourselves. A great start to practicing “I am” affirmations is finding out what you admire in others so that you can learn what you admire in yourself.
Create a list of positive words to use to describe yourself
Sit down and write in your journal a list of positive “I am” statements that describe yourself. Start simple, by writing down phrases like “I am kind” or “I am creative.”
You can find resources online that list hundreds of positive descriptive words. Try sitting down with one of these sheets and circle every positive word that you feel describes you. Once you’ve circled the ones that resonate with you, use them words to write positive “I am” affirmations in your journal.
After you’ve written your affirmations, hang them on your wall or read them aloud to yourself every day.
Understand who YOU are
Positive “I am” affirmations are impossible to write down if you don’t know yourself and your strengths. So, get to know yourself before you start writing down your daily affirmations.
Make a list of what you like or do a few prompts in the Five Minute Journal.
Another great way to learn about yourself is to get in touch with your emotions, realize what you do and don’t like, and try new things. As always, being mindful and aware will help you determine what feels like you, and what your strengths and weaknesses are. This is essential to practicing positivity, as getting to know yourself is the highest form of self-love.
One way many people go about this is to practice mindfulness & meditation. Read our article called How Long To Meditate Each Day To Boost Your Mental Health to learn more!
Positivity In The Workplace
When it comes to the workplace, a positive environment is critical. This can be accomplished in several ways. Challenge coins are a great way to show your employees that you appreciate them. By rewarding them for positive behaviors, hard work, and dedication, you’re encouraging those behaviors and showing your employees that you value their contributions.
This can go a long way in creating a positive work environment.
A positive work environment can help your self-esteem and mental well-being. When you feel good about your workplace, it’s easier to be motivated and productive. Additionally, a positive work environment can provide a support system of people who can help you through tough times.
Use these affirmations daily
Practice saying these specific affirmations daily. It’ll improve your mood, along with your mental, physical, and emotional health! When we think more positively of ourselves, we’re happier. We’re more likely to understand, be kind, and be patient with ourselves—which helps our mental health, too.
Mental and physical health are connected, too. So the happier you are, the better your body feels. And, the more you write down positive “I am” affirmations, practice kindness, and infuse positive thinking into your life, the more likely you are to treat your body well, get enough rest, and feel better in every way.
Here are some amazing affirmations to use daily.
- I am worthy of love, kindness, and happiness.
- I am powerful.
- I am not perfect, and that is ok! No one is.
- I am learning every day, and I am proud of myself for that.
- I am deserving of rest and self-care.
- I am unique. No one else is like me, and that’s amazing!
- I am beautiful.
- I am grateful for my life and for my friends.
- I am allowed to make mistakes. I forgive myself and I am deserving of compassion.
- I am strong in my abilities, values, and thoughts. I know myself.
- I am resilient, and I can get through even the worst of days.
Make affirmations a habit
Once you have your journal, make time every morning or every night to write down five positive “I am” affirmations.
You can also write down other things that will boost your mental health. This includes things you’re grateful for, positive things in your day, and personal goals. The sky’s the limit—just make sure what you’re writing down is positive!
The great thing about nighttime affirmations is that they calm you down right before you go to sleep. But I personally like to start my day with morning affirmations. Why? Because they start your day with self-compassion, kindness, and positivity.
Incorporating them into your morning routine is easy, too. Simply write down 10 or 15 positive affirmations every morning. This will take less than five minutes! It’s easy to do when you’re making coffee, practicing your skincare routine, or right before starting work.
Watch this video to learn more about the power of making your affirmations a habit!
Challenge negativity with positive thoughts
Every time you judge yourself, I want you to counter those negative thoughts with positive ones. Instead of saying negative “I am” statements when you make a mistake or do something embarrassing, say statements that encourage compassion and healing.
Say something like:
- “I am allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.”
- “I am not a bad person for making a mistake.”
- “I am giving myself the compassion to forgive myself for this mistake.”
When you journal at night or practice your positive “I am” affirmations, include these statements about anything that happened during the day. Practicing these positive affirmations will reinforce the idea that you are a good person, regardless of your mistakes.
The more you practice “I am” affirmations, the more you practice being kind to yourself. This kindness will improve your mood and mental health.
Combine affirmations with other forms of self-care
Writing affirmations is a great way to feel good about yourself, but sometimes just being positive isn’t going to cut it. We need to take care of our mental and physical health. Which means making time to feel our emotions, doing nice things for yourself, and taking time to allow yourself to relax.
Self-care could mean going on a walk, making your favorite meal, watching your favorite TV show, and practicing good boundaries to make you feel comfortable.
Although positive “I am” affirmations can be a form of self-care, they’re not the end-all, be-all. Practicing other forms of self-care along with your affirmations is a great way to give yourself space and time to be kind to yourself.
Use your positive “I am” affirmations to spread kindness to others!
Your positive “I am” affirmations don’t only have to be for you! You can use these affirmations to be kind to others—friends, family, strangers, whoever!
You can always share how you practice your “I am” affirmations with loved ones and encourage them to do the same. Sharing is not only a great way to bond with loved ones, but it’s a great way to spread the love!
Another great way to spread positivity is by telling your friends and family the reasons why you’re grateful for them! For example, try using some of these “I am” statements to describe friends or family. Add in the special reasons why you care about them.
- “I am grateful you’re my friend because…”
- “I am so lucky that we know each other because….”
- “I am really proud of you for…”
- “I am happy because of…”
Practice these positive “I am” affirmations with your friends or loved ones whenever they’re feeling down, or just because.
Positive “I am” affirmations are powerful for a reason: they promote well-being, improve mood, and create a kinder, happier dialogue to have with yourself.
Positivity and self-love are essential ingredients to a good, fulfilling life. So why continue to talk negatively about yourself? Why continue being cruel to yourself for being imperfect? Why judge other people or judge yourself when you could be happier loving yourself?
One thing is clear: positive “I am” affirmations are life-changing. All it takes is the Five Minute Journal, a pen, and some creativity. The road to self-love can be hard—and it starts with taking the initiative to learn to love yourself.
