Affirmations are positive statements that can be used to help you overcome negative, self-sabotaging thoughts. Although at the beginning they can feel a little difficult they have the ability to reprogram your mind. When you repeat them often and believe in them you can really begin to make positive changes in all areas of your life. A little bit like going to a yoga or fitness class often, the more you do it, the more change you see physically. Affirmations are similar, they are exercise for the mind and by repeating them often you will see mental changes. 

Many people have an ongoing battle with that nasty, negative voice in their head. ‘I’m not good enough … i’m not skinny enough … i’m not confident enough’. This is something that could have sat deep into our conscious and unconscious minds from being a child, maybe it was from the bully at school. If a belief is deeply rooted into the unconscious mind then it can be really difficult to override that thought and feeling with a generic affirmation. That is why it is so important, when you are choosing your affirmations, that it is relevant and true to you !! 

• Make a list of all the negative thoughts that you quite often say to yourself. Include criticisms that could have come from other people that you now hold on to. It could be work related, something about your physical appearance or your lack of confidence. Whatever negative thoughts go around that head of yours, write them down. Do they all relate in some way? If there are thoughts that have a recurring theme, such as ‘I’m too fat and I hate the way I look’ if so them group them together. If not, that will mean you may have 2 or 3 affirmations.

• Now write down a positive affirmation that opposes your negative thought. So let’s carry on talking about ‘I’m too fat’ you could now change that to something along the lines of ‘I love my body unconditionally at any shape’ ‘I’m happy with my body just the way it is’, ‘I am beautiful and I love my body’ 

• Once you decide on your affirmation(s), repeat it 5 times, 3 times a day (or more if you can). It’s best to do it while looking in the mirror so that you can really speak to yourself. You could also write out your affirmation throughout the day. Whenever a negative thought pops into your head, shout it back to yourself. 

• Listen to the quality of the negative thoughts voice. What does she sound like? Is she nasty? Answer back with your affirmation with a gentle, loving and caring tone. Think, how would you talk to a friend who is talking so negatively about themselves. You are your own friend – be kind !