Copywriter, Mental Health Blogger, Grief Specialist
Happy January! How is the new year feeling so far? Interestingly, 2025 is a 9 year in numerology – all about completion. As a side note, you can check out my Instagram for support around addressing unresolved grief in 2025 as a possible part of completing what is incomplete for you. We all carry a backpack of emotions from accumulated losses and life changes, and the research-backed recovery program I’m certified in is one of the few methods I’ve found that actually works to help unload it for good.
Now, getting back to positive affirmations. These are much more effective, by the way, once you’ve cleared out what needs completing first. While studies show that new year’s resolutions usually fail, shifting to a positive or more motivated mindset is 100% doable. You may not agree with that right now or think it’s woo woo hogwash, but stick around. I assure you it is not only possible, but based in neuroscience.
Positive thoughts or positive statements sometimes get a bad rap as fluffy nonsense or not worthwhile. Check out this blog I wrote as well as this one if you’re interested in the dark or disingenuous side of “love and light.” In the spirituality or “law of attraction” space, things can get unhealthy.
But there is part of this concept that is not only true, but literally neuroscience. The power of positive thinking is actually real. Your brain and subconscious mind learn through repetition and habit. Think of how you learned to ride a bike or do the multiplication tables. You practiced or recited them over and over and over. In time, they became familiar and part of your knowledge repertoire. This same reason is why repeating affirmations can help you. It is indeed possible to get a motivated mindset via positive affirmations.
So, how do you get going? First, pinpoint your specific goals. For our purposes, we’re focusing on being or feeling more motivated to tackle daily tasks or long term desires. You might want to make a schedule or daily routine for yourself in terms of when to think or say your affirmations. For example, when you wake up and before bed. Or, while driving or doing chores that don’t require your full cognitive attention. Set a timer or alarm on your phone to help keep yourself accountable.
When you start using positive affirmations, they will probably seem delusional. That is normal and expected. This is why we are doing them! The idea is that over time, they will start to feel good and empowering and actually real. Then, you will be more likely to act out the motivated mindset you have cultivated.
One way I like to look at affirmations is speaking life over yourself – instead of the self-deprecating, negative self-talk we tend to have. Most people’s default setting is speaking negatively or thinking negative thoughts, whether they are aware of it or not. This usually comes from family conditioning, societal programming, and/or past trauma. It may also develop due to low self-esteem or stressful situations.
Now let’s get into which specific affirmations to use. Follow your intuition regarding which resonate or feel most applicable. You may wish to focus on one or two to start, or go all in with a bunch. You can also change them as needed, or as one or more start to feel “true” or “done.”
Here are a selection of motivation-themed affirmations I created that will surely have a positive effect. Sometimes the best way to combat negative thinking and boost positive energy is with mental health affirmations like these. Consider writing some on sticky notes and putting them in your bathroom or where you’ll see them. Even if this feels outside of your comfort zone, give it a try and go for it. They may just boost confidence and move you in the right direction. You are worthy of love, and that love starts within. That’s the power of affirmations, over time they can start to shift your internal dialogue. As Buddha famously said, “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
Positive daily affirmations or motivational affirmations like these can truly help ease hard times or mental health issues. You’ll notice that they are all in present tense. This is because new ideas like these tend to take root more strongly when you claim them now. When you affirm them on a daily basis, you may find that negative thought patterns or negative feelings start to diminish. A positive outlook and positive attitude may seem within reach.
On the neuroscience side of things, you are literally creating new neural pathways in your brain. You are increasing the brain’s ability to agree with positive self-talk. A self-fulfilling prophecy in the positive direction is being put into motion. Self-care practices like these contribute to your personal growth as well as high self-esteem.
In conclusion, positive affirmations are a great way to improve your daily life and mental health. If they interest you, definitely give them a try. Play around with speaking and thinking more positively, and you may be surprised at the results. Maya Angelou once said, “don’t bring negative to my door,” and we can apply that to our own internal world.
A final tip is to keep going. Many people start (as with new year’s resolutions) and then give up. It may take a while to see or feel progress, especially if you have lived in negative patterns for years or decades. This is very common, so just push through. Congratulations on making a change! Feel free to reach out to me for further support.
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Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash
