“I’m proud of you.” Those four words have so much power. More than I can even comprehend. Positive affirmations are real and can have a profound impact on each individual. Sometimes, the compliments that make us the most emotional and uncomfortable are the words we’re longing for most. Specific words may make us uncomfortable because we doubt the veracity of them (even if it may be on a subconscious level).
I remember when someone who meant a lot to me complimented me on something I had accomplished and then they told me they were proud of me. I immediately felt awkward, uncomfortable, and extremely emotional. Confused, I wandered away thinking “Wow. That felt so nice. They’re proud of me? …Me?” I wiped my eyes and brushed it off. Though, I couldn’t help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as I went about my day. No matter how nonchalant or intentional the compliment (affirmation) may be, sometimes it’s the very thing we needed to hear to be aware of that little part of ourselves that feels hungry for reassurance. We all experience voids and little pains throughout life. And usually, parts of our subconscious can dwell on those memories or unmet needs that make our present self feel insecure and inadequate. The memories can become part of our identity and unbeknownst to us, create a small “hole” that we don’t realize needs to be filled.
Has anyone ever complimented you or told you how valuable you are in a specific way that made you emotional? That’s your affirmation. You can dig deeper into the compliment expressed and analyze what specific words triggered a reaction in you and what the words signified to you. If someone says they’re proud of me, what does the compliment relay to me? Hearing the words, “I’m proud of you,” triggers me to feel valued, to feel worthy, to feel noticed. My affirmation would then turn into, “You are worthy”, because when I say it aloud, I feel an emotional reaction. Write down your affirmation and tell yourself that very thing every day. Yes, you may feel silly saying something aloud to yourself, but hey, it’s something positive and it will remind you that you deserve positivity and selfcare. We shouldn’t rely on other people to fill voids we have from different experiences in life.
Affirmations can be geared towards a variety of things. Whether shifting your thoughts from a negative mindset to positive mindset, or feeling more confident at work, if there’s an area of life you feel like you’re stumbling over, chances are, daily affirmations could help! Verbally expressing the affirmation aloud helps to rewire our brain to believe in the potential of the affirmation we’re telling ourselves. Have you ever walked atop a field of grass or ran on a trail and rolled your ankle or tripped because of a small hole you didn’t see? By discovering what areas you are more sensitive to and establishing what personalized affirmations hit you the deepest, and then repeating them to yourself every day, you’re essentially grabbing the shovel and covering the dicey holes from your past little-by-little every day, until the ground is firm and solid. We will be less likely to trip over the “small holes” and blunders of life. We’ll have a firm base to take what comes and be stronger overall. Growth takes some effort, no denying that. Why not give it a try for a few weeks? You deserve it.
