Meditation appears simple.
Everyone talks about how meditation gives them a better start to their day, so you know it works.
However, you are pulled in all directions and don’t have time to wake up at 5:00 a.m., sit still, and seek some elusive feeling of calm and inner peace.
And you are worn out at the end of each day from “Being the Strong Black Woman” and “Always Being There for Other People.”
Being a caring, driven person with a big heart, I also know what it’s like to carry the weight of family and society’s expectations, demands, and biases on our shoulders and struggle to take time to care for ourselves.
So, let’s change that.
Let’s try something different.
Let’s let go of the need to practice meditation as the only way to calm and quiet our minds.
Instead, let’s use the power of affirmations to find relief and ease from life’s demands and start your day feeling calm, quiet, and focused on your intentions for a happier life.
What Do Affirmations Do?
For me, affirmations are short positive phrases we say to ourselves at any time of the day to soothe our nerves, remind us we are doing our best, and encourage us to be more loving and kind to ourselves.
Why Are Affirmations So Important?
My journey of using affirmations to let go of the pain and heartache I felt began after my brother unexpectedly died in 1997.
Seeing the pain I was going through and knowing I enjoyed reading, my cousin brought me a copy of the book Acts of Faith: Daily Meditations for People of Colour by Iyanla Vanzan.
Something in the passages at the time eased my sorrow, as strange as it may have looked.
I found solace in bed and fell asleep while reading the daily affirmation.
Somehow, the words, intentions, and message of hope, love, and peace weaved into the daily affirmations gave me space to pause, take a step back from my pain, expand my sense of safety, and imagine what life could feel like.
I started to carry Acts of Faith around with me, and anytime I noticed a tightening in my chest and my mind reliving the events of John’s passing, I would open the book and read an accompanying affirmation.
It wasn’t magic, but the more I said the affirmations throughout the day, I started to notice I was looking up more and felt more gratitude and enjoyment during other parts of my day.
The fear, pain, and tightness in my body were still there. Yet, the more I said the affirmations and thought about what the phrases meant to me, the more I became grateful and accepting of life.
Not in the sense of becoming Pollyanna-like or oblivious to the social and economic injustices I see around me, but rather in the importance of appreciating the vastness of life and realising that life is a journey and that humans can experience joy and sadness in equal measure without becoming overcome by either emotion.
Now that you know why I love using affirmations, what affirmations are, how I came to use them, and how well they work for me, I invite you to try the following twelve-morning affirmations to see if they will also help restore a sense of quiet, hope and calm in your mind.
How To Say The Affirmations
I like to say my affirmations first thing in the morning while staying in bed.
So, wherever you decide to say the following phrases, make sure you feel comfortable.
I invite you to take a few moments to notice your posture and get a sense of what parts of your body are touching the surface you are resting on, with a kind eye and a sense of curiosity about what you notice about your posture.
If your body feels tense, practice these gentle yoga stretches and breathing exercises in bed to soften and release the aches and stiffness.
Once you feel more settled in your body, take three full breaths in and out through your nose to mentally prepare yourself to say the Morning Affirmations to Quiet Your Mind.
You can say the Morning Affirmations aloud or quietly to yourself, with as much feeling and emotion as possible.
For example, you can read them out loud as if speaking to a large assembly, whisper them to yourself, and everything in between!
After you’ve spoken the Morning Affirmations, take a couple more moments to notice any shifts or changes in your mood and energy.
Here are the 12 Daily Morning Affirmations You Should Use to Quiet Your Mind
1. Every day, I am becoming more grateful for the life I live, and I give myself space to dance with my soul and love the skin I am in.
2. Every breath I take is a gift, and I cherish the power of my breath to soothe and guide me through the day.
3. I create space during the day to rest and energise my mind, body, and soul.
4. I remind myself to look up to the sky and see the beauty around me daily.
5. I am getting better at eating foods that nurture and nourish my body from the inside out.
6. I am beginning to allow myself more time to rest and breathe joy into my heart.
7. I give myself peace and a cheerful heart, even when life throws a curve ball.
8. I affirm my greatness and acknowledge that I do my best in every situation.
9. Whenever I feel exhausted and weary, I hug myself and treat it as an invitation to pause and love myself more.
10. I gently take time daily to acknowledge my fears and allow my inner muse to guide me.
11. Every day, I grow stronger in my desire to live a more mindful life and be kinder to myself.
12. I find it easier to love myself more and more every day.
7 BONUS MORNING AFFIRMATIONS
1. Even when I feel crappy, may I always remember to love and be kind to myself.
2. Every breath I take is a gift, and I am grateful for its calming and centring powers throughout the day.
3. It gets easier every day to smile and see the beauty in my heart.
4. I am beginning to allow myself more time to rest and find what nourishes my mind.
5. I give myself peace and an open heart, even when life throws a curve ball and others test my patience.
6. Every morning when I wake, it gets easier to look in the mirror, acknowledge my power, and treat myself kindly.
7. I am abundantly blessed and savour the moments when I notice I am anxious and then affectionately breathe c-a-l-m into my heart.
Next Steps — Daily Action
I appreciate saying 12 affirmations (plus the seven bonus affirmations) every morning is a lot to do — especially if you had a bad night and struggle to get started in the morning.
So, after reading this list, if one affirmation particularly resonates with your heart, then THAT’S your cue to focus more on the arising thoughts and repeat that affirmation several times during your day, particularly if you feel low, tired, and vulnerable.
Practice this for the next seven days, and I hope you’ll start to feel better and have a quieter mind to start your day.
Thanks for reading my article.
I would love to hear what affirmation resonated with you the most!
Please feel free to let me know in the comments!
If you liked this article and want more simple self-care tools, tips, and meditation techniques to help nourish and support your mental health and well-being, click here and get notified as soon as I publish a new article on Medium. Thank you.
Leave a Reply