#5 of my 13 tips for a healthy you
If you don’t believe, deep down inside, that you can accomplish your healthy living goals, then you won’t. Have faith in yourself. Know what you want to accomplish, then tell yourself it will happen.
An affirmation is the assertion that something exists or is true. It is a powerful tool to succeed – at anything in life. Even if you feel silly when doing it, try repeating affirmations aloud throughout the day. Pronounce them with conviction.
Write your affirmations down. Be sure to place them somewhere prominent in your home, like the door of your closet or inside the kitchen cupboard. Place your healthy self-portrait alongside.
All of these steps help give you confidence to follow and fulfill your aspirations and dreams.
Challenge # 5: Though there are a variety of ways to create affirmations, here are some loose guidelines to help you out.
1. Know the outcome. What are you trying to achieve? Think back to that picture you drew on day 1 if you need some help. Don’t worry about how it will happen right now, but make sure you know what you want the end result to be.
2. Take charge. Don’t begin the affirmation with “I wish” or “I want.” Instead, write it as if you know the outcome will happen. For example, start with “I will” or “I am.”
3. Keep it positive. Think glass-half-full when you write your affirmation. For example, rather than saying, “I will improve the way I eat,” say “I am a healthy eater.”
4. Think now. Not later. State a specific time frame within which you will accomplish your goal. Maybe it starts today, or perhaps it will happen in six months. But don’t keep it vague or too far out in the future.
5. Keep it simple. After all, this is something you should repeat many times a day – when you’re jogging, in the car, taking a shower. If it’s so verbose you can’t remember it, then you’ll never say it. Which defeats the purpose of creating affirmations in the first place.
6. Write and repeat aloud. It’s time to get started. It’s o.k. to write more than one, and also fine to tweak them over time. The important thing is to create them. So get moving!
Illustration by Luke Neely.
