Sunday Serenities – A New Affirmation to Start Your Week
Each week we will be sharing a new affirmation. The introductory information will remain the same, but if you are new to affirmations, please check out the first two sections on “What is an Affirmation?” and “How to Practice Your Affirmation.” If you regularly read our weekly article or already do affirmations, feel free to skip to the section titled “Read Today’s Affirmation.”
What is an Affirmation 
Many have heard of affirmations, but if you haven’t tried them yet, you are missing out! Simply put, an affirmation is a statement you use to affirm yourself – you know, to say something positive. There are many different types, and as long as they are positive, there really is no wrong way to do an affirmation.
Affirmations can be a simple phrase, a list of related statements, or a focused paragraph. All of these work well depending on the situation you are working on, the time you have, and your intention – your intention being the most important part of the equation.
Do Affirmations Work?
According to an article by Catherine Moore, Psychologist, MBA in PositivePsychology.com “There is MRI evidence suggesting that certain neural pathways are increased when people practice self-affirmation tasks (Cascio et al., 2016). If you want to be super specific, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex—involved in positive valuation and self-related information processing—becomes more active when we consider our personal values (Falk et al., 2015; Cascio et al., 2016).
The results of a study by Falk and colleagues suggest that when we choose to practice positive affirmations, we’re better able to view “otherwise-threatening information as more self-relevant and valuable” (2015: 1979).”
So the bottom line is yes – affirmations work. It’s not a magic bullet. You do have put in the time and effort to practice them regularly. Do some research and find the affirmations that resonate with you, then begin to put them into practice. You can begin your search with the affirmation for today.
How to Practice Your Affirmation
Here is how to practice today’s affirmation. It is not original – but it is so good, I had to share (with permission of course and the promise to keep the originator anonymous). If you are comfortable with the idea, I like to recommend that people do this in front of a mirror. Read the affirmation a phrase at a time, then pause after each phrase. Take time to look yourself in the eye and then repeat the phrase back to yourself aloud. When you are finished with the affirmation, take time to breathe and reflect.
Finish your time by answering the self-reflection questions below. You can answer them any way you like, but I prefer to have a journal where I can have both my affirmations and the answers to my questions together. You may be surprised when you look back at them one day and discover the answers may be totally different.
Read Today’s Affirmation
There is adventure on my journey.
Being goal-oriented fuels me with a sense of focus. Zooming in on the target encourages dedication, but I always make room for adventure and enjoyment.
Each milestone that I achieve calls for a celebration. I allow myself to take a break and savor the moment of success. Doing this encourages continuous effort as I move forward.
My friends are key to my ability to persevere. Having them as part of my adventure team gives me the urge to let loose and enjoy myself.
I commit to two adventurous vacations each year. They serve as a reminder that I deserve goodness because I am diligent. I enjoy myself with the same fervor that I commit to my work. Having good friends around for that makes it extra special.
Adventure also comes when I take on surprising opportunities. Whenever I find myself outside of my comfort zone, excitement starts to build.
I put aside any feelings of fear or uncertainty and go along for the ride. Situations that teach me about other realities are my favorite. They push me to adapt and conform to a new way of doing things.
It feels like an adventure when I learn something new from others. Challenging my thinking and learning to adjust expectations is stirring.
Today, my life continues to be a blessing because of the experiences that I have. Sharing the story of my journey is cathartic because it feels like living through adventures all over again. I am thankful for my experiences.
Answer the Self-Reflection Questions:
1. What are some of the most adventurous things I get to do?
2. How do I prevent myself from feeling overwhelmed as life evolves?
3. How important are my friends and family in helping to keep me humble?
I hope you enjoyed this issue of Sunday Serenities. It is my mission to help provide you with the tools you need to have a more peaceful life so you can:
Find your purpose – find your joy!
Would you like copy of Improve Your Mindset? Just click on the link – it’s my gift to you.
Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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Email: info@SerenitiesNow.com
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