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
You may want to record today’s affirmation on your phone and listen to it when you are out for a walk.
Appreciating the beauty of nature sustains me.
As I walk outside each day, I look around. I inhale the air. I notice the sensation of the breeze across my face. I am struck by the loveliness of the natural environment.
The beauty of nature wraps its arms around me. Today can be my best day or my worst day. No matter which, nature is right there, waiting to guide me through my life.
I feel grateful each time I think about the natural world. Although I believe it will always be there for me, I still gasp in sheer joy when I see deep purple blooms on the bushes or snowflakes falling from the sky.
The rich, green grass of summer tickles my nose with its aroma. This entices me to linger outdoors a few minutes more.
If a troubling thought nags at my mind, I take a walk in the open air. I breathe in, I breathe out. The aromas of nature and the caress of the breeze rise up to meet me. Each time, I find what I need to continue with my day.
When I am outdoors, I momentarily forget about the stresses of life. Any unsettling feelings I am experiencing dissolve. I am sustained by nature’s sweet song.
Today, I promise to take intimate notice of nature’s backdrop. The color of the sky, the faint fragrance in the air, and the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze all call out to me. The beauty of nature, ever-present, sustains me.
Answer the Self-Reflection Questions:
1. Are there times when I am in a rush or so deep into my thoughts that I miss seeing all that nature provides for me?
2. Do I take every opportunity to relax into the beauty of nature?
3. Regardless of my mood each day, how can I remind myself to turn to nature for solace and sustenance for my soul?
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!