Affirmations to Kickstart Your New Year

By Arundel Stevens

Why is it so difficult for us to achieve positive self-esteem? Why are self-help books such a profitable revenue stream? Why are people unhappy with the way they look, act, or live? And what can you do to change the way you think about yourself? Daily affirmations are a popular way for people to practice self-confidence and positive thinking. As we end the year, practicing positive self-talk can have great implications for your health and stability throughout the new year and for your ongoing future!

What Are Affirmations?

Put simply, affirmations are kind words and statements we say about ourselves to boost confidence. Though we all deal with negative or critical thoughts, it is important to combat them with positive affirmations in order to shift your mindset into positivity. Affirmations provide an opportunity to reflect positively on your life and achievements, and to hold hope and faith for the future!

Why Are They Important?

Though some people question the importance of positive self-talk, it is proven to have a noticeable and necessary impact on your life. Words have power over your mentality, and learning to speak kindly and manifest success in your own life is an important first step towards achieving mental peace and true happiness. You can combat insecurities and self-criticism by repeating affirmations that soon become subconscious parts of your mentality and allow you to gain confidence in your own abilities.

What Does This Look Like?

It is important to speak in the present tense, believing in your own current potential and importance. It is also important to phrase your affirmations as statements. Don’t allow self-doubt to take away from your affirmations! Regularly repeating these phrases out loud and with passion will allow you to accept a healthier mindest and self-esteem.

• “I am successful.”
• “I have potential.”
• “I am enough.”

Be genuine and specific. Affirmations should be meaningful and true to yourself! If you struggle with insecurities in a specific arena in your life, target your affirmations towards that scope and search for the positivity there! For example, if you are disappointed about your incomplete career goals, you may want to focus on affirmations related to your work.

• “I am ambitious.”
• “I have good work ethic.”
• “I work hard to achieve my goals.”

New Year, New You

The New Year comes with plenty of stress, anxiety, and reflection on incomplete or uncertain goals. However, it’s important to remember that your past struggles do not discredit your future potential! For each New Year, people often set resolutions for the upcoming year, with hopes they will achieve success at these miniature annual goals. Setting new resolutions is only one of the steps to success; it is also important to shift your self-talk and spread positivity throughout your life, truly believing in yourself to achieve those goals. For the New Year, try out some regular affirmations to remind yourself of your own value and potential!

• “I appreciate the people who support me.” 
• “I am grateful for the opportunities I have.”
• “I will achieve my goals.”
• “I believe in myself.”
• “I care about the work that I do.”
• “I can achieve success.”

Though your affirmations can be as specific or general as you want, it is important to repeat your preferred affirmations regularly. If possible, repeating affirmations daily can provide a good basis for healing your self-image. As the year ends and a new one begins, pick up a new habit and choose to speak kindly to yourself: it can make a difference!