Self-affirmations, Self-talk, & Motivation
I am the best that I can be today,
I am the best I can be today, but because of the good choices and decisions I make today, I will be even better tomorrow.
Not only is this my self-affirmation for the month, but it is probably my self-affirmation for the year.
It is also my mantra.
Self-Affirmations
Affirmations and positive self-talk are important tools to use in designing an improved version of yourself. You see, I believe that we should be working to improve ourselves daily, whether it is with our relationships and family, our job or career, our personal picture of ourselves,
I’ve believed in self-affirmations since as long as I can remember. I used them when I directed high school theater. (To my actors, I said, “Stand in front of a mirror and say, ‘I’ve got this.’”) I used them when I coached high school speech team. (To my competitors, I said, “Stand in front of a mirror and deliver your presentation OR say to your reflection, ‘I will do fantastic.’”) When my stepdaughter moved in with us, I instructed her to stand in front of the mirror each morning and say to herself such statements as “I am a great person.” “I am intelligent and beautiful.”
BUT
I have fallen out of using self-affirmations. In fact, 2019 found me staring at the handful of self-affirmation 3x5 index cards from a workshop in September 2018 without picking them up and using them. It makes me wonder where I would be today if I had repeated the statements: “I am worthy.” “I am a creative woman.” “I am a writer.” “I am accomplished.” You get the picture, right?
I decided that I needed to get back to these so now, along with my battle plan for 2020, they reside in the front of my “ONE” notebook. I open to page one and read them to myself every day.
Self-Talk
What you say to yourself every day equals self-talk. Compared to self-affirmations, which are recited daily and purposely, self-talk comes stalking our confidence like a sleek black cat. Much of the time unnoticed.
Self-talk is that tiny voice at the back of the mind that whispers, “I don’t think you can do this.” And then, after we have made a semi- or unsuccessful attempt, it whispers, “See, you made quite the mess of that.” This is sometimes followed by “I told you so.”
Negative self-talk is destructive.
Far too often I hear people talk about the experiences in life as the hardships in their life. Life experiences are just that — experiences. They are not hardships. They are experiences that allow us to learn about life, to learn about the people we love, and to learn about ourselves. These experiences are what lead us to make changes in our lives. By calling them hardships, we put an unnecessary weight on our shoulders that is difficult to shed.
The self-talk we give ourselves should bolster up our confidence. Because remember, “You got this.”
Motivation
In December, listening to music or news broadcasts while driving became boring. The radio stations either played Christmas music or the same songs over and over, and while there was some good in the news, the news broadcasts bemoaned the fate of the world.
One morning before leaving the driveway, I searched the internet for motivational podcasts. I needed to listen to something that uplifted me in a way that music and news couldn’t.
The search didn’t even list the number of hits found. Instead, lists that suggested the 5, 10, 20 of the best motivational podcasts by motivational and inspirational movers and shakers.
Media volume on my phone up, I engaged one of the speakers and began my drive to ___. (I don’t even remember where.).
When I arrived at my destination, I didn’t feel the usual road fatigue that even the short drive to town gives me. I felt energized. I felt . . . motivated.
What I have listened to has given me cause to pause and think further about what I heard and beyond what was said. In fact, many of the things I have heard on podcasts in the past two months I had heard back in the 1970’s when I was in college.
It feels good to hear those ideas and concepts again, not from my mind, but from external sources. It reaffirms the things I already know but have let fall to the back recesses of my mind.
Here is my challenge for you:
- Adopt a self-affirmation to say to yourself each morning. Can’t think of one? Share mine. “I am the best that I can be today, but because of the good choices and decisions I make today, tomorrow I will be even better.”
- When you hear that negative self-talk surfacing, take the authoritarian stance and say, aloud, “Stop! No!” And then say to yourself, “I got this.” And if the negative self-talk returns if the outcome isn’t what you wanted or expected, try, “But if I hadn’t tried, I wouldn’t have known.”
- Surf the internet for motivational podcasts and listen to them on your next drive, walk, or re-grouping time. Save your favorite ones and share them with me.
Rebecca (Becky) spent 34 years in a teaching career, but when she retired in 2014, she picked up her pen and pursued her passion to write. As a high school English teacher, Becky held the philosophy that she wouldn’t give any writing assignment that she personally wouldn’t or couldn’t do. That philosophy strengthened and broadened her own writing.
In addition to publishing her writing on various platforms, Becky also blogs at Life is for Living, a blog to encourage, motivate, and help others live the best life possible. As an extension of Life is for Living, she also publishes a weekly newsletter, Let’s Chat. (Check it out HERE.) Life is for Living also has a social media presence with the group Coffee on my Porch. (Check it out HERE.)
After teaching writing for 34 years, Becky began Ink & Keyboard, a blog for writers at all levels. She supplements what she writes on the blog with a subscription newsletter, The Writer’s Notebook (Check it out HERE.) and the social media group Ink & Keyboard (Check it out HERE.)Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
If you enjoyed what you just read, feel free to share.
If you found this article helpful or inspirational, you might enjoy these:
Before you go . . .
If you like my writing or got something out of it, why not join Medium as a paying member. As a member, you have unlimited access to my articles as well as the work of other talented writers.
