It is totally ok not to feel ok at this time of year. In fact, for many it can be a time of stress, past trauma, and sadness. We need to try to acknowledge and understand the feelings and emotions that are coming up for us. As the year draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on our beliefs about ourselves that may be holding us back and not allowing us to move forward with life and thrive.

To do this, we need to learn how to let go of the opposing thoughts (limited beliefs) that stand in the way of our personal development and happiness. One way to do this is to use affirmations (daily declarations of self-worth and strength) to overcome negative thinking and self-doubt and drive positive change in your life. In a way, affirmations are a very powerful tool to reprogram our minds and replace the limited beliefs we were born with , with our own ones (not the ones that we were given).

To get the most benefits from your affirmations, you’ll want to start a regular practice and make it into a daily habit.

To begin, take a moment to tap into your feelings, acknowledge what is bothering you, try to be as specific as possible and then write your personal affirmation, turning any negative thoughts into positive statements.

Examples could be:

• By focusing on the positive, I can find the best solution to my problem
• Problems arise in my life, but I will find the best way to solve them
• I let go of the negative emotions and all the things that bother me
• I open myself to welcome all the good things that are coming to my life

Throughout the day, repeat your affirmation, either out loud or in your head. Some people like to write their affirmations on post-it notes and stick them on their bathroom mirror. Notice and observe how you are feeling and any small changes in your mood. Practise your affirmation for 21 days (this is when a change becomes more permanent) or until you notice a shift. In case you want to practise both steps simultaneously we recommend that you start with releasing the negative thoughts for two weeks and then add the positive affirmations, otherwise after completing the 21 days move onto the next step – positive affirmations.

Examples of positive affirmations you could use are:

• Love, happiness and abundance are for me
• I am open and welcome all the positive things into my life
• I am open and optimistic that the new year will bring me love, joy and happiness.
• My body is working with me to be the healthiest it can be.

Stay tuned in our social media for more information and practices on affirmations and ways to find out your limited belief and move forward happier and healthier.