Bright Ideas: The Power of Positive Affirmations

Affirmations are life changers!

"Affirmations are the most powerful way to reprogram the limiting beliefs that keep us stuck in low self-esteem and resignation. Affirmations can change your life."

-author Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

Last summer, I became intrigued with learning more about the power of positive thinking. I started using positive affirmations daily to redirect my "glass half-empty" funk I found myself in. The more I consciously thought positively, the more I started to catch my negative thinking as it happened and was able to "flip" it.

For example, if I was thinking how overwhelmed I was with a particular task at work and feeling like I wasn't good enough, I'd flip my thinking into a positive affirmation by saying to myself (or out loud is even better!) "I am enough! I am worthy and deserving of good things. I am doing the best that I can!"

The more I started using positive thinking the more empowered I felt. So, of course, when the school year started, I wondered if using positive thinking with my students would have the same effect on them.

The first week of school I gathered my little ones on the carpet and explained to them what a positive affirmation was….that it is a declaration of anything good about yourself. I explained that we were going to make a poem of sorts, an I AM poem of positive affirmations.

They loved this idea! With a little guidance, the class came up with some amazing affirmations!

I had each child trace his or her handprint, sign it, and glue it to our poster. We read this poster to start our morning, and several times throughout the day we'd refer back to it, especially when a child seemed discouraged.

Magical things began to happen!! During a fire drill one little girl started crying and was upset. I pulled her aside and had her take a few deep breaths to help calm her, and then had her repeat after me "I am safe. I am loved. My teacher loves me. My family loves me. My school is safe. I am protected…" After saying four or five affirmations she had stopped crying and had a smile on her face! 

Here are some other affirmations that I used last year:

I am beautiful.

I am loved.

I am safe.

My teacher loves me.

My friends love me.
My parents love me.

I am smart.

I can do hard things.

 I am an angel. (One of my students came up with that one! I love it!)
Learning is fun!
I am love!

Throughout the year, when a student would complain that the work was too difficult, other students would say, "Remember, I can do hard things!!" It became our mantra last year whenever something arose that was challenging! Someone would always pipe up and say "I can do hard things!!" 

Teaching children how to flip their negative thoughts into positives gives them power and self-confidence. It is an amazing tool for anyone, really. I use them all the time when I am catch myself thinking negatively about myself or a situation that is stressing me. I just "flip" my negative into a positive thought and repeat it over and over again until it "sticks". You will actually feel your body calm once you are believing the positive thoughts you are stating! It truly is amazing how much the mind effects the body!

You are what you repeatedly think, so why not create the most beautiful, positive world you can by starting with one little thought! 

If you liked this "Bright Idea" you'll want to check out more amazing ideas from some fantastic teacher/bloggers in the links below!

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Be good and kind to yourself! 

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