Even though we’re already several days into 2019, today is really just the beginning, for all of us. And we can prevent the wrong thoughts and beliefs from getting the best of us as we move forward with our lives. We can train our minds to make the very best of the present moment, even when our circumstances are far less than ideal. All it takes is practice.
The mind is like a muscle, and just like every muscle in the human body, it needs to be exercised to gain strength. It needs to be trained daily to grow and develop gradually over time. If you haven’t pushed your mind in dozens of little, positive ways over time, of course it’ll crumble on the day things get overwhelmingly stressful.
The best way to start training your mind?
Affirmations. They are one of the simplest and most powerful tools for staying on track in life. A mind well trained with the right affirmations has the right thoughts queued up and ready for retrieval at a moment’s notice.
One of our course students, who graduated with a PhD a couple years ago from one of the most prestigious universities in our country, is now an executive for one of the world’s fastest growing tech companies. Throughout grade school and high school she desperately wrestled with a form of dyslexia that made reading and writing a monumental challenge. She spent kindergarten through 12th grade in language-based ESE classes. And during a parent-teacher conference when she was in 10th grade, one of her ESE teachers informed her parents that it was extremely unlikely she would ever receive a high school diploma.
So how did she do it? How did she push herself to rise up and overcome the odds? “Affirmations,” she confirmed with me when I interviewed her recently for a new project Marc and I are working on. “The daily affirmation rituals you and Marc set me up with, and held me accountable to, changed everything! While it may sound cliché to some people, it’s absolutely not—affirmations are powerful tools! I literally told myself that the naysayers were wrong about me. I told myself exactly what I needed to hear, every single day, to move my life forward.”
If you’d like to begin (or enhance) this ritual in your own life this year, here’s a handpicked selection of affirmations I often suggest to our course students as starting point:
- “The biggest and most complex obstacle I will ever have to overcome is my mind. If I can overcome that, I can overcome anything.”
- “I cannot control exactly what happens in life, but I can control how I respond to it all. In my response is my greatest power.”
- “I have to accept whatever comes my way, and the only important thing is that I meet it with the best I have to give.”
- “I will stop focusing on how stressed I am and remember how blessed I am. Complaining won’t change my reality, but a positive attitude will.”
- “Being positive does not mean ignoring the negative. Being positive means overcoming the negative. There is a big difference between the two.”
- “I will not get caught up in what could’ve been or should’ve been. I will look instead at the power and possibility of what is, right now.”
- “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. It’s about not letting my fear decide my future.”
- “I will get back up. Again, and again. The faster I recover from setbacks, the faster I’ll get to where I’m going in life.”
- “My next step in the right direction does not have to be a big one.”
- “Patience is a genuine expression of confidence, acceptance, serenity, and faith in my own ability. It’s a sign of strength. I will practice it.”
- “When I find that I don’t have time for what matters, I will stop doing things that don’t.”
- “I can always feel the genuine, positive power that flows from my decision to rise above the petty drama and distractions that don’t really matter anyway.”
- “Instead of getting angry, I will find the lesson. In place of envy, I will feel admiration. In place of worry, I will take positive action. In place of doubt, I will have faith.”
- “There’s nothing selfish about self-care and self-love. I can’t give what I don’t have. When I enrich my own life, I’ll be life-giving to others too.”
- “When the grass looks greener on the other side, it’s just life’s way of reminding me to water the grass I’m standing on.”
- “From now on I will be too busy watering my own grass to notice if yours is greener.”
- “I will focus on making myself better, not on thinking I am better.”
- “I will practice gratitude, even in the midst of frustration and despair, so I can better see the positive possibilities around me.”
- “Happiness does not start when ‘this, that or the other’ thing is resolved. Happiness is what happens now, when I make the best of what I have.”
(Note: Marc and I dive much deeper into affirmations and other powerful self-coaching tools in our New York Times bestselling book.)
Now, it’s your turn…
Marc and I would love to hear from YOU!
Which affirmation mentioned above resonates with you the most right now, and why?
Anything else to share?
Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to sign-up for our free newsletter to receive new articles like this in your inbox each week in 2019.
Henry Danes says
Great one, Marc and Angel! Happy 2019! I absolutely love how your affirmation #1 slapped me upside the head and your affirmation #2 grounded me to a powerful truth I so often forget.
Thank you for your emails, book, and other teachings. What you two share continuously helps me grow!
Laura says
M&A, number 14 above is something I once struggled with to no end. I actually found your blog about two years ago when I was completely burnt out. Between work, family and friendship obligations, my tank was completely dry. In a nutshell, I was stretching myself way too thin — I was giving all of myself to the people I care about and leaving no time to nurture my own needs. After reading your articles and emails, I signed up for your course and got on a coaching call with you. The rituals we designed for dealing with my self-neglect and balancing my time so that I’m now nurturing both myself AND others, has been a life-saver.
Although it’s been awhile since I checked in here and left a comment, I do often read your new articles when they arrive in my email. This one was such a great reminder for me as I embark on a new step in a New Year that I had to leave you a sincere “Thank you!”
Precious says
Thank you, Angel and Marc,
and Laura for sharing.
Katherine Rose says
Angel, I love the positive affirmations you’ve shared here and I will start using them today. But I wanted to leave you a note here to let you know how much I deeply connected with the way you ended this post…the challenge to question our stories and self-talk. Too often I am guilty of avoiding the situations, experiences and relationships in my life that aren’t “perfect” or ideal. I talk down on myself and my various life situations. I need to start reflecting on the stories and default (discouraging) things I tell myself.
Anyhow, as Laura mentioned above, I’ve been a long-time reader of your site, and my wife and I sit down together every week and use your posts, emails and excerpts from your Getting Back to Happy book to reflect on our lives. This post has helped us do just that today as we begin anew for 2019. Happy New Year to you and Marc.
Jamaica says
Very helpful❤
Emma @ Die Boredom Die says
Happy 2019!
Thank you for this helpful post!
+-Life. says
I really like #5!
“Being positive does not mean ignoring the negative. Being positive means overcoming the negative. There is a big difference between the two.”
I’ve always thought that ignoring negativity does more harm.
It’ll just come back later to haunt you again and again by not dealing with it.
Whatever negative thoughts or self-talk that pop up in our heads, we need to counter them with positive thoughts and bring balance!
Donna Good says
I love this….as well as your book. Thanks for making me a bit more thoughtful about how I live my life.
Jacqueline says
Is it true
Is it kind
Is it helpful
excellent, this is great advice
Truth -we all want the truth who wouldn,t want that,
Kind, – let your gentleness be evident to all, more powerful than winning an argument or aggressive behaviour,
Helpful – beneficial, thoughtful and supportive
it just says it all to me, to help others and myself, you can apply this to every area of your life,
thank you
love Jacqueline xx
Linda says
1-5-9 affirmation – my goal in 2019 is to get over the obstacle of my brain … I hear negative and become reactive … after 55 years I need this to change !!! Happy & Blessed to stumble upon your site ( seek and you shall find)
15&16 affirmation made me smile
Happy New Year !!
❤️
Stephen Dufresne says
Thank You! I made a list…
Overcome the mind, I can overcome anything, control thoughts.
In my response, I control everything.
Accept everything, meet it with the best I have to give.
Focus gratitude, stop focusing on how stressed I am, remember how blessed I am.
Be positive, overcome the negative.
Be present, what is, right now.
Focus decisions without fear.
Get back up. Again, and again. The faster I recover from setbacks, the faster I’ll get to where I’m going in life.
Baby steps, plod.
Be Patient genuine expression of confidence, acceptance, serenity, and faith in my own ability. It’s a sign of strength. I will practice it.
Find time, for what matters.
Rise above, petty drama and distractions.
Substitute…angry, find the lesson. …envy, feel admiration. …worry, with positive action. …doubt, have faith.
Enrich my own life, it will be life-giving to others.
Water the grass I’m standing on. When the grass looks greener on the other side.
Humbly substitute making myself better, on thinking I am better.
Practice Gratitude and Happiness, Now. Make the best of what I have. Accept it for the Gift it is and Remember finding Happiness is the only job we are born with.
Perla Milner says
Thank u for always sending “words of wisdom” wishing u both a very healthy and peaceful new year!
Jean says
I have photographed that wall in MFA Boston many times- have you been there? Also I’ve “come across” the acronym THINK (as in, before you speak, is what you’re about to say…
T – True
H- Helpful
I – Interesting
N – Necessary
K – Kind
Thank you for all your helpful insight in your emails, books, etc.
shan says
I love reading your blogs about overcoming obstacles and maintaining a positive, strong mindset. It has helped me so much in 2018 and I’m looking forward to bettering myself from it even more in 2019. Thank you!
Hakima says
Dear Marc and Angel
Happy 2019 and love you both.
angela says
Thank you for your wonderful insightful suggestions and guidance through your newsletters. They are thought provoking and life changing for you to be in a better/positive/happier place, mentally.
With very best wishes for the future and am looking foward to this years advice & tips.