How to Use Affirmations to Create Your 2020 Vision
I’ve been asking my clients this past month to reflect on their progress for 2019. I believe it’s helpful to celebrate successes and not only focus on the problems that exist. We sometimes look for success to appear in dramatic ways, when really, it often manifest in small but meaningful ways. We just miss them because we expect it to look like something else.
If you’ve had fertility struggles, a pregnancy loss or maybe a traumatic birth, it can be hard to see beyond what you’re experiencing right now. Feelings of sadness, frustration and anxiety can color your entire world making it difficult to feel joyful or even hopeful. Maybe you’ve had joyful moments but have convinced yourself that you “shouldn’t” feel joy because of your situation.
First of all, stop “shoulding” on yourself and yes, I know that’s not a real word. Give yourself permission to feel what’s coming up for you. You’re entitled to all the feelings you have. They’re coming up for a reason and they’re valid. The key is to not judge what you’re feeling but approach it from a place of curiosity. Try to notice them and get curious about what it might be trying to tell you. It might be asking you to take action in some way. It could be that you’ve been feeling irritable lately and that might be because you’re not getting adequate rest. Hold back on the judgment and get curious instead. I often find that curiosity yields kindness and compassion whereas judgment yields shame and guilt.
Feeling Stuck?
If you’re feeling stuck, I invite you to envision the 2020 version of yourself. Positive affirmations are a helpful tool to use to see beyond your current circumstances. What do you envision the future version of yourself to have or be?
You can use the following prompts as a guide to get started.
I am…
I welcome…
I deserve…
I choose…
I believe…
I trust…
I have…
I know…
I feel…
I create…
I love…
I recommend just choosing one affirmation to start with. Repeat it out loud to yourself several times each day. When you say them, focus on their meanings and visualize your life as though your affirmations have already become reality. Feel free to reach out and share what you’ve created. This is a really powerful exercise and I can’t wait to hear what you come up with!
Difficult situations can often suck the life out of us and keep us from being hopeful about the future. Whether you’re facing a new beginning, a painful ending, or something in between, I can help. Please contact me to set up an appointment today so you can start working towards the 2020 version of yourself that you’re longing for.
This is a beautiful blog, highlighting an area of mental health not often addressed in our culture. It’s been my experience that it’s unfortunately rare to hear a woman describe a really positive birth experience, and this is especially true with first-time mothers. This would suggest that, despite the wealth of resources available on “what to expect when you’re expecting,” we do a poor job of preparing women for the experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and the transition to motherhood – including the all-too-common experience of pregnancy loss. How refreshing to see someone specializing in these important areas of a woman’s life.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and provide a response. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you have shared. We really need to do a better job at recognizing and honoring that everyone’s journey to motherhood looks different.