By: Cynthia Copoulos

There are so many creative ways to incorporate positive affirmations into your daily boss routine! I like to switch up my practice often because I like to have options. ;) 

Some days I wake up and before I even open my eyes, I’m on it - reciting 5 things I love about myself - ready to start the f**king day! Then there are days where I can barely make it out of bed. 

A positive affirmation practice should be short and sweet. In a matter of seconds you can recite 5 things you love about yourself. Obviously the longer you spend the better but I promise it won’t feel like work. wanted to share some of my favorite clever ways to sneak in your positive affirmation practice so it doesn’t feel like one more thing you have to do!

MY TOP 8 FAVORITE WAYS TO PRACTICE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

1. AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP

I like to start my positive affirmation practice as soon as I wake up in the morning. It really sets the tone for the day in a positive way. Not all mornings start out beautifully, most of the time they’re really hard so I encourage you, on those hard days, to really put the effort into your practice. Ideally I like to start stating my positive affirmations in my head before I even open my eyes. This gives me a few minutes to honor myself first thing in the morning.

2. IN THE SHOWER

This is perfect for those days you wake up late for work! Or maybe you’re a busy mom and this is literally the only time you’ll have for yourself today! As soon as I step into my  shower I feel so grateful for a lot of things; to have hot water, to have time to take a shower, to use this time to connect to myself. Then I either say my affirmations in my mind or out loud. You can have so much fun with saying them out loud. You might feel a little bit vulnerable but don’t let that discourage you. Stating your affirmations aloud is so powerful - have fun with it.

3. RECORD YOUR VOICE

This is a great tool for auditory learners and people who like to think out loud! Open your phone's voice recording app and take a minute to state 5 things that are important for yourself to hear. Maybe this week you're focusing on self-love -  you can state “I am beautiful just as I am” and repeat this 5 times or state 5 different things you love about yourself.  Make it as long or as short as you want. You can listen back while you’re working on the computer or even while you’re driving!

4. WHILE BRUSHING

A great sneaky way to practice your affirmations is while brushing. Brushing your teeth, brushing your hair, during your dry brushing session, whatever. No matter what you’re brushing, or who, this is a great time to tune into yourself and state your positive affirmations!

5. WHILE JOURNALING

This is one of my absolute favorite ways to incorporate affirmations as I’m a very visual person. I journal everything; my feelings, my dreams, my goals and of course, my affirmations! I assign a section in my journal to help hold myself accountable and commit 1 minute of affirmation writing every day. 

6. STICKY NOTES

I actually got this idea from my husband (at the time my fiancé), Paul. He used to write the sweetest things on sticky notes and the back of business cards and leave them around the house for me. My favorite one that I still have in my bathroom, right next to my toothbrush says “I’m so proud of you Cynthia.” The key is putting them in places that are easy to see or using colors that capture your attention. I love sticking them on my mirror, refrigerator, microwave, your kitchen sink, water cooler, on the inside of your front door and even in your car.

7. PHONE BACKGROUNDS, ALARMS & REMINDERS  

It’s incredible how our life revolves around our connection to our smartphones. For most of us the first thing we do when we wake up is reach for our phone and check for notifications. I like to look at our phones as a unique way to connect to ourselves. We’re going to be on our phones regardless, why not make it a tool to help you. You can set the background on your phone to state your 5 favorite affirmations. Set alarms and reminders to create time to practice your affirmations. If you only have 30 seconds to spare, set your timer and see how many positive affirmations you can squeeze into that short time! I think you’ll be pretty impressed!

8. IN THE MIRROR 

I saved the best, most powerful practice for last. I want you to talk to yourself in the mirror. I know it seems crazy, maybe because it is, but it doesn’t have to be. There is power in eye contact with yourself and with others. There has been a ton of research on how nonverbal cues, particularly those coming from the eyes affects our behavior. Your affirmations are already powerful and peaking them out loud multiplies that by 2! Speaking them out loud while making eye contact with yourself in the mirror multiplies that by 5! When you look yourself in the eyes, you’re creating a genuine connection to yourself. The words you speak are much more powerful - give it a try. You may feel vulnerable, it may make you cry but the true feelings of unconditional love you’ve shown yourself are absolutely priceless.

I hope you loved reading this article,

I would love to hear the creative ways you incorporate your positive affirmation practices. Comment below with your examples and experiences!