I believe it was in mid-August 2021, a long-time friend who is a life coach, shared with me that she starts her day with, "Today is a Good Day!" and ends it with the same words. She noticed in a few days of claiming the day as good, it actually turned out to be so!
I thought I'd try it out too. My clients often like to try experiments out to see if they stick. Some enjoy what they set out to do and make it a part of their daily practice because they see evidence it's working. For me, it made sense to commit to an easy practice of claiming the day as good.
It started out with, "Today is a Fantastic Day" and I'd close the day with the same words. I did this for about 3 weeks then I asked my middle schooler if he'd like to join me. This was a win-win because school had just begun and for Language Arts, he was working on building his vocabulary and utilizing vivid adjectives instead of the standard responses: good, awesome, amazing, when I'd ask him about an assignment, class, or how his day was going.
Nearly 6 months into this process, both my son and I, use multiple adjectives to claim and describe our day. We've gotten so effective that we've increased our vocabulary, we've attracted more goodness, and even have used words that aren't common like supertastic and fantabulous.
If for some reason we forget to describe our day, sometimes he'll wake up to come find me to ask, "Know what we forgot?" Yep - that's right then we'll close the day with optimism sealing our belief in what is to come.
Most of us know that words have power. What we think about, say out loud, and write creates energy.
We can be cognizant of what we're thinking by taking stock of our thoughts randomly throughout the day. This idea isn't mine but I read about it in How to Be a Health Coach: An Integrative Wellness Approach (2021) on page 204 by author, Meg A. Jordan, PhD, RN, NBC-HWC.
Want to try the reflection exercise now? If so, set the timer on your phone for 2 minutes. Sit in silence - you can come back here to finish reading in a few moments.
Now that the two minutes are over, what did you think about? Try this again for a longer period of time then maybe try it before you go into an appointment, run an errand without the kids, make a phone call, etc., what do you find yourself thinking about? When we are aware of our thoughts, this is where we can identify patterns and if necessary, course correct.
When we become aware of our thought patterns, we can shift to design the life we seek. There is adequate scientific evidence to back this up (1). Though, if there wasn't any evidence, could you see yourself trying it out to see if you can create your own experience around this fun activity?
What is your experience with using affirmations?
Affirmations may not replace therapy or cure emotional distress but they may be useful in changing our outlook and give us the confidence to seek out support and wise counsel and continue to meet with our physicians, therapists, coaches, and other helpers.
People who are actively seeking and implementing positive behavioral change will be met with resistance (2). This is fact. How does one bounce back from a slip or a setback? Building a daily habit of spoken affirmations may help you move forward quicker. Affirmations can be words, phrases, quotes, etc., and when spoken with conviction and belief in yourself, your own self-confidence will increase! Essentially, increasing our own self-confidence leads to self-efficacy. This is when we believe that we have the capacity to execute behaviors to produce specific behavioral attainments (Bandura, 1977, 1986) (3).
Create a daily ritual by starting and ending your day with Today is a Good Day! Then in a few months, if not sooner, you'll be speaking positively about yourself that your actions will align with what you're thinking and your self-confidence blossoms and you become unstoppable!
Is this hard for you to believe? At one time, I thought so too. I grew up hearing the opposite of what I'm sharing here. It took wise counsel and life experience to change my thinking. When adversity comes knocking, I have to dig my heels in and remind myself that I am worth speaking affirmations about my potential and how this day will be and ultimately, how my life will unfold.
There is ample goodness at your core. You are of value. Some of us may been taught differently or have even experienced hardship but today we can say, Today is a Good Day, and believe it because we know who we are.
Last night as I was driving home from the grocery store in a quiet car, I felt the nudge to speak positive and affirming phrases out loud. "I love me. I love my community. I love my home. I love my neighborhood. I love my health. I love how my body responds to nutritious foods that I enjoy finding and making. I love exercising. I love having access to plentiful options. I love eating well. I love my family," and on and on and on until I pulled into my driveway. Speaking these powerful phrases was energizing and enlightening! I know that when I change my perspective and truly believe it, I am unstoppable.
You can do this too! I believe in you!!
Today is an exceptional, adventuresome, powerful, forward-focused, and creative day!
How is YOUR day? Claim it and share it below.
Positive Psychology. (12 Aug 2021). Daily Affirmations.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. (2016). Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation, published study.
American Psychological Association. (2009). Teaching Tip Sheet: Self-Efficacy.
Meg A. Jordan. (2021). How to Be a Health Coach, 2ed. Amazon #aff.
In wellness,
Jessica David
Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose, or prevent any disease, condition, or ailment. This information is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Speak with your healthcare provider to see how/if it pertains to your individual needs.
The purpose of this blog is to offer support for your health goals. As of July 2022, Jessica David is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Jessica has ten years of coaching experience and you can consider her an encourager, someone in your corner, a friend, and a professional.
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