Many of us long for change in our own lives, but often we stay in the familiar thought and behavior patterns. Positive Affirmations However, they can help us to break out of old thought patterns and improve our mental state. An intensive Dealing with your reflection in the mirror be beneficial.
What are affirmations?
The term “affirmation” is no longer entirely new and can be found in blog articles, Instagram posts and the like. But maybe you are like me a few years ago and you don’t know what to do with the term at the moment. A few years ago, when I was at an emotional low point, a friend told me about Louise Hay and her affirmations. I'm almost always open to new things, so I rummaged around on Spotify and YouTube at the time and got involved in the world of affirmations.
The original Affirmation Definition is simple: one Affirmation is an affirmative statement, i.e. a positively formulated sentence. The term affirmation goes back to the Latin affirmatiō, which means "assurance" and "affirmation".
As an affirmative statement, an affirmation can be almost anything. "I'm reading a book" or "I like liverwurst", for example. However, in order for the affirmation to become a helpful mental training tool, this original affirmation definition must be supplemented by two further aspects, target focus and Repetition.
target focus means that an affirmation is always connected to a goal, a clear direction. Repetition means that the affirmation is not only formulated and recited once, but that it is repeated regularly over a longer period of time.
Source: Empathy-learning.de
Your start into the world of affirmations
So, affirmations are positive phrasesthat you over a longer period regularly (preferably daily) to repeat a specific to achieve goal. It can be very strange at first - at least that's my personal experience. Being at an emotional low point, it was difficult to set big goals because what I needed at the time was self-love and renewed self-confidence.
If you're at a point like this right now, it's probably good if you just browse Spotify and YouTube and listen to audio files with various affirmations, just like I did back then. You will then notice quite quickly which affirmations trigger tingling, tears, feelings of happiness or completely different emotions in you. The affirmations that we are doing right now usually trigger some form of physical reaction.
My personal experience
I still remember very clearly how I felt then. I had an audio file of affirmations by Louisa Hay on and was lying on my back on my bed. It was relaxing to listen to the sentences and most of the affirmations triggered a neutral to comfortable feeling in me. Suddenly, however, a sentence came out that was something like this: "I forgive the people who have hurt me in the past." That triggered an incredibly strong reaction in me: dizziness, heat, nervousness. So here it was: the one thing I needed to work on to make myself feel good again - forgiveness.
Where do I begin?
The nice thing about the development of the last few years is that there are now not only the affirmations by Louise Hay (which I can absolutely recommend, however), but also numerous other recordings, such as those by the podcaster Laura Malina Seiler or YouTuber Mady Morrison. So there is definitely a person for you whose voice and way of speaking is just right for you.
Especially in the beginning I recommend that you really take the time for affirmations. Lie on your back on your yoga mat, your bed, or maybe yours acupressure mat. Let the affirmations work on you. Maybe you'll find the one that's good for you.
And then?
Are you already past the beginner level? Then use affirmations to achieve your goals! In the article "3 simple strategies to master your lipedema diagnosis" I explain how that SMART method and Habit stacking can help you to integrate more self-management into your everyday life. You can take it to the next level with affirmations.
A few affirmations for compression heroes could be:
- I am a self management queen.
- I work on my self-management every day and enjoy it.
- I am confident and stay calm in any situation.
- I have faith in life and am valuable.
- I like wearing my compression supplies because they are good for me.
- I Have Cellulite and I'm a Sexy Beast (Mirror Sticker by Power Sprotte)
- I am more than my legs.
- I give up everything but give up.
- My best is good enough.
What other affirmations that are helpful for our community can you think of? Feel free to write them in the comments.
Mirror image and mirror work
While researching for this article, I stumbled across a book by Louisa Hay that I hadn't heard of before: "Spiegelarbeit". In it she writes, among other things, the following:
"Mirror work — which is simply looking deep into your own eyes while saying affirmations — is the most powerful way I know of to learn to love yourself."
Hay, Louisa: Mirror work: heal your life in 21 days, Heyne, 2018, page 7
Whether and how exactly this works, I will report in a future blog article - I ordered the book.
That communication with your reflection in the mirror can be helpful to remind you of what is important on a daily basist, recognized Caroline Sprott aka Power Sprotte a while ago and that's why she was right from the start mirror decal in the assortment from Power Sprat concept store recorded. You can stick the stickers on any mirror (also on picture frames, if you want to get creative) and every time you look at your reflection in the mirror you will be reminded not to be so strict with yourself.
The Mirror Sticker "Your best is good enough." is just right for all compression heroes who tend to be a bit too strict with themselves from time to time.
Affirmations - how do I do it?
Even if you feel strange at first, affirmations that you say out loud are the most effective. And not just once, but over and over again. That's why mirror stickers are so practical, because they remind you again and again.
If, like me, you tend to be rather harsh and critical of yourself, an affirmation like “My best is good enough” may be just the thing for you. So stick it to the mirror you look in every day, take a minute.
Deep abdominal breathing is beneficial for the lymph flow anyway, so my suggestion is that you stand in front of the mirror and first take two or three deep breaths into your stomach. So you center yourself a little more again. Then look deep into your reflection's eyes, overcome yourself and say it out loud:
"My best is good enough."
Maybe you even give yourself a little smile? Or even a big one? Either way, you can be sure that in this moment I'm giving you a smile and I'm happy for you.
Mirror sticker as a gift
Mirror stickers are the perfect little token of appreciation for a dear compression heroine! Some of the mirror stickers in the Power Sprotte concept store are particularly suitable for this:
For example, sanifeen and elves are always happy about the stickers "Compressionist at work" or "Compressionist at Work". But we are also increasingly finding the other stickers in the measuring rooms of medical supply stores. A loving reminder, for example, is the sticker "You are more than your legs" - it really can't be repeated often enough.
The motto of Vanessa aka @rundundsportlich "Give up everything but give up!" would actually fit really well in a gym locker room, right? So far we have not received a photo of this, but you never know. In any case, I would be happy if that changes soon.
Where have you seen Power Sprotte's mirror stickers so far and where would you like to see them? Are there perhaps even sayings that are still missing in the range that would enrich the life of the compression community?
Feel free to share it with us in the comments. We look forward to hearing about your experiences, wishes and suggestions on the subject Affirmations and communicating with one's own reflection.
