“Where your attention goes, energy flows,” so why not have your thoughts be positive? Affirmations are individual words or sentences that you can repeat in order to direct your thoughts. You can repeat the words aloud or to yourself at anytime and multiple times throughout the day, especially when you are feeling down about something school specific, or your critical voice is loudly telling you that you cannot do something.

For example, if focusing is a challenge, you can use one of the following affirmations:

I focus.

I focus easily and effortlessly.

I direct my attention to my ______ (teacher’s words, school work, homework, etc.).

I have the power to direct my attention.

Anxiety is another common issue with students.  In her book, Heal Your Body, Louise Hay states the following affirmation is helpful for anxiety: “I love and approve of myself and I trust the process of life. I am safe.”

When creating your own affirmation(s), stick with the following tips:

1. State the affirmation in the present tense. 

Use words like “I am” or I+verb. For example, “I am focused,” or, “I focus.” Conversely, using words like “I will,” “I want to,” or “I hope…,” affirm that it is not happening now but will hopefully happen at some point in the future. It leaves you where you are, which is hoping something will happen in the future rather than feeling empowered about it already existing within you right now. So rather than affirm, “I will study hard for my test,” perhaps affirm, “I study easily and effortlessly.”

2. Use the terms you want rather than what you don’t want. 

Don’t use what you don’t want in the affirmation. Rather than state, “I don’t procrastinate,” try stating, “I start my work at the perfect time.” Remembering that where attention goes, energy flows, “don’t procrastinate” is still focusing on the procrastinating. Instead, state the words in the terms you want, like starting work.

3. When in doubt, follow this template, “I ______ easily and effortlessly.”

You can fill in the blank with verbs like focus, create, write, write essays, perform, do math problems, read, relax, etc.

I start my work easily and effortlessly (procrastination issues)

I remember information easily and effortlessly (retaining information)

4. If you’re struggling to come up with your own affirmations, look them up online.

Google “affirmations for _________ ” (your issue) or Check out this link: http://www.everydayaffirmations.org/p/affirmative-words.html#

While stating affirmations can be useful and helpful in directing your attention toward the positive, they will not magically allow you to do something that you do not know how to do. I can affirm that I am an amazing golfer all day long, but if I don’t know how to golf, and I don’t take steps towards becoming a golfer (i.e. taking lessons and/or practicing), I will not be or become an amazing golfer. You have to take action. Affirmations plus action yield results.