Positive affirmations. We’ve all heard them and read them. But how often do we actually repeat them? Put them into practice? Speak them over ourselves and to our children and let the truths rule over any negative thoughts?

The truth is…words are powerful. What we say matters. Our words and our thoughts matter. Negative and positive…both can have an incredible impact on how we live and even who we are.

For that reason, I believe positive affirmations are even more important for our kids….especially in today’s society. Their brains are like clay on a potter’s wheel being molded and developed by their experiences, stimuli, and…words. This is called neuroplasticity, which simply put, means it is the ability of the brain’s neural networks to adjust their behavior in reaction to new information or stimuli. When we surround our children with statements and actions that reflect encouragement and unconditional love, we are actually influencing their brain architecture positively for the rest of their lives.

Now…no pressure, but this proves another reason why our words are so powerful. While our kids are young, they are just learning how to navigate this big, often scary world. And sometimes, they can get stuck in the sludge of negative self-talk. (don’t we all?) Negativity can pull us down like quicksand…and the sad truth is, negative thinking patterns are common for MANY children.

So…instead of allowing our kids to be swallowed up with unhelpful thought patterns, lets help them flip the switch, rewire the pathways, and change negative thoughts to positive ones. This can be done through effective, consistent use of positive affirmations.

Now…I’m not a big believer in “manifesting” or speaking things into existence (perhaps I’ll write more on that later)….but I do believe in the power of words and a positive mindset. I believe in the benefits of positive affirmations and here’s a list to name a few of the many benefits:

• builds resilience and helps kids face challenges with a positive attitude
• Boosts confidence and self esteem
• Effective self regulation strategy to help them persevere through troubling or stressful situations
• Improves mindset-gives kids a positive outlook and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Develops a greater sense of self-belief which can lead to better performance
• Counters negative self talk
• Highlights positive behavior and helps recognize praise as truth

Whether it’s a child who needs encouragement at home or a student trying to succeed at school…daily affirmations can help your children live up to their full potential every single day. Now you may be wondering, HOW do I incorporate them into our daily routines? Here are a few ways to begin implementing positive affirmations with your kids:

• Print posters and hang them on your walls or fridge
• Write a daily affirmation on a chalkboard or whiteboard in your home
• Coloring pages that include positive affirmations
• Repeat the phrases out loud together
• Encourage your child to repeat them 5-10 times to themselves in the mirror
• Write them on the mirror with a dry erase marker
• Write them down on popsicle sticks or cards and keep them in a jar, pull one each day and read it out loud
• Keep a daily positivity journal and write down all the positive things that come each day

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