So let's just say that my friends and I have become a little obsessed with a certain YouTube video – the cutest little mini-me with curly ginger hair affirming herself in front of the mirror and in copy cat American style, we imitate her drama-filled child-like crescendoing voice as we walk through our front door to greet each other.
We shout our own affirmation – which might include something like – I love my car, I love my hairdryer, I love my bed, I love my job, I love my nail polish, I love my boss, (I love my glass of wine) – you get the picture, interchange as you will.
Funnily enough, with all this positivity, there has been an odd effect on all of us. Ranging from serious to the more disingenuous positive affirmations said over our own lives, I've seen a shift in dynamic. On the positive things in our lives that we feel confident about happening, we'll call them out – big and small and we'll confirm them, speaking out our words of encouragement, declaring how blessed we are.
There is something about affirming the less good aspects of our lives though in a mimicked American child's accent that makes even the worst things sounds amazing. Suddenly 'I love my job' (if we don't), we 'love our run' (if we're unfit), we 'love our hair' (even bad hair day moment), we love our 'mum' (if it's a strained relationship), we love our etc etc, activates a change in attitude about our less than positive situations.
And this seems to be something pretty ground-breaking in my life – I seemed to focus on the negative for longer than I remember, but didn't even know it. Choosing our words can affect the way we see the world, our day and ourselves and influence others – and either way.
I'll let you know that I nearly started this piece with 'I love myself!' wondering how many people would have opened it – or just immediately thought, eww, who is she? I would have thought the same if I'd have seen that from another young writer (sorry…)
Reactions
But it made me wonder about the reaction to us loving ourselves? If a daily affirmation about the most positive things in our lives (and the less good too) can change our moods and hearts from serious to light and closed to open, then loving ourselves and speaking love over who we are in terms of physical and spiritual beings, is surely something that we should focus on. God did say love each other as we love ourselves.
So what does loving myself look like? Does it mean I have to truly love everything about myself and speak American-style self-love over myself? Not sure that will go down well as an English girl living in a land aware of tall poppies. I want to avoid arrogance and encounter freedom in myself through being kind to myself and loving every part of who I am, because God made me – and so I am!
Declaring those words of freedom about ourselves quickly spill into what we see in other people. If we only verbalise and learn to think about the great things in our lives – or proclaim our hearts desires and dreams in the things that are difficult – we quickly see a change in our attitude to others. Instead of moaning about the difficult colleague or complaining about the wait for our coffee, we start to be less worried, take less offence, and live light-heartedly, with a lighter spirit and response.
And what happens in our lives when our prayers reflect the positivity on our lips and in our hearts? If we ditch the complaining and we bring positivity to God, how does that change our prayers? God tells us to boldly 'write down the revelation' in Habukkuk 2 – our prayers can be declarations of our dreams, speaking out the promises god has given.
And by learning to speak out favour in my prayers, I'm seeing drastic changes in the life going on around me, blessings being poured out because I am speaking and calling them out, trusting God that he hears my prayers.
There's a reason God tells us to ask and we shall receive. Positivity brings blessing, increase, favour and a change of spirit – so if like me you need a shift in your life – then try your own daily affirmation. It might not get you millions of views on you tube, but it'll get you a big fat like from your Papa God – who'll most likely breathe a sigh of relief as you step into calling out his promises and favour on your life, finally seeing yourself as he sees you. I'm giving it a go.
For Jessica's Daily Affirmation – and my inspiration, click below!
Originally from The Lake District in the UK, Amanda works in Publishing in Auckland and is passionate about seeing Christians bring salt and light into the media, arts and creative industries. She is also working on fighting her FOMO and doing less. Amanda wrote this article from London when on holidays.
Amanda Robinson's previous articles may be viewed at
www.pressserviceinternational.org/amanda-robinson.html