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There’s a new hydration mist on the market, and it didn’t come to play
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Long live Irish shopping: inside Irish boutiques

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Dr Caroline West’s guide to talking to your teenagers about consent

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Havana Boutique owner Nikki Creedon on subversive monochrome
Havana Boutique owner Nikki Creedon on subversive monochrome

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Image / Editorial

#MondayMotivation: Why Jlo swears by positive daily affirmations


By Grace McGettigan
29th Apr 2019
#MondayMotivation: Why Jlo swears by positive daily affirmations

If you’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed, or if you get grumpy and easily overwhelmed by various triggers in life; consider trying positive daily affirmations. These are simple, optimistic statements about who you are and what you believe in. When said on a daily basis, they can keep you feeling happy and motivated all week long.

Scientifically proven

Empowering mantras, such as ‘I am talented’, ‘I am worthy’, ‘I am confident’, have profound effects on the conscious and unconscious mind. They’ve been scientifically proven to make us feel better about ourselves and can even lead to increased productivity at work.

Related: Positive affirmations are making me
a better person

Research by David Creswell at Carnegie Mellon University found that people who do daily affirmations can boost their problem-solving abilities by about 50%, even when under pressure.

Jlo is a fan

Jennifer Lopez swears by this practice and she sets aside 15 minutes for it every day. Her house is kitted out with cushions, wall-hangings and sculptures imprinted with the mantras; ‘no limits but the sky’; ‘life is short, live your dream’, and ‘I am youthful and timeless at every age’.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar recently, the 49-year-old said, “Affirmations are so important. ‘I am youthful and timeless’. I tell myself that every day, a few times a day. It sounds like clichéd bullsh*t, but it’s not: age is all in your mind. Look at Jane Fonda.”

Jennifer Lopez, InstagramPhoto: Instagram @Jlo

Make them part of your routine

You don’t have to say your affirmations aloud; they can be said in your mind while on the bus or train, or first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. Choose mantras that mean something to you and are relevant to your life; someone else’s might not be specific enough.

Need advice on what to say? Have a look at these examples:

1. I am my own superhero.

2. I will not compare myself to others.

3. I am loved.

4. I have the power to create change.

5. I make the best chilli in town.

6. I am smart and I am kind.

7. I can do this.

Or, like little Jessica in the YouTube video below says:

8. “I can do anything good.”

From everyone at IMAGE, have a great Monday.

Photo: @Jlo via Instagram


Read more: Eight things we should stop feeling guilty about right now

Read more: Five easy ways to practice self-love and kindness today

Read more: When you’re a mother, self-care is not a luxury but a necessity