You’ve probably heard of both meditation and affirmations before, though you may be uncertain of what exactly they are and how they work. In other words, you may have even dismissed them as something “new age” or part of a religion that you do not practice. But that doesn’t have to be the case. You can practice both meditation and affirmations in whatever way makes you feel comfortable. But don’t miss out on the benefits that gratitude meditations and affirmations can do to boost your mind and your spirit.
What Are Meditations?
Meditation is really just the practice of taking some quiet time to be mindful and focus your attention on a particular thought. It’s a moment of silent reflection that focuses on the here and now. Gratitude meditations involve focusing your thoughts on what you are grateful for in your life. Keeping a gratitude journal is a form of meditation, and it’s effortless to do. If you are new to gratitude meditations, keeping a gratitude journal is an easy way to get started. Any contemplative, purposeful time spent focusing on gratitude can fall into this category.
What Are Affirmations?
Affirmations are short, concise, but very powerful sentences you speak to yourself. They are meant to purposefully affect how we think and feel. These can be in both conscious and unconscious ways. What we think and believe greatly influences how we feel and behave.
The world around us is constantly feeding our minds with negativity. From the time we are children, we tend to believe what people speak over us. This is why parenting experts advise us to use positive and loving words to children. If you tell a child “that’s bad” or “you’re being a bad boy,” they will start to believe that about themselves and internalize it. Speaking these things to a child can actually cause them to misbehave! The same is true for how we talk to ourselves. If we speak critically of ourselves, we internalize those thoughts. This can lead to depression and feelings of hopelessness.
Gratitude affirmations focus specifically on being grateful and appreciative about the things in our lives and even within ourselves. Introducing these positive messages into your life consistently can help you internalize them and begin living accordingly. It’s ok to say positive things that you appreciate yourself. It will not cause you to be arrogant or conceited.
How To Use Gratitude Meditations And Affirmations
Both meditation and affirmation are easy to put into practice. Meditation doesn’t have to be a long, intense practice. You don’t have to get a yoga mat, burn candles or play soft instrumental music as if you are in a spa setting. You can find a cozy spot on your couch or any quiet place indoors or outdoors. Simply sit quietly for a few minutes and contemplate on what you are grateful for. You can do this any time of day. Some people enjoy starting their day on a positive note. But meditation is also an excellent way to relieve tension and stress if you have a bad day.
If you are looking for a structured approach to meditation, you can use guided meditation apps and websites. You can search online to find something that suits your beliefs and individual needs. There are guided meditations that help you fall asleep or calm you when you are anxious or fidgety. If you are of the Christian faith, Daily Christian Affirmations has a guided morning gratitude prayer as well as a large variety of affirmations you can use.
When it comes to affirmations, a good practice might be to combine them with your gratitude journal. Write down the positive messages that apply to your life and help to inspire and motivate you. Pull out your collection of affirmations when you feel down about yourself.
Holistic Faith Lifestyle has daily affirmations, gratitude affirmations, and many others you can use for a biblical perspective. You can search online and find daily affirmations geared toward various topics, such as gratitude affirmations of success, money, health, and healing. A good one we can all use right now is gratitude affirmations for happiness and hope for the future.
Gratitude meditations and affirmations are great tools to help you cope with the complexities in life. What things in your life are you the most grateful for?