How Much Does it Cost?

Add up all of the times that self-doubt made you hesitate; made you pause instead of doing what we wanted to do.  Include the times that you avoided a situation because you felt you didn’t quite fit in or were afraid of being rejected.  Don’t forget the people that could have been friends if you had been brave enough to talk, the job you might have gotten, romance you might have had and the team we might have made.  The avoided events add up to a lot of missed chances for an additional moment of happiness that you missed.

What does it cost to change?  Nothing but believing in yourself.  Believing in yourself is the most enduring form of beauty and it costs nothing. It defeats critics, it overcomes obstacles and it lasts a lifetime.  Say it:

I am Beautiful

I am Confident

I AM FEARLESS!

Say it again and again.  Write it on your mirror.  Make it the background on your phone and your computer.  Make it the backdrop of your life.

Why Am I Beautiful?

Don’t look in the mirror, we are our own worst critic. Look at someone else’s favorite photograph of you. They love it because it captures more than your looks, it captures you. Whether it’s a picture of you being silly or serious, smiling or making a face; it shows something beyond your looks. It shows something your friend sees in you that they like, something beautiful.

The Strength of Affirmation

Back when you were heading off to your first day of school and your mother said “You’re going to love it”.  That was an affirmation and coming from your mother, it had strength that helped you cope with the fear of a new experience.  We all have periods of self-doubt, waning confidence.  Remember stepping up to a podium to make your first ever speech in high school.  When faced with a similar situation again, pause and repeat “I will be great”.  It may not make you into a great orator, but if repeated again and again, you will feel and do much better.

Affirmations have strength.  They remind us of our potential and help us find courage when needed.  Self-affirmation means finding those affirmations that help us to be what we want, not what others may see us as.

Find your affirmations, the ones that speak to your doubts and give you strength.  Write them on your mirror and repeat it to yourself every time you see it.

Believe…