Hello, new year! Goodbye, old negative thoughts from last year. (I know, I know, we’re already two weeks in, but it’s all still new to me.) Learning to let go of old crappy thoughts and limiting beliefs has been a lifelong process. But, I’m a change maker. I love improving. You could kinda say I’m addicted to it. This is why I’m so excited about my intention in 2018 — rebuild! This means, of course, that I’ll be all about the affirmations this year. More than ever.

When you’re tired of negative thoughts and limiting beliefs, you just want to clear out the brain clutter. So consider this a brain declutter and installation of shiny new thoughts.

Affirmations make you aware of your thoughts, and when you make them a part of your regular routine, they’ll help you to defeat your fears, doubts, and anxieties.

I love posting mine above my desk where I can take a moment and read them when I’m battling my way through some nasty thoughts. I also say them on my meditation walk, which is part of my daily routine.

Ready for my fave affirmations to get your year kickstarted? Here goes:

7 Affirmations to Jumpstart Your Year

Money and opportunities flow to me freely and openly.

This is my golden goose. This is the affirmation. It’s the one that has kept me afloat for two years of unemployment whilst struggling to start a business. (That’s a topic for another day).

We all need money to survive, right? Of course. We all want to earn as much as we can, right? Right.

Using this affirmation has kept my mind in a receiving state. It opens you up to earning opportunities and keeps your hard-earned money in your bank account. It removes blocks and feelings that money doesn’t come easily.
Remember when your parents said money doesn’t grow on trees? This is the affirmation to cancel that one out.
Use it every day. You won’t regret it.

I am worthy of financial success. I am worthy of ______ success.

Do you ever feel like your money situation will never improve? That your debt will always be there, and you’ll never get out? When you’re feeling hopeless about your earning power or your ability to pay back your debts, whip this mantra out of your back pocket.

I’ve given you a fill-in-the-blank option here too. You can insert almost anything in there. Career, relationship…you get the idea.

Use this one with the first one on this list, and you’ll be a powerhouse. But remember, you have do the work! You can’t just sit on the couch saying these affirmations expecting money and opportunities to magically appear; you have to do the work.

I am peace, love, and happiness.

When things aren’t going as planned, and anxiety sneaks up on you, it’s easy to throw in the towel and give up.

Some days will suck. You’ll get dragged into the weeds. You’ll get pulled into all the dark places your mind can muster.

Sometimes, it’ll be other people that try to ruin your day, and other times, your car may break down unexpectedly. It’s in these moments that you have a choice. You can choose to turn your thoughts to love and happiness to make yourself feel at peace. Or, you can let others steal your happiness, or rob you of your power.

Which sounds better to you? I can bet you’re all for happiness. So am I. So the next time someone else or even your own brain is getting down on you, tell yourself that you are a being of peace, love, and happiness.

I am worthy of love.

Ah, love. I love love, and who doesn’t want a bit of love in their life? And while you might be thinking ‘romantic love’, that’s not entirely the deal here. Of course, it’s an option. But being worthy of love qualifies for so many things in life ~ self-love, love from family and friends, being a loving person, sharing your light and love with the world ~ and so on.

Approaching the world from a place of love will allow you to be more open-minded about the world and the people around you. It squashes fear-based thinking and opens your heart to receive the love that you are so deserving of.

I am letting go of all fear, doubt, and anxiety.

If you want to live your best life, you cannot burden yourself with fear-based thinking. You shrink your world instead of growing it.

Fear of failure.

Fear of success.

Fear of losing everything.

Fear of being embarrassed.

Doubting your creativity and abilities.

Hey, I get it — we all have fears of failing, or succeeding beyond our wildest dreams, and all the associated doubts and anxieties that go along with them. But if you want that life you dream of, you need to ditch these negative thoughts and feelings. When you repeat this affirmation, you’ll begin to feel more confident and release any thoughts that are holding you back.

I am strong and fit.

Who wouldn’t want to feel their best all the time? Feeling strong and fit is a big yes please for me.

What does this affirmation do? Well, it centers your mind on being strong and fit every day. It’s like a filter that weeds out the bad decisions related to food and exercise. And, you’ll also get a confidence boost from this one too, when you start feeling great and energetic every day as a result of your better health and wellness decisions.

I am letting go of anger.

Anger is often something that holds us back in life. It keeps us in a judging state of mind. Whether we’re judging ourselves or judging others, anger built up over time can be destructive. When we carry around anger, it stops us from moving forward.

Anger can also be useful if we are aware of it and why it is happening. It can bring back your fighting spirit and motivation. When it becomes no longer useful is when you’re carrying around grudges, blame, resentments, and allowing it to be in the foreground of your life.

In the early days of my corporate career, I used to get angry over every little thing. The company didn’t care about its customers? I got angry. A customer order was messed up? I got angry. Another sales rep stole inventory for my customer’s order? I got angry.

Then one day, I realized my anger was no longer serving me. In fact, it was downright embarrassing. I would have outbursts, shouting at my computer screen or whacking my mouse on my desk, and people started to take notice. But seriously, it’s no laughing matter. Who wants to have a reputation like that? The woman who slams her mouse on her desk in anger like a small child who’s had a toy taken away over something rather trivial that could be solved easily? Not the refined, sophisticated adult I was striving to be.

How did I fix this nasty habit of harbouring anger over every little thing? Well, the first step was becoming aware of it and why I did it. Then the decision to change and improve. And finally, I started googling affirmations, quotes, and mantras about anger. I made a list in a Word Doc and posted it at my desk.

Every time I became angry, I’d stop, think, and read my affirmation list.

It worked wonders!

People started to take notice that I had changed. I had calmed down, and they started asking what I did to change. So I showed them my list. They were amazed and thanked me for no longer being a disruptive person in the office.

Trust me; it wasn’t my finest hour. No one wants to be ‘that person’ who makes the most noise in the office. But the thing is — you can always change. Every time you stop yourself, change the pattern and insert a better behaviour, you’re on your way to changing your life.

I hope these help you with the year ahead. Know that you are enough, you are worthy of your dreams, and you have the ability to change your life.