#MHAW16 - Affirmations

We're at the end of our daily blogs! I've had a lot of really wonderful feedback for these posts and I'm glad those of you that read this blog have enjoyed this week! It's been tough to get everything out in such rapid succession but it's also helped spark much more creativity in me so I'm glad I decided to do it. I often have anxiety (surprise surprise) about the upkeep of this blog and have come close to just letting it die off out of fear. It's like people always say about fears, though -  you get over it by just pushing through and doing the thing, and though I don't think that always works I think it did here! Which is wonderful.

So the last thing I'm going to talk about this week is affirmations. I've probably talked about them in previous blogs, but they're essentially words or phrases you can use either through the day or specifically during meditation to ground you in the present moment and remind you of whatever it is you need. Similar to mantras but not necessarily with the same spiritual meaning behind the words.

For example, I have an affirmation I use for meditation that is simply: "I am here." The reason for this is because often times in panicked situations I can dissociate from my body and feel like I'm floating just outside it, like nothing around me is real or meaningful.

 It's as frightening as it sounds.

To combat this I will do things to remind me that I am alive and present. I used to grab onto things nearby, remind myself that they're tangible, but that isn't always possible to do without attracting attention. Having a silent phrase helps this.

Not only that but it reminds me not to panic about the past or the future, to remember that right now the only thing that exists is the moment I'm present in right now and so that's what is most important. I.e.: mindful thinking.

So, as a close out to Mental Health Awareness Week, I think it would be a good idea to think about something that maybe you need reminding of. Something that grounds you, makes you feel safe or changes your perspective in a positive way. It can be a word, a phrase, maybe even humming a melody. All that matters is it works for you and is memorable. 

Try it out along with a short meditation (I would recommend the wonderful Three Minute Breathing Space) and see if it helps. Let me know whether it does or doesn't, and experiment with different affirmations for different feelings or needs.

A final thank you for joining me on this journey, I hope you're all well, and do let me know what your experiences have been with this blog post and with the week in general!

'Affrimation'  by David McCreath via Flickr