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How to Use a Pendulum (A Complete Guide)
A pendulum is a powerful and accessible way to gain clarity and insight into decisions and next steps as you move forward on your life’s journey. Discover the complete guide for how to use a pendulum, and check out the links below for beautiful pendulums and accessories to get started today.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product using my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Pin this! How to Use a Pendulum (A Complete Guide) What Is a Pendulum?
A pendulum is a tool you can use to gain clarity and insight into a situation or problem you may be having. Specifically, it’s a string, cord, or chain with a small object at the end; most often, this object is a triangular shaped crystal, but you may also find pendulums that have objects made of wood, stone, metal, or glass on the end. (Just be sure not to use anything that could be magnetic, as this could affect the pendulum’s function.) There’s also typically another small, weighted object at the other end of the chain, though not always.
Here’s an example of what a pendulum can look like:
You may also hear the practice of using a pendulum referred to as crystal dowsing or pendulum dowsing. This is simply the act of using a pendulum to receive guidance, whether it be about making a decision in your life or even finding your lost car keys.
If you’re looking to strengthen your intuitive powers, using a pendulum is a powerful practice to help you get in touch with your inner knowing. It’s also a formidable tool if you have trouble deciding whether to follow your head or your heart when making decisions. Many people believe that a pendulum is uniquely powerful in its ability to help you to make decisions by bringing together both the left and right sides of your brain. So instead of just following your head or your heart, the pendulum assists you in using the best parts of both in order to help you make the best possible decision for your journey.
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When Do I Use a Pendulum?
A pendulum is most often used to gain insight and clarity when there are areas of uncertainty in your life. Anytime you have a question and are looking for help or advice, you can use a pendulum to receive guidance from a higher power.
Now, to be more specific, what kind of guidance can a pendulum offer? If you’re trying to choose between pizza or sushi, should you ask the pendulum to make the final call? Or should you reserve using your pendulum for only the really big life questions, like whether you should quit your job or start a new relationship?
Funny enough, I know people on both sides of the coin: some who only use their pendulum for the more lighthearted questions in life, and others who use it only for the deeper, more meaningful questions.
Those who use it to help them make daily decisions about what to have for dinner or what Netflix show to watch usually say that they use their pendulum for these types of questions because they like to save the deeper, more meaningful stuff for other spiritual practices, like tarot.
And those who use a pendulum for heavier questions often say that they don’t want to become dependent on the pendulum for daily decisions, and it’s a powerful source of guidance that shouldn’t be underestimated.
So who’s right?
Well, no one. And everyone.
Do you have another practice, like tarot, that you like to use for guidance in your life? Then maybe you’ll want to just use the pendulum on those more lighthearted questions. But if you don’t have another practice, or if you view a pendulum as a powerful way to connect with your highest self and/or your spirit guides, then you can absolutely use your pendulum for meaningful insight regarding your life’s path.
So again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. I do recommend, though, that when you’re first starting to use your pendulum, it doesn’t hurt to ask it some of those lighter questions like whether you should have cookies for dessert tonight. Not only will this help you to establish a connection with your pendulum, but it will help you develop trust in its guidance as well.
Who is Answering My Questions?
There are actually different schools of thought here, and none of them are necessarily right or wrong. Everything about this practice is extremely personal to you, so only you know deep inside who it is you’re speaking to.
Here are some common beliefs about who is on the “other side” of the pendulum:
- Your Higher Self: I deeply believe that your inner knowing always knows the way. Thus, it’s not a stretch to believe that your highest self – a self who is deeply connected to their intuition – can guide you to making the best decisions for you.
- Your Spirit Guides: Spirit guides can come in the form of animals, angels, ancestors, goddesses, elemental spirits (like trees or mountains), and other beings. Whether or not you’ve connected with your spirit guides in the past, a pendulum offers a way to connect with your guides moving forward as they help you along your path.
- The Universe: The Universe is the name I most often use to refer to a higher power in my life. You might also refer to this power as God, Source, Source Energy, Love, All That Is, or something else that feels right to you. When you receive guidance from a pendulum, you can view it as though you’re receiving guidance from the higher power in your life.
It’s also completely okay to believe that all of the entities above have a hand in making a decision. You’re also empowered to call upon a specific entity, such as a spirit guide or guardian angel, when you seek their guidance.
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What Kind of Pendulum Should I Use?
As mentioned above, most pendulums are made of some kind of cord or chain and have a small object at the end; this is most commonly seen as a triangular-shaped crystal, but other items such as gemstones and wood can be used as well.
So is there one type of pendulum that works “better” than others?
Truly, there’s not. In my experience, and in the experience of many others I’ve come across, the one that’s going to work best for you is the one that you get a good feeling about. If you’re in a crystal store looking at pendulums and one catches your eye, the decision can truly be as simple as picking it up and purchasing it on the spot.
You may already have a favorite crystal, or one that has always held special meaning to you. If so, it’s completely fine to start your pendulum search knowing you want to incorporate that crystal somehow. So if amethyst is a special crystal to you, search for ones with a beautiful triangular-shaped amethyst at the end.
Will it work better if you buy one with a crystal that has a meaning associated with the type of questions you’re going to ask? For instance, if you’re looking for love advice, should you purchase a pendulum that has a piece of rose quartz on the end? You can absolutely try this if this idea resonates with you, but don’t feel like you need to. I’ve had success using a single pendulum for all types of different questions.
The only “wrong” answer would be to choose a pendulum that you don’t really like, or that you don’t get good vibes from.
To get started, here are a few beautiful pendulums that can be purchased on Amazon:
- Jovivi Crystal Pendulum
- JUST IN STONES Crystal Point Pendulum
- Nupuyai Healing Crystal Point Pendulum
- PESOENTH Dowsing Pendulum Crystal
- Top Plaza Healing Crystal Dowsing Pendulum
Where Do I Purchase a Pendulum?
Typically, you can purchase a pendulum at a crystal shop or online through Etsy, Amazon, a crystal shop, or a store dedicated to selling spiritual goods.
How Do I Use My Pendulum?
Before You Start
- Once you’ve chosen your pendulum, it’s important to cleanse and program your pendulum before using. I promise, this is easier than it sounds. You can cleanse your pendulum by setting it in nature for 24 hours (check online or in a crystal book to make sure the crystal is safe in the sun, and if there will be any rain or dew, make sure it’s safe to get wet); cleansing it with sage; placing it on top of or next to a piece of selenite or clear quartz (make sure they’re touching); or holding it under running water (again, making sure that your chosen crystal won’t be damaged by the water).
- Charging your pendulum is even easier, but this is a personal practice, so make sure you have some quiet time to connect with your pendulum. Sit quietly for 10 to 15 minutes, holding it in your hands. This can be done in meditation, if you’d like. During this time, focus on your connection between you and your pendulum. You may choose to set an intention for your pendulum, or ask for support from the Universe, your higher self, or your spirit guides.
Getting Started
- The first time you ever use your pendulum, you’ll want to set aside some extra time for understanding how your pendulum communicates with you. It’s best to do this when you’re in a calm, relaxed state and when you’re not feeling rushed.
- Sit in a comfortable position holding your pendulum between your thumb and forefinger. You’ll often hear people advise to hold it in your dominant hand, and that’s because it’s assumed you’ll be most comfortable holding it in your dominant hand. But if for some reason you’re more comfortable holding it in your non-dominant hand, that’s totally fine, too.
- Hold the pendulum out in front of you. It may move for a minute before becoming motionless. If you want, you can gently help it to still by touching it with your free hand and bringing it to a place of stillness.
Connecting With Your Pendulum
- Now that you’re in a place of stillness, it’s time to connect with your pendulum and understand how it communicates. First thing’s first: relax! If you need to take a minute to consciously relax each part of your body, definitely do so. The more relaxed and at ease you feel, the easier your energy will flow, and the stronger your connection to your pendulum will be.
- In order to start asking your pendulum questions, you need to know how it communicates. To do this, you can simply say, “Please show me a yes response.” Patiently watch and wait for the pendulum to start moving; it might move side-to-side, back-and-forth, clockwise, or counterclockwise. Make note of the direction it moves. This is your “yes” response. Do the same thing for a “no” response. If you’d like, you can also ask for a “maybe” or “neutral” response.
- Now, it’s time to cultivate your connection a little deeper. Now that you know what a yes and no response look like, take some time to ask questions in which you already know the answer. Here are some examples of some questions you can ask:
- “Is my name _____________ ?”
- “Do I live in ______________ ?”
- “Is my eye color ____________ ?”
- Note that this may not be super straightforward right away. The movements of your pendulum may be subtle, or the “yes” and “no” may not look super different. That’s completely okay. It takes time to understand how your individual pendulum speaks to you. The more time you devote to this practice, the better you’ll get!
Using Your Pendulum
Once you’re comfortable with your pendulum and understand how it communicates with you, you can start using your pendulum to ask for life guidance. Note that you’ll need to phrase your questions to have “yes/no” answers. The simpler and more specific, the better. This will help you to more likely get a clear answer. I’ve found that it helps me to write down my questions in advance so I know exactly what I’m going to ask.
Locating People/Items
A fun alternative way to use a pendulum is to hold it over a map and ask the pendulum to locate someone or something for you. If you’re looking for a person or a pet, you can hold the pendulum over a map of your town. If you’re looking for your lost car keys, you can hold the pendulum over blueprints of your house. And if the item or person could be anywhere in the world, you can even hold it over a map of the world and see where it leads you.
Like with the practice I discussed above, I’d recommend honing your relationship and understanding of how the pendulum works before diving right in. A fun practice is to ask about people or items that you already know the location for and see where the pendulum takes you. You can also ask where a specific place on the map is, like a city or a state.
Again, the key here is to relax and allow the flow of energy to move through you. While I believe that using a pendulum is a sacred practice, you certainly don’t have to be (and shouldn’t be) tense or uptight about it. Let it be fun!
Troubleshooting
So you’ve followed the steps above, and for some reason, this practice still doesn’t seem to be working for you. Maybe you’re not getting clear guidance, or the answers you receive seem to be inconsistent.
First thing’s first: it’s okay.
The worst thing you can do right now is internally beat yourself up or speak negatively to yourself. I know how easy it is to compare yourself to other people and even allow yourself to believe that you’re “not meant” to do this practice.
This isn’t true.
As in most situations, just because you don’t see another’s struggles doesn’t mean they don’t exist. And when it comes to this journey of spirituality, surrender, and trust, I think most of us have struggled (multiple times) throughout the process. And you know what? That’s a good thing. I’m all about experiencing contrast because I believe that struggle not only leads to growth, but it allows us to appreciate our wins even more.
So if you’re in a spot where you’re experiencing difficulty with this practice, have compassion for yourself. Choose to love yourself through every step of your journey. And let’s figure this out together.
Here are some of the reasons why you may be experiencing difficulty with your pendulum:
- You’re putting too much pressure on yourself. I’m putting this first because personally, this is what often leads me to feeling blocked, frustrated, and “not enough.” As a recovering perfectionist, I know what it’s like to want to be perfect in absolutely everything I do, and it’s all too easy to fall back in this trap. The best thing you can do for yourself is release the need to be perfect. Embrace your own messy imperfections. Next time you approach your pendulum practice, do so only when you’re in a state of calm, peace, and serenity.
- And to go with that last statement, another major reason why the pendulum may not work is because you’re in a negative emotional state. I wouldn’t recommend ever doing this practice when you feel distracted, stressed, anxious, agitated, or any other state that may block the flow of energy through you. If you’ve set aside time for your practice and are feeling off, I would instead recommend doing a self-care activity that serves your wellbeing, like meditation or journaling.
- You’re impatient. I know. This one’s a little frustrating, especially at the beginning, because you may not know yet how long it takes to receive guidance. But if you only waited a minute before giving up, I’d recommend waiting a little longer next time. I’ve found that I don’t always receive answers on my schedule or timeline, and ironically, the more I release the need to be in a hurry, the quicker they usually come anyway.
- You’re distracted. Were you in the middle of your practice when your text message notifications started going off? Is a child yelling at you from outside the door? Did the neighbor’s car alarm just start going off? (I know, not your fault.) Try to minimize distractions as much as possible. I usually keep my phone in a different room when I’m working with my pendulum.
- Your questions aren’t specific enough. If you’re not getting an answer, try rephrasing the question. Is it a two-part question? Break it down so you’re only asking one part at a time. Simplify as much as possible.
- You and your pendulum aren’t compatible. For me, this is a last resort, especially if you felt a connection with this pendulum when you chose it. Before tossing it to the side for a new one, I’d recommend cleansing it again and charging it once more. Take some time to sit with the pendulum, holding it close to your heart. Relax. Let go of any doubts, and trust its guidance.
- You Might Also Like: How to Start a Meditation Journal
Final Notes
- You may have seen pendulum boards and cloths that you can use to direct the pendulum where to go for a yes, no, or maybe answer. These boards aren’t necessary, but if they help you, definitely feel free to go ahead and try one! I’ve linked to a few below.
- You don’t have to limit yourself to using just one pendulum. You might have a collection of beautiful pendulums, and each time you sit down to practice, you can choose the one that speaks to you in the moment.
- Finally, I’m not really sure I’ve emphasized this enough, because I believe that if you’re here reading this, you have an open mind and an open heart. But the key to making this practice work for you is truly believing that it will. And I promise, if you keep your mind open and relax, it will. You have the power within you. The key to accomplishing anything in life is believing that you can.
Pendulums and Accessories
Finally, here are some beautiful pendulums as you either get started or add to your collection, as well as some handy accessories like pendulum stands, pendulum boards, and pendulum books.
Pendulum Magic for Beginners by Richard Webster
How to Use a Pendulum by Richard Webster
A Little Bit of Pendulums by Dani Bryant
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Have you ever used a pendulum for guidance? What tips do you have for others who are just starting their journey? Leave your comments and questions in the comment box below!
For more spiritual tips and self-care ideas, plus lots of gentle nudges and loving words, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Pin this! How to Use a Pendulum (A Complete Guide) 
Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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30 Journal Prompts to Open and Heal the Heart Chakra
Healing your heart chakra is one of the most important steps you can take in your self-love journey. Discover 30 powerful heart chakra journal prompts to help you open and heal your body’s energy center for love, compassion, trust, understanding, peace, and kindness. For more healing tools, be sure to check out 40 Heart Chakra Affirmations for Unconditional Love. Plus, don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for your free printable heart chakra affirmations and journal prompts!
Pin this for later! 30 Journal Prompts to Open and Heal the Heart Chakra Healing the Heart Chakra
Have you ever felt depressed, lonely, unloved, or even unlovable? Maybe loved ones have tried reaching out, but you’ve chosen to excessively self-isolate, even though you crave human connection. You may even feel fearful of physical and emotional intimacy with others.
Or maybe it’s the opposite: maybe your fear of being alone is so strong, you’ve been dependent, clingy, and possibly even smothering. You may even experience feelings of possessiveness, jealousy, and sometimes selfishness.
If any of these feelings or experiences resonate with you, the first thing I want to say is this: release any self-criticism or self-judgment. You are not wrong for any of it. None of the feelings, emotions, or experiences I’ve listed above make you less worthy or less deserving of love.
The very best thing you can do for yourself in this moment (and always) is to choose self-compassion over self-criticism.
Choosing to love yourself and to have compassion for yourself is the most powerful step you can take toward healing your heart chakra, which is your body’s energy center for love, compassion, peace, trust, empathy, kindness, and acceptance.
And that means loving yourself even when you’re imperfect. Even when you feel like your perceived flaws are on full display. Even when you make mistakes.
Because you are always, always, always deserving of unconditional love.
Opening and healing the heart chakra is a powerful and profound step in your self-love journey. And it isn’t always easy to take that first step, so I hope you can see how strong you are, and I gently and lovingly implore you to show yourself some extra love and gratitude for showing up and doing the work that will carry you forward in your journey.
Discover more about chakras using the links below, plus get journal prompts and affirmations for each of your body’s main energy centers! And for deeper insight into chakras as well as guidance on profound chakra healing, check out my Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle, which includes a Chakra Healing eBook, Chakra Healing Workbook, and 8-Week Chakra Healing Guide. You can also discover more in my online shop.
How to Use These Journal Prompts
Journaling is a powerful practice for healing imbalances in any of your body’s energy centers. It’s also a way to increase mindfulness, get in touch with your inner self, and embrace wholehearted self-love.
The 30 journal prompts below are designed to help you heal your heart chakra. Do you have to complete all 30? Absolutely not. As you read through these, you may find some that resonate deeply with you. Find the ones that resonate most, and start with those. You may decide to skip around or complete some prompts multiple times.
But if you’re feeling especially lost and unsure where to start? Then I’d encourage you to start at the top and work your way down. You might decide to keep completing them in order, or maybe after a few prompts, you’ll want to skip around.
I prefer to journal first thing after I wake up in the morning, but everyone’s schedule and responsibilities are different. I don’t think time of day matters so much; rather, what’s important is that you have some quiet time to yourself, whether that’s 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or more.
As you start reflecting upon the questions below, I’d encourage you to have an open heart and an open mind. And more than anything, don’t judge yourself for your answers. If the inner bully comes out, gently ask them to leave, and let yourself be wrapped in the unconditional love that this expansive universe holds for you.
Heart Chakra Journal Prompts
- What does unconditional love mean to me?
- How can I show myself unconditional love in my daily life?
- What positive practices can I incorporate into my life to show myself more compassion, empathy, and self-acceptance?
- What does it mean to me to be a compassionate being? Why is it important to me to be compassionate?
- What are ten things I love most about myself?
- What self-care practices can I incorporate into my daily life to show myself more love?
- How can I cultivate the feeling of peace in my every day life?
- What thoughts, words, images, memories, and/or sounds convey the feeling of peace to me?
- Do I excessively self-isolate from others, or am I overly dependent on others to feed my happiness? How can I find a harmonious balance between the two?
- Have I ever felt an undeniable connection to another person, animal, or something else outside of me? How did this feel?
- What does it mean to me to be deeply connected to all beings in this universe? In what ways do I feel connected to all, and in what ways do I feel separate? How can I nurture that feeling of connection?
- What self-care practice can I do in just five minutes a day to cultivate feelings of unconditional self-love?
- What powerful affirmations can I incorporate into my life that will foster more feelings of love, compassion, peace, and serenity? In what ways can I incorporate these affirmations as part of my daily routine?
- Who are ten people in my life who have profoundly and positively affected my life? What do I love most about each person? What makes me feel grateful for each person?
- What does kindness mean to me?
- How can I show myself and others more kindness?
- How do I balance showing others kindness and generosity while still prioritizing my own self-care? What can I do to ensure I don’t try to metaphorically “give from an empty cup”?
- Do I possess any fears or limiting beliefs preventing me from accepting unconditional love? How can I begin to release these fears and limiting beliefs?
- Reflect on this statement: “I am loved, loving, and lovable.” What does this mean to me?
- Do I naturally trust others? Am I ever too trusting, or do I hold back trust from others? What does a healthy balance look like to me?
- What does it mean to me to have an open heart? How can I practice openheartedness in my daily life?
- Are there ever any situations in which I become possessive or jealous? What is the root of these emotions? How can I release these feelings to make space for emotions that support my highest good?
- Who is one person who represents unconditional love to me? Describe their qualities and how they inhabit the feeling of love.
- What are three moments in my life when I felt deeply loved? Describe these moments.
- What are three moments in my life when I felt deep love for another being? Describe these moments.
- In what ways is love a superpower? How can I utilize this superpower to help others?
- How do I express love to others? What are my favorite ways to express love to the people in my life? Am I able to easily express love to others?
- How do I express love to myself? What are my favorite ways to show myself love? Am I able to easily express love to myself?
- Why is having an open and balanced heart chakra important to me?
- What does an ordinary day as my most loving and compassionate self look like? How do I carry myself through the day? How do I treat others and myself? Write about this day in detail.
For more more chakra resources, plus uplifting affirmations and self-love encouragement, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Are you ready for your freebies? Enter your name and email address below for your free printables! (Note that it may take an hour or two for the email to come through.) Plus, receive a weekly newsletter with resources, affirmations, and new blog post updates straight to your inbox. (Don’t worry, I hate spam, too! I only send one email a week, never share your personal info, and you can unsubscribe anytime.)
Pin this! 30 Journal Prompts to Open and Heal the Heart Chakra Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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8 Powerful Crystals for Self-Love
Are you looking for a way to amplify your self-love journey? Below, discover 8 powerful crystals for self-love. These high-vibe crystals will help you to release what no longer serves you so you can focus on the love, joy, and peace you deserve.
Pin this! 8 Powerful Crystals for Unconditional Self-Love Your Self-Love Journey
Self-love is a lifelong journey that involves looking deep within, releasing what no longer serves you, and making space for new beliefs that support your total well-being.
It also involves a lot of self-compassion.
Because, as much as I sometimes wish it was, the journey to unconditional self-love isn’t linear. Sometimes, you might feel like you’re on top of the world, only for something to happen that causes you to crash land back to earth, leaving you to desperately try to pick up the pieces.
And that’s okay. It’s okay that the journey can be a little messy at times, because that’s what being a human is all about. We often thrive in that space of messiness, but in our striving to be perfect, we don’t give ourselves time to see that the messy parts of life can sometimes be a gift.
No matter where you are in your self-love journey, I hope you’re able to embrace this moment right now, exactly as you are, without changing a thing. I’ve been on this self-love journey for many years, and I promise, you are so worth the time and energy you invest in yourself.
Because with time, unconditional self-love becomes something you no longer have to try to acquire.
Rather, it becomes who you are.
Below, I’ve listed 8 powerful crystals for self-love. Whether you wear them as jewelry, meditate with them, keep them somewhere you can see throughout the day, or use them in another capacity, these crystals will help you to look within and find the place inside yourself where you hold the key to the unconditional self-love you deserve.
For more details on how to use crystals to protect your energy, manifest your dreams, and help you heal from within, check out my post, How to Use Crystals: Grids, Pendulums & More.
Crystals for Self-Love
Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is associated with your heart chakra, which is your body’s energy center for love, peace, compassion, and kindness. When your heart chakra is balanced, you are completely open to giving and receiving love, and you feel a deep sense of connection with others. You also become more accepting and forgiving, and you feel a deep empathy and understanding for friends, loved ones, and even strangers.
But what makes the heart chakra special is that all of these really wonderful qualities it possesses don’t just apply to your relationships with other people; they apply to your relationship with yourself as well.
A balanced heart chakra means that you become more accepting, more forgiving, more understanding, more connected, and more loving towards yourself.
All of your body’s energy centers play an important role in cultivating self-love, but the heart chakra plays arguably the most important role of all.
And Rose Quartz is undoubtedly one of the most powerful crystals in helping you to heal, balance, and restore harmony to your heart chakra. Rose Quartz is a crystal that gently guides you to a place of pure love and light. It’s known as the stone of unconditional love, and it works for every relationship in your life: romantic relationships, friendships, familial connections, and maybe most importantly, your relationship with yourself.
What makes Rose Quartz so special is that it doesn’t just work at the surface to cover up your old wounds and current pain like a band-aid. Rather, it goes deep beneath the surface to heal those wounds completely.
Once your heart has been fully healed, you’re able to truly nurture the relationship you have with yourself. You become more compassionate and forgiving with yourself, and you realize that you are worthy of love exactly as you are, without having to change a thing.
From personal experience, I can tell you that I spent many years with an imbalanced heart chakra. I believed that I had to be absolutely perfect to be loved, and I tore myself apart constantly. But when I began working with my heart chakra, I finally realized that none of these limiting beliefs were true. Rose Quartz was one of the powerful crystals I used during this time, and I was (and still am) often pulled to its gentle, loving energy.
Are you having trouble allowing yourself to accept love, both from yourself and others? When I first started my self-love journey, the universe softly placed into my heart this practice that I still use to this day: whenever my inner bully spoke to me from within, instead of trying to suppress it, I acknowledged its presence. And then I would place my hands out in front of me with my palms facing the sky, and I’d softly say, “I accept love. I receive love.” I’d then let myself feel the love of the universe entirely. For me, this practice meant that even though I wasn’t perfect, and even though the inner bully was speaking, I was worthy of love, and I allowed myself to be loved in that moment.
Rhodonite
Like Rose Quartz, Rhodonite is a beautiful heart chakra healing stone that promotes unconditional self-love. It helps you to heal old wounds as well as gain confidence and cultivate deep compassion within your mind, body, and spirit.
What makes Rhodonite really special, though, is its characteristics that have caused it to be known as the rescue stone. Rhodonite is a powerful aid if you’ve experienced trauma, emotional abuse, and other deep emotional pain that’s caused you to construct barriers around your heart. This stone will gently help you to dismantle these barriers so you’re no longer tied to the negative emotions of the past.
If you’ve experienced deep emotional heartache, trauma, or pain that has caused your self-love and self-worth to be diminished, Rhodonite is the stone that will help you to mend your heartbreak, heal your pain, and move on from the past with a newfound confidence.
(And it’s also a really powerful stone if you need to forgive yourself or someone else so you can finally release the shadows of the past that have been weighing down on you.)
Rhodochrosite
To finish up the R triology, Rhodochrosite is a lesser known stone that shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to cultivating feelings of unconditional self-love, compassion, and positivity. This is another heart chakra stone, and I especially like this one specifically for promoting self-love and working on your own inner world. Its powerful energy is specifically geared toward going within, opening your heart, and embracing wholehearted self-love.
Rhodochrosite works with your heart chakra to lift your spirits and boost your self-worth. If you feel like you’ve been living in a fog, this stone clears away the haze and stimulates a bright, sunny outlook. This is another powerful stone that can heal past trauma and pain by gently bringing repressed emotions to the surface so you can let them go.
One profound aspect of this stone’s properties is its ability to guide you toward self-forgiveness. If you’ve been clinging onto mistakes you’ve made in the past, this crystal will help you to clear out any negative thoughts and feelings you have toward yourself, opening up a gateway to unconditional self-love.
Just like you’d clean a new house before moving into it, you want to make sure to cleanse any new crystals you get to remove the old energy of previous owners. Here are a few methods for cleansing crystals:
- Sage: Light your sage and immerse the crystal in the smoke for thirty to sixty seconds. Be sure to use a firesafe bowl or abalone shell to catch burning embers and ash. It’s best to do this outside or near an open window.
- Water: Rinse your stone under the running water of a creek or stream. If this isn’t possible, you can also use a faucet. Just be sure to check first that this is safe for your stone.
- Use Selenite or Clear Quartz: Both of these crystals have the ability to cleanse and purify other crystals. Lay your crystal on top of (or next to, as long as they’re touching) a piece of Selenite or Clear Quartz for at least twenty-four hours.
- Nature: Place your crystals outside on the soil, on the branches of a tree, on a potted plant, or anywhere else outdoors where you feel a sense of peace and balance. If possible, try to keep your crystals outside for at least a full day, avoiding dew and prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Pink Opal
Pink Opal is often known as the “Stone of Resolution,” which may give you a glimpse into what makes this stone so special for promoting self-love. Often, what holds us back from accepting love from ourselves is the pain of past hurts and old wounds we still haven’t resolved. You may also experience deep fear that keeps you stuck in one place for too long. This resolution stone helps you to resolve the pain and fear you hold deep within. In turn, this opens up the stagnant energy you may be holding in your heart chakra and promotes the flow of energy deep within this energy center.
An added bonus to using Pink Opal is its ability to promote calm within. If you’re feeling stressed, tense, or anxious, this stone will gently restore peace and tranquility within your mind, body, and spirit.
Aquamarine
What do you think about when you think of the ocean? Maybe its beautiful, bluish green hue. Maybe its calming allure. Maybe the strength and resilience it represents. Or the way it seems to reach deep inside of you whenever you look out on it, cleansing and restoring your soul.
Aquamarine is a great alternative to the stones I’ve listed above (you can always choose to pair two of these crystals together to strengthen their benefits) if you feel a deep connection to the sea or water. All of the qualities of the ocean I listed are also represented in this powerful healing stone.
Like the waves of the ocean, Aquamarine will wash away the negative feelings that pervade your being and instill a sense of tranquility and calm within. This is especially true if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or fearful. This stone gently guides you to go with the flow and cultivates deep inner peace.
By working with the throat chakra, Aquamarine will help you to find your courage and speak your truth. It’s a powerful stone for promoting self-worth as well as bringing forth your inner strength and resilience. (In fact, it’s known as a stone of calm and courage.) All of these attributes combine to ease you into a place of unconditional, wholehearted self-love.
Moonstone
Just like you can associate Aquamarine with the ocean, you might think of Moonstone like the night sky: glittering with radiant light, expansive, and filled with endless depths just waiting to be explored.
And just like the sky, you also possess endless depths within. Moonstone is the stone that will guide you to discover these expansive, hidden depths inside of you.
This stone is all about your divine, feminine energy. Working with your sacral chakra, it unlocks your inner goddess and brings forth your confidence, creativity, and sensuality. Furthermore, it also works with your third eye chakra to enhance your intuition and help you to get in touch with your inner knowing. As a result, you’re less likely to get frazzled by external circumstances because you possess deep clarity and understanding within.
This is the perfect stone for embracing your beautiful, divine, passionate self, connecting to your intuition, and exploring the deepest parts within you.
Want to learn more about crystals? Check out these posts!
Clear Quartz
In some ways, using Clear Quartz almost feels like you’re cheating. Why? Because it actually works with all of your chakras to promote balance, harmony, and peace within. Clear Quartz is known as a master healer due to its ability to heal any and all spiritual and emotional imbalances among your energy centers. This is the stone you’re going to want with you for the long run. It works to get rid of negative energy and promotes a sense of positivity and joy within.
This is a crystal of light and high vibrations, and it’s also a crystal that will guide you when you’re feeling lost and unsure what you want out of life. One of my favorite aspects about Clear Quartz is its powerful ability to support you during your entire journey, from the moment you set your goals to taking each next step. When you can’t see the path ahead of you, Clear Quartz will not only reveal it to you, but it’ll navigate you through all of the fallen trees, forks in the road, and unplanned stops along the way.
Blue Lace Agate
When I first started learning about crystals, Blue Lace Agate was one of the very first stones to immediately jump out at me, and it has been one of my absolute favorites ever since. This stone is foremost known as a calming stone. If your life is often filled with stressful situations, this is the stone you want to calm your inner anxiety and release tension. For me, this is my go-to stone whenever I need to inhale peace and release what no longer serves me.
Stress, anxiety, worry, and fear can often be a distraction in your journey of self-discovery and self-love because they pull you away from the present moment. Instead of focusing on the present moment, these negative emotions leave you replaying the past or worrying about the future. That’s why I love using Blue Lace Agate as part of my self-love toolkit: because it gently guides me back to the present moment and instills me with a sense of calm and tranquility.
An added bonus to using this stone is that it’s associated with the throat chakra and is used to help you clarify your thoughts and express yourself clearly.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from your true self, hold Blue Lace Agate in your hands as you focus on your breathing, and allow it to guide you back to yourself.
Want to discover more about the powerful healing nature of crystals? Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, where I’m adding high-quality pins to my Crystals board all the time! Plus, I even have a board on chakras and self-love! I’d love to connect with you, so don’t forget to say hi!
Are you curious to learn more about chakras? Check out my chakra series below!
Pin this! 8 Powerful Crystals for Unconditional Self-Love Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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30 Inspiring Marie Forleo Quotes to Embrace Your Magic
Looking for some powerful inspiration to lift your vibrations and guide you forward in your self-love journey? Check out 30 of my favorite Marie Forleo quotes, designed to help you step into your limitless power to create the life of your dreams.
Pin this! 30 Inspiring Marie Forleo Quotes to Embrace Your Inner Magic Marie Forleo
Marie Forleo is a life coach, motivational speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of the books, Everything is Figureoutable and Make Every Man Want You.
She is also the queen of producing irresistible, high-vibe, motivational quotes that will spurt you into action and help you to embrace your inner magic.
To be honest, when I started out on my journey of personal growth, self-love, and creating the life of my dreams, I didn’t even know who Marie Forleo was. But as I was searching online for motivational quotes to add to my self-love toolkit, I stumbled across the first two quotes on this list.
After that, I was hooked.
Marie Forleo’s profound words are a powerful reminder of your limitless potential, immense power, and infinite ability to create the life of your dreams.
Below, I’ve collected 30 of my favorite Marie Forleo quotes guaranteed to lift your vibrations and create everlasting self-belief within. Feel free to save, share, and come back to these words whenever you need to remember that you have the power to live the life that was always meant for you.
Marie Forleo Quotes
“The most powerful words in the universe are the words you say to yourself.”
“What we say to ourselves in the privacy of our own minds, matters. It drives our behavior, which drives our destiny, which shapes our world.”
“I win or I learn, but I never lose.”
“Your potential is limitless. You are unique, valuable, capable, and worthy of the dreams in your heart. Most of all, you have what it takes to transform and transcend whatever challenges you face.”
“You always have more power than you think. Your mind is the most extraordinary tool you have to shape your reality.“
“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.”
“True fulfillment in life doesn’t come from what we get, it comes from what we give.”
“Trust that feeling. It’s your life force. Your genius. Your destiny screaming to be realized.“
“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do.”
“Show up in every single moment like you’re meant to be there.”
“The key to success is to start before you’re ready.”
“You never feel ready to do the important things you’re meant to do.”
“All progress begins with a brave decision.”
“Nearly two decades later, I can say that the only thing that allowed me to take that leap was because a deeper, wiser part of me believed that somehow I’d be able to figure it out.”
“To be responsible, keep your promises to others. To be successful, keep your promises to yourself.”
“Proactively bring passion to everything you touch, to everything you do. No matter what task is in front of you, bring as much enthusiasm and energy to it as you possibly can. Bring your full attention, your full presence, the Godlike quality that each of us has within, to every task in your day.”
“I have never, ever, EVER met anyone who’s regretted following their heart.”
“Just because someone doesn’t like what you do doesn’t mean no one else will. A person’s opinion is not The Truth, it’s their truth.”
“There has never been and never will be another you. You have a purpose – a very special gift that only you can bring to the world.”
“Your dreams aren’t made, or broken, by anyone but you.”
“You were born with everything you need to answer the call of your soul.”
“Showing up fully exactly where you are is the fastest way to get where you want to go!”
“A fall is never final unless you stay on the ground.”
“Nine times out of ten, our fear is directive. It’s a signpost, pointing us in the exact direction our soul wants to go.“
“You must disobey the voice in your head that says, I’m not ready yet.”
“When it comes to forks in the road, your heart always knows the answer, not your mind.”
“Nothing exists in our world that does not first exist in our minds.”
“All beliefs are a choice and choices can be changed.”
“Never give anyone the power to control your emotions.”
“Not having the best situation, but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.”
For more profound quotes, plus uplifting affirmations, connect with me on Pinterest and Instagram! I’m pinning and posting empowering quotes, mantras, images, and affirmations daily!
Looking for more high-vibe quotes? Check out these posts!
- 30 Profound Deepak Chopra Quotes to Lift Your Spirits
- What is Mindfulness? Plus 15 Powerful Quotes
- 10 Inspiring Abraham Hicks Quotes
Pin this! 30 Inspiring Marie Forleo Quotes to Embrace Your Inner Magic Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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52 Uplifting Affirmations for Self Confidence
Looking to boost your self-esteem and build a life of pure, limitless confidence? Below, check out 52 positive affirmations for self confidence, designed to inspire and uplift your highest and most authentic self.
Pin this! 52 Uplifting Affirmations for Limitless Self Confidence Self Confidence Affirmations
Self confidence.
Have you ever had days where you felt so unbelievably good about yourself, you were sure you’d never have a bad day again? Days when your self-esteem was through the roof and your joy radiated from within and spread everywhere you went?
And then, something happened, and it all came tumbling down.
Confidence is one of the most important attributes to creating a life that you truly love. Confidence allows you to take bold leaps and step toward the life you know you deserve. It’s a powerful tool for manifesting a life filled with unconditional and vibrant joy, love, and peace.
Unfortunately, it’s also really, really fickle.
It’s normal to feel super confident one day and not-so-confident the next. If you’re like me, you’ve definitely experienced the ebbs and flows of high and low self-esteem. Some days, you feel like you’re on top of the world, and other days, you’re just . . . not.
That’s why I wanted to build a list of positive affirmations for self confidence. Because affirmations help us to train our brains to consistently life a life of pure, limitless confidence, which in turn gives us the self-belief to follow our dreams.
You can use these affirmations for self confidence to keep you in a positive state of mind when things are going well and to pull you back up from the negativity when you’re feeling less than great about yourself.
I definitely encourage you to find the ones that resonate the most and repeat them throughout the day to cultivate a mindset of pure, uplifting confidence.
And for more info on how to get the most out of affirmations, be sure to check out my post, How to Use Affirmations (So They Actually Work).
Want more affirmations? Be sure to check out my free ebook, 400 Powerful Affirmations Designed to Uplift, Inspire, and Empower Your Highest Self.
Positive Affirmations for Self Confidence
- I believe in myself and my ability to succeed.
- I can achieve anything I put my mind to.
- There is no limit to what I can achieve.
- I have confidence in my abilities; I believe in me.
- I am radiant, beautiful, and thriving.
- I am pure, positive energy.
- I radiate confidence and positivity.
- I am unafraid to be amazing.
- I am strong in mind, body, and spirit.
- I attract success by being my authentic self.
- I release the storylines holding me back; I can do anything.
- I have an incredible gift to offer this world.
- This world needs the magic inside of me.
- I believe in my undeniable courage and resilience.
- I confidently and fearlessly believe in myself.
- I have the confidence, trust, and power to take big leaps.
- I am strong, courageous, and resilient.
- I am taking bold steps and moving forward with confidence and self-belief.
- I confidently welcome new experiences.
- I inhale confidence and exhale fear.
- I know my value and will not lessen or shrink myself for anything or anyone.
- I have the strength and courage to handle anything that comes my way today.
- I am equipped with all the tools I need to succeed.
- My soul is radiant, my body is strong, and my mind is brilliant.
- I am worthy of success.
- I am worthy of living the life of my dreams.
- I am the only one who can determine my self worth.
- I am fearless in the pursuit of what sets my soul on fire.
- I have the courage and confidence to accept my dreams as reality.
- I am ready, willing, and able to have everything I want.
- I allow myself to dream big, knowing I am always worthy.
- Where focus goes, energy flows, so I focus on confidence, success, and prosperity.
- I am motivated, persistent, and successful.
- I am radiant, powerful, beautiful, and brave.
- I am confident, inspired, and thriving.
- I am extraordinary.
- When I show up, magic happens.
- I am unafraid to shine the light inside of me.
- The world needs more of me, not less.
- I am stronger than I realize.
- My strength is greater than any struggle.
- I can climb this mountain.
- I wholeheartedly believe in myself.
- I can accomplish incredible things.
- I love and accept myself for exactly the person I am right now.
- Every day, I become more confident, compassionate, and courageous.
- Every day, I love myself even more.
- I am proud of who I am.
- I am my true self, and there’s nobody else I’d rather be.
- I am capable, strong, worthy, and always enough.
- My love for myself is bold, fierce, and unconditional.
- I’ve got this.
Looking for More Affirmations? Check Out These Posts!
Pin this! 52 Uplifting Affirmations for Limitless Self Confidence Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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75 Holiday Positive Affirmations to Cultivate Gratitude
While the holiday season is a time of joy, love, peace, and gratitude, it can also cause stress, anxiety, and even feelings of loneliness for many. Below, discover 75 positive holiday affirmations to cultivate peace and gratitude during the holiday season, no matter what’s going on in your external world.
Pin this! 75 Positive Holiday Affirmations (To Cultivate Peace & Gratitude During the Holiday Season) Holiday Gift Guides
- 18 Inspirational Gifts to Encourage and Uplift
- Meaningful Gifts for Manifestors, Growth Seekers, & Spiritual Souls
- 15 Best Meditation Gift Ideas for 2020
- 33 Awesome Mindfulness Gifts for Kids
Want to find all of these gift guides in one easy spot? Check out the official Holiday Gift Guide 2020 with over 100 gift ideas for growth seekers, meditators, manifestors, self-care lovers, and spiritual souls.
Holiday Positive Affirmations
I’m going to be completely honest here: I publish new affirmation blog posts every week, plus I fill my Instagram stories with positive affirmations every day, but coming up with a list of holiday positive affirmations has been the most difficult endeavor yet.
When I set out to create this list, it didn’t seem that difficult at first. But very quickly, I realized that these affirmations are a little different than others because every single person reading these has a different relationship to the holidays.
For some, the holidays might be a wonderful gathering of family and loved ones. For others, it might feel a little more lonely. Some may experience major anxiety around the holidays, whether it’s food anxiety, social anxiety, gift-giving anxiety, or something else.
So there is no “one size fits all” affirmation to encompass everyone’s holiday experience.
I’ve divided the affirmations below into five sections: Gratitude & Presence, Family & Loved Ones, Holiday Anxiety, Holiday Food Anxiety, and Quick Go-To Affirmations. Some may be exactly what you need, while others may not fit your experience as well. And that’s okay. Find the ones that resonate the most and allow them to guide you through the holiday season.
Many of the affirmations are created for the day of the holiday, but they can truly be used any day during the holiday season (and after). The quick go-to affirmations are for those times when you need a quick pick-me-up, but you may not have time to either look up or remember one of your longer affirmations. These go-to affirmations are often the ones I lean on when I need to calm my inner world, and they’re just as powerful and profound as the longer affirmations.
I hope these holiday positive affirmations serve and support you throughout the holiday season (and beyond).
Gratitude & Presence
- I am thankful for today.
- I am grateful for the joy and love that this day has to offer.
- My heart is grateful and my mind is at peace.
- I am full of positive, loving energy.
- I radiate joy, gratitude, and peace.
- Today, I will be present in every moment.
- I pledge to offer my best self today.
- I am in charge of how I feel, and I choose joy.
- I find joy in this present moment.
- I fully embrace this day as a beautiful opportunity to give and receive love.
- As I move through this day, I resolve to spread my light with me wherever I go.
- I move through this day with grace and ease.
- I have the power to make this a beautiful day.
- I effortlessly walk through this day in love and light.
- Today is a beautiful gift, and I pledge to be present and live fully in each moment.
Family & Loved Ones
- I am thankful for the time I get to spend with loved ones.
- I cherish every moment I get to spend with the people I love.
- I accept the love that others have to offer me.
- My presence is the greatest gift I can offer my loved ones.
- My presence is delightful to others.
- Everybody loves having me around.
- I am surrounded by love.
- I am surrounded by uplifting, supportive people who truly love me.
- I am loved exactly as I am, and I don’t have to be anyone or anything else.
- Who I am, exactly as I am, is always enough.
- I openly give and receive love today and every day.
- I embrace the love and connection that this day is meant for.
- I see my family through the eyes of love.
- Today, I choose to see the good in all of my loved ones.
Holiday Anxiety
- I will be gentle with myself today.
- When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I give myself permission to step away and breathe.
- I give myself permission to do what is best for me.
- I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally.
- I listen to what my soul needs in each and every moment.
- I honor my past experiences, but I do not allow them to take away from my current joy.
- I make space for all of my feelings, but I have the power to rise above anything that doesn’t serve my highest good.
- In the face of worry and anxiety, I choose gratitude and faith.
- I choose peace over worry.
- I am safe and supported, rooted in this present moment.
- I am equipped with all the tools I need to face today with courage and compassion.
- It’s okay for me to feel anxious. I respond to my anxiety with love and compassion.
- I am not my thoughts.
- I am not my fears.
- I am not my anxiety.
Holiday Food Anxiety
- I am grateful for the abundance of incredible food.
- Sharing food with my loved ones is an honor and a privilege.
- Every bite of food I take today is taken in love.
- I feed myself with love.
- I share this meal in love.
- Food is love.
- Sharing food is an act of love.
- I am always allowed to eat.
- It is safe for me to eat.
- It is safe for me to feel full.
- I give myself permission to eat at my own pace.
- I honor my body by trusting the signals that it sends me.
- I treat my body, mind, and spirit with love and compassion.
- Everything I eat today nourishes my mind, body, and spirit.
- I inhale love for myself. I exhale negativity, self-criticism, and anything that doesn’t serve my highest good.
Quick Go-To Affirmations
- I am loved.
- I am worthy.
- I am enough.
- I am radiant.
- I am beautiful.
- I am confident.
- I am peaceful.
- I am brave.
- I am safe.
- I am patient.
- I am grateful.
- I am present.
- All is well.
- I am well.
- Today is truly beautiful.
- I’ve got this.
Looking for More Affirmations? Check Out These Posts!
Pin this! 75 Positive Holiday Affirmations (To Cultivate Peace & Gratitude During the Holiday Season) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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53 Gratitude Journal Prompts to Cultivate Joy Within
Below, check out 53 inspiring gratitude journal prompts designed to raise your vibrations, bring positivity to every situation, and cultivate true joy within! To make these journal prompts easily accessible, I’ve created a free printable with all 53 journal prompts in one easy-to-find spot. Scroll to the bottom of this post to get yours today!
Pin this! 53 Inspiring Gratitude Journal Prompts to Uplift, Encourage, and Cultivate Joy Within Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the most powerful forces in this world.
I know that might seem like a bit of an overstatement, but from personal experience, adding a true gratitude practice to my daily routine has 100% changed my life for the better. Not only has it made me generally just a happier person, but it’s allowed me to become better at finding the good within seemingly bad situations.
This, in turn, has made me become more resilient and less susceptible to negative emotions.
And not only that, but I truly believe that the more I feel grateful for what I have, the more wonderful things flow into my life to feel grateful for.
Gratitude can be practiced in an infinite amount of ways. One of my favorite gratitude practices is to simply think about three things I’m grateful for when I wake up in the morning and when I go to bed at night. I also find it helpful to write down three things I’m grateful for each day in a notebook or journal along with a reason why I’m grateful for each item on my list.
I know a few people who like to write down one to three things they’re grateful for every day on a slip of paper. Then, they put that slip of paper in some kind of container or box. And at the end of the year, they empty out all of the slips and read through them all. This is a powerful practice to not only cultivate daily gratitude but also to end the past year and start the new one with authentic joy and a positive perspective.
Gratitude journals are a profound gratitude practice because it allows you to truly sit and be present with your gratitude for an extended amount of time.
Below are 53 gratitude journal prompts you can use to cultivate a true sense of gratitude in your daily life. These prompts center around nurturing joyful feelings as well as recognizing the positive people, moments, memories, and things in your life.
Take as much or as little time you need each day as you work through these prompts. What I love about gratitude journal prompts is that it isn’t a one-and-done kind of thing. For most of these, you can use the same prompts over and over to continue your gratitude practice for months (and years) to come.
Gratitude Quotes
Before we get started on the prompts, here are a few of my favorite gratitude quotes that show how powerful a gratitude practice can truly be.
- “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” – Rumi
- “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” – Eckhart Tolle
- “When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” – Tony Robbins
- “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
- “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus
- “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” – Germany Kent
- “The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now.” – Oprah Winfrey
You May Also Like: 40 Gratitude Affirmations to Love This Moment Right Now
Gratitude Journal Prompts
- Describe a person you’re grateful to have in your life. List the reasons why you’re especially grateful for this person.
- List all the awesome things your body is capable of and why you’re grateful for the body you have right now, exactly as it is.
- What are the three best things that happened yesterday? (Or, if you’re journaling in the evening, what are the three best things that happened today?)
- What are three reasons you’re excited about tomorrow?
- What are some obstacles and challenges you’ve experienced that you now feel grateful for, even if it was hard to appreciate it at the time?
- What aspects of your current job do you appreciate the most?
- What positive qualities do you possess that you especially love about yourself?
- Describe one of your favorite memories and what you appreciate most about that moment in time.
- What aspects of your childhood are you most grateful for?
- What do you love most about your home? What about this space makes you feel happy, grateful, and content?
- What profound life lessons did a parent or important adult in your life teach you growing up that you still hold in your heart today?
- What about this time of year makes you feel most grateful?
- What are ten positive things that fill your heart with gratitude every morning when you wake up?
- Describe a scent that you associate with warm and happy memories. Describe one or more of the positive memories that you associate with this scent and how it makes you feel.
- Describe a moment in your life when you pushed past your fear and succeeded in something you weren’t sure you could do. How did it make you feel?
- Describe an accomplishment that you feel really proud of. What qualities do you possess that helped you to reach that achievement?
- What risks have you taken that you feel really grateful you took?
- What are some of your favorite self-care activities? What does self-care mean to you? What positive feelings do you associate with self-care?
- How have you changed in the past ten years? What positive changes are you most grateful for?
- Think about someone you may not see eye-to-eye with or get along with (either in your past or present). What lessons has this person taught you, and why are you grateful to have them in your life?
- What’s your favorite way to spread cheer to others? What talents and qualities do you have that make you an awesome friend and cheerleader to others?
- What’s a funny story from your past that makes you laugh every time you think about it? What other positive emotions do you feel when you think of this memory?
- Describe a time when somebody gave you a sincere compliment that made you feel really good. What makes that compliment stand out the most to you?
- Who were your best high school friends? Even if you don’t keep in touch anymore, what makes you most grateful for having them during that period of your life?
- Who are your best friends now? Why are you grateful for these friendships?
- List 20 things you’re grateful for in your life right now, and give a one-word sentence on why you’re grateful for each of these things.
- List all the things you love most about your partner. If you don’t have a partner, choose someone who has a substantial positive impact on your current life.
- What talents do you have that you feel especially grateful for?
- What’s a luxury in your life that you’re grateful to have?
- Describe your favorite time of day (morning, afternoon, night) and what you love most about it.
- Look around the room you’re in right now. Describe all the things in this room that you feel grateful for.
- What’s a really small thing that’s happened recently that you feel thankful for?
- What’s one (or more) negative habits you’ve quit that you’re grateful for?
- What’s one (or more) positive habits you’ve started that you’re grateful for?
- Write about a difficult life lesson you had to learn the hard way and why you’re grateful to have had that experience.
- List all the people in your life who make you feel loved. What types of things do they do and say that make you feel loved and appreciated?
- Write about the hardest day you’ve had recently and why you’re grateful to have had such a day.
- Name one person you don’t know personally who inspires you. Why do they inspire you? Why are you grateful for this person’s presence?
- Name one person you do know personally who inspires you. Why do they inspire you? Why are you grateful for this person’s presence?
- What people, experiences, or things in your life do you sometimes take for granted? Take this time now to write down your appreciation for these things.
- List everything that makes you feel happy right now.
- What awesome superpower do you possess that you feel extra grateful to have?
- What challenges are you currently experiencing? How can you bring more gratitude to the situation when approaching these challenges?
- What seemingly boring household items do you possess that you feel grateful for? What would your life be like without these items?
- What’s your least favorite household chore to do? In what ways are you grateful to get to do this chore? Bonus: Are there any ways you can bring more fun to doing this chore?
- Write about your favorite place that brings you peace and tranquility within. What about this place makes you feel most grateful?
- Write about a time when exactly what you needed came to you at exactly the right time.
- Think of someone in your life whose personality traits are the complete opposite of yours (maybe even frustratingly so). What has this person taught you, and why are you grateful they’re in your life?
- What’s one thing you have today that you didn’t have a year ago? This can be a person, a physical object, or an awesome opportunity like a new job. Why are you grateful to have this person or thing in your life today?
- Describe a positive internal shift that you’ve experienced in the past year. What led you to experiencing this shift within? Why are you grateful for this shift?
- Describe a movie or book that altered your perception or changed your life in a positive way. In what ways did this movie or book change you for the better? Why are you glad to have had watched this movie or read this book?
- What does gratitude mean to you?
- How does practicing gratitude make you feel? How can you bring more gratitude into your daily life?
For more inspiration, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, where I have boards for Journal Prompts, Daily Affirmations, Gratitude, Manifestation, Mindfulness, and more!
Are you ready for your freebies? Enter your name and email address below for your free printable gratitude journal prompts! (Note that it may take an hour or two for the email to come through.) Plus, receive a weekly newsletter with resources, affirmations, and new blog post updates straight to your inbox. (Don’t worry, I hate spam, too! I only send one email a week, never share your personal info, and you can unsubscribe anytime.)
Pin this! 53 Inspiring Gratitude Journal Prompts to Uplift, Encourage, and Cultivate Joy Within Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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35 Positive Affirmations for Health and Fitness
Looking for positive affirmations for health and fitness? The affirmations below are designed to support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health as well as your total wellbeing.
Pin this! 35 Positive Affirmations for Health and Fitness What is Health?
Health is a far-reaching word that encompasses so many different aspects of our daily lives. You have your physical health, which includes fitness, exercise, and the relationship you have with your body, as well as your body’s ability to fight off illness and disease.
Beyond physical health, there’s mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health. Together, these comprise your total wellbeing.
Total wellbeing is the alignment of mind, body, and spirit. When you want to gauge your current health status, or if you’re looking to improve your health, you can’t just look at one of these aspects; rather, you should look at all of them in relationship with one another.
Exercise is often thought to be beneficial for your physical health, but it actually contributes to your total wellbeing. Benefits of exercise include reduced risk of depression and anxiety; better sleep; increased energy levels; improved brain function; and increased feelings of happiness. (And these are just some of the benefits.)
Meditation, on the other hand, is usually seen as beneficial for your mental and spiritual health, but it actually improves physical health as well by improving your immune system and reducing chronic pain. (Read more about meditation health benefits in my post, 10 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Meditation.)
In the positive affirmations for health and fitness below, you’ll find uplifting statements that address the aspects of your total wellbeing individually and as a whole. When reciting these positive affirmations, I encourage you to not just focus on physical health or mental health, but step into your inherent power by embracing all aspects of your total wellbeing.
And for more details on how to use affirmations, be sure to check out my post, How to Use Affirmations (So They Actually Work).
Looking for More Affirmations? Check Out These Posts!
Positive Affirmations for Health & Fitness
- I am happy, healthy, and strong.
- I am strong. I am powerful. I have what it takes.
- I make healthy choices for my body rooted in love.
- My body is capable of more than I can even imagine.
- My body is a powerful healer.
- My body always takes care of me.
- My body is a powerful force of strength, resilience, and perseverance.
- I listen to my body because it always knows what it needs.
- I inhale healthy energy into every cell of my body.
- I radiate positive energy and attract good health in return.
- Good health is my essence, my being, and my birthright.
- Good health comes when I call it.
- I easily attract nourishing and beneficial energy to my entire body.
- Positive, healthful energy flourishes throughout my body, mind, and spirit.
- I feel healthy, strong, and invigorated.
- I lovingly nurture my mind, body, and spirit.
- My body is strong. My mind is brilliant. My soul is radiant and at peace.
- I have the courage to make positive choices for my mind, body, and soul.
- My body is rested and my mind is clear.
- My body feels energized and my soul feels inspired.
- I am prioritizing my total mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.
- Healthy living is a choice I make for my total wellbeing.
- When I work out, I honor my body and its inherent strength.
- I love to take care of myself and treat my body with the love it deserves.
- I am proud of myself for having the courage to show up for myself.
- I am grateful that I am capable of moving my body in ways that feel good to me.
- I am so worth the time and effort it takes to exercise.
- When I exercise my body, I’m also bringing good health to my mind and soul.
- I absolutely love to feel healthy.
- I am vibrating at the highest frequency of love and light, and I attract this same energy to my body and spirit in return.
- I am the very essence of good health.
- I am so grateful every single day for all of the good health I constantly experience.
- I am brimming with abundant energy and infinite vitality.
- Today is another opportunity to experience limitless levels of energy and exuberance.
- My body deserves to be healthy.
Want to add more positive affirmations to your daily life? Be sure to follow me on Instagram, where I post daily affirmation stories every morning! I’m also actively pinning uplifting and empowering affirmations across my Pinterest boards daily! Don’t hesitate to reach out and connect!
Pin this! 35 Positive Affirmations for Health and Fitness Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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7 Chakra Healing Crystals to Restore Inner Harmony
Discover 7 powerful chakra healing crystals to balance your energy and restore harmony within, plus get some bonus crystals for each chakra! And be sure to check out the recommendations and links below to start adding to your crystal collection today! (Scroll to the bottom of this post for some beautiful chakra healing crystals and stones sets!)
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product using my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Pin this! 7 Chakra Healing Crystals to Restore Inner Harmony Chakra Healing Crystals
The word chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning “wheel” or “disk.” In your body, you can think of a chakra like a wheel of energy that allows energy to flow freely within you (when your chakras are open). When one or more of your chakras are blocked, this energy stagnates, and you may experience mental, emotional, spiritual, and even physical misalignments.
(To read more about chakras, check out my complete beginner’s guide here.)
Your body has seven main chakras, starting at the base of your spine and working upward: Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown.
Each of these chakras is responsible for the total wellbeing of your body, mind, and spirit. When all of your chakras are open and the energy is flowing freely through these energy centers, you become aligned with your highest and most authentic self. This is the you that is confident, creative, passionate, loving, truthful, intuitive, and connected to your purpose and truth.
If any of your chakras becomes blocked, there are ways to unblock and open that chakra back up again so that energy can flow freely through it. Some of these methods include meditation, yoga, color therapy, spending time in nature, journaling, and using positive affirmations.
One of the most powerful ways to heal a blocked chakra is through crystal healing.
Each chakra has powerful crystals associated with it, and these crystals can be used various ways to balance and heal the energy within. For instance, you can meditate with crystals, wear crystals as jewelry, keep them in your pocket throughout the day, create crystal grids, or keep them in a prominent spot nearby where you can easily see them.
For more details on how to use crystals to protect your energy, manifest your dreams, and help you heal from within, check out my post, How to Use Crystals: Grids, Pendulums & More.
Below, I provide you with info on the most powerful chakra healing crystals for each of your body’s main energy centers, plus I share some awesome links and recommendations so you can start building your crystal collection today. And at the end of this post, I even share my recommendations for some beautiful chakra healing crystals and stones sets so you’ll be able to heal imbalances in any of your chakras whenever your energy becomes misaligned.
Root Chakra
Located at the base of your spine, the root chakra is your energy center for safety, security, and stability. When your root chakra is balanced, you feel grounded and centered. This energy center truly represents your foundation, so if it’s not balanced, it’d be nearly impossible for the energy in the rest of your body to be in harmony.
When you feel like your foundation has been shaken, Hematite is the ultimate grounding stone to pull you back to the earth. Hematite will restore your steady foundation while also guiding you to release feelings of stress, worry, and insecurity.
Another major benefit of this stone is that it’s a protective stone. So not only will it help you to feel grounded and centered when you’re feeling off-balanced, but it will protect you from negative energy and toxic vibes.
Read more about the root chakra here.
Hematite Recommendations
- I absolutely love this Triple Protection Bracelet with Hematite, Black Obsidian, and Tiger’s Eye. Hematite and Black Obsidian are both powerful root chakra stones, and Tiger’s Eye is associated with the root, sacral, and solar plexus chakra to protect you from negative energy. This is a powerful trio that will work together to keep you grounded, secure, and safe from external negative energy.
- There’s something about this Natural Hematite Healing Guardian Elephant that amplifies the stone’s protective vibes. It’s a beautiful stone that’s also small enough to keep in your purse!
More Root Chakra Healing Crystals: Obsidian, Onyx, Smoky Quartz
Sacral Chakra
The sacral chakra is your energy center for creativity, passion, pleasure, and pure joy. This energy center reminds you that life isn’t all about work and to-do lists. Fun and play aren’t just frivolous, impractical activities; they’re an essential part of your total self-care routine. And creativity isn’t just for people who work in creative jobs. (In fact, even those working in a creative field often need a stress-free, non-work-related creative outlet to unwind.) It’s important for all of us to embrace our playful, imaginative side.
Within you, you have access to an infinite source of creativity. I know it may not always feel like it (hello, writer’s block), but that’s because your inner creative source can become blocked or obscured. This is where Carnelian comes in. Carnelian is a powerful stone that unlocks your inner power and boosts your confidence. It also unlocks your passion and excitement for life while stimulating your creativity.
Carnelian is often associated with the element fire, not just because of its outer appearance, but because of its ability to light a fire within your spirit. Carnelian will truly make you feel more of everything: more passionate, more motivated, more confident, more spontaneous, and more creative. It’s the perfect stone to ignite your passion and heal any energy imbalances in your sacral chakra.
Bonus Fact: Carnelian has often been nicknamed The Artist’s Stone.
Want to learn more about the sacral chakra? Check out my post here!
Carnelian Recommendations
- This Hands of Tibet Carnelian Wrist Mala/Bracelet is perfect to wear throughout the day or during meditation, and you can also hang it up in your space to receive the positive energy from this stone.
More Sacral Chakra Healing Crystals: Orange Calcite, Jasper, Red Tiger’s Eye
Solar Plexus Chakra
The solar plexus chakra is your energy center for confidence, positivity, and empowerment. This energy center is associated with all the powerful “self” words: self-esteem, self-respect, self-image, and self-worth. Furthermore, a balanced solar plexus chakra means you’re aligned with your purpose and core values and have a high sense of integrity. You do the right thing not because you have to, but because you want to. When your solar plexus chakra is in harmony, you have an influx of empowering self-belief, and you feel secure, driven, and above all, confident.
Confidence can be fickle, though, and all of us experience lapses in confidence from time to time. That’s where Citrine comes in. Citrine is a stone of pure sunshine. It’s a stone of joy, positivity, and good vibrations. It allows you to release any negative emotions that don’t serve your wellbeing so you can embrace your inner light.
Citrine will help you to feel more positive, optimistic, and joyful while boosting your confidence so you can go after what you want most in life, whether that be a job, a relationship, or something else you feel called to pursue. You might imagine it’s like pure, beautiful sunshine filling your soul and radiating through your entire being.
(And an added bonus? Citrine is also associated with manifesting abundance!)
Learn more about the solar plexus chakra here!
Citrine Recommendations
- This Tumbled Grade A Citrine Crystal is the perfect stone to keep with you throughout the day. It’s small enough to keep in your pocket, purse, or even your wallet, allowing you to keep a little burst of sunshine with you all day long.
More Solar Plexus Chakra Healing Crystals: Carnelian, Topaz, Tiger’s Eye
Heart Chakra
Located in the center of your chest, your heart chakra is your energy center for unconditional love, compassion, peace, empathy, and connection. When your heart chakra is balanced, your thoughts and actions are aligned with pure, genuine love, and your heart is open to forming deep connections with others. One of my favorite things about a balanced heart chakra is that it allows you to become more compassionate and forgiving, not just toward others but toward yourself as well. This means finding grace in your imperfections and knowing you are worthy of love, even when you make mistakes.
Rose Quartz is the ultimate heart chakra healing stone. When you use Rose Quartz, you aren’t simply allowing yourself to feel more loving. Rather, you’re opening yourself up to deep, powerful healing. Rose Quartz opens up your heart chakra and helps you to heal past pain that you might still be holding onto. And once your heart is fully healed, you’re able to open up your heart to love, connection, and trust.
While we often think of romantic love when it comes to matters of the heart, Rose Quartz will gently guide you to open yourself up to all kinds of love: romantic, friendship, familial, and perhaps most importantly, self-love. This stone will help you deepen your relationships and strengthen your bonds both with others and yourself.
Learn more about the heart chakra here!
Rose Quartz Recommendations
- This Rose Quartz Crystal Stone is undoubtedly one of my favorite products on this list. It’s absolutely gorgeous and can balance on any flat surface, so you can keep it nearby at work or in your home to keep your heart center open to love, compassion, and trust.
More Heart Chakra Healing Crystals: Apophyllite, Rhodonite, Pink Opal
Throat Chakra
Your throat chakra is your energy center for communication, and a balanced throat chakra means you’re able to speak with clarity, calm, and confidence. But this energy center is about so much more than just speaking. It’s about living authentically and speaking your truth. And it also means having a high sense of integrity and speaking with honesty, no matter what.
With a balanced throat chakra, you speak your authentic truth and remain true to yourself and your guiding principles.
Blue Lace Agate is one of my personal favorite stones, but beyond that, it’s a powerful stone for healing your throat chakra. First and foremost, Blue Lace Agate is a stress-relieving stone. It gives off calm and soothing vibrations to lift anxiety and soothe your spirit. Stress and anxiety are often major factors that hold us back from speaking our truths, so Blue Lace Agate clears the way for you to speak with clarity and confidence.
If you have a big speech coming up, or if you have trouble expressing yourself in your daily life, Blue Lace Agate will work with your throat chakra to release fear and embrace a peaceful sense of calmness and tranquility.
Want to learn more about the throat chakra? Check out my post on the throat chakra here!
Blue Lace Agate Recommendations
- I love the idea of wearing throat chakra stones as necklaces to keep them physically near this energy center and remind you of your own inherent power to speak your truth. This beautiful and dainty Teardrop Genuine Stone Pendant Nacklace is the perfect piece to soothe your spirit. It also comes beautifully packaged and makes a great gift!
More Throat Chakra Healing Crystals: Celestite, Aquamarine, Turquoise
Third Eye Chakra
Located at the center of your forehead (between the eyebrows), the third eye chakra is your energy center for intuition, insight, imagination, perception, and clarity of vision. When your third eye chakra is balanced, you feel aligned with your inner knowing, and you trust your intuition to guide you in the right direction. Furthermore, you’re often more open-minded, imaginative, and mentally strong.
I like to think that all the lower (location-wise, not lesser) energy centers fill you with confidence, passion, and power to live an authentic life in which you’re connected to your purpose; your third eye chakra gives you the vision and clarity to take that first step and walk forward in your journey.
Amethyst is an absolute must-have for anyone who is on a spiritual journey. Like other crystals, using Amethyst doesn’t immediately connect you with your intuition. Rather, it’s going to do the deep work first, clearing out anxiety and worries that may prevent you from accessing your inner knowing. Amethyst is a stone of peace, tranquility, and stillness. When you’re feeling stressed and anxious, Amethyst will restore inner balance and harmony. (Plus, it helps you to get better sleep!)
This calm feeling will clear out any lingering negativity in your mind. And once you’re in a state of trust and surrender, you can find clarity in your vision and connect to your inner knowing. Spiritually, Amethyst will deepen your sense of self and work with your third eye chakra to connect you to your innate intuitive power within.
Learn more about the third eye chakra here.
Amethyst Recommendations
- Choosing just one Amethyst stone to recommend is nearly impossible (I keep multiple in my home) as the deep purple hue is hard to resist. For a gorgeous and unique high-quality crystal, check out this Deep Purple Project Amethyst Rock Crystal (pictured above).
- If you’re looking for something unique for yourself or as a gift, you’ll love this high-quality and highly rated Chakra Healing Money Tree on Natural Amethyst Base.
More Third Eye Chakra Healing Crystals: Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Apophyllite
Crown Chakra
The crown chakra is your energy center for spiritual connection, inner wisdom, and enlightenment. Located at the top of your head, this energy center helps you to connect to your highest self and allows you to feel more peaceful and trusting so you can surrender control to a higher power.
And while the “surrender” part might seem kind of scary, I promise, this does not mean you give away your personal power. When you have the strength and courage to surrender and trust your path (even when it doesn’t make sense to the outside world), you discover that you possess a power you never knew you had before.
I know that I just said this above with Amethyst, but Selenite is another incredibly powerful stone you want to have on your spiritual journey. In fact, if you were to ask me what one stone you should have to start your journey, I’d tell you Selenite, without hesitation. Why? Because Selenite has the ability to clear up any heavy or stagnant energy in the air, and it has the unique ability (along with Clear Quartz) to cleanse the energy of other crystals. This means that as you add more crystals to your connection, Selenite will help to cleanse any remaining energy from previous owners so you can start anew with your healing stones.
Beyond that, Selenite is connected to the crown chakra, and by using this stone, you’re able to connect to your highest self and raise your vibrations, which enhances your manifesting power. It’s also going to help you release any negative energy that’s holding you back from stepping into your purpose. Furthermore, it’ll act as a spirit guide and help you to tune into signs, synchronicities, and messages from the Universe.
Discover more about the crown chakra here!
Selenite Recommendations
- This Selenite Skyscraper is the perfect start (or addition) to your crystal collection. It’s about four inches tall and is both beautiful and soothing.
More Crown Chakra Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Lepidolite
Bonus: Chakra Healing Crystals Sets
- Tesh Care Chakra Therapy Starter Collection 17 pcs Healing Crystals Kit
- Premium Healing Crystals Kit in Wooden Box
- Chakra Stones Healing Crystals Set of 8, Tumbled and Polished
Do you use crystals in your daily life? What are your favorite practices for using crystals? Share your tips and experiences in the comment box below!
For more inspiration, be sure to follow me on Pinterest! And for a daily dose of self-love and empowering beliefs, connect with me on Instagram!
Pin this! 7 Chakra Healing Crystals to Restore Inner Harmony Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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How To Use Affirmations (So They Actually Work)
Affirmations are more than fluffy, feel-good words meant to lift you up for a single moment; affirmations are empowering statements that give you the courage and confidence to take back your story while serving and supporting your entire wellbeing. I can personally attest to this as the use of daily affirmations has completely changed my life for the better. Below, I give you my complete guide for how to use affirmations so that they actually work for you.
Pin this! How to Use Affirmations (So They Actually Work) What Are Affirmations?
Positive affirmations are present-tense statements that are designed to uplift and encourage while boosting self-belief and supporting your overall wellbeing.
I say positive affirmations because truly, an affirmation is anything you affirm to yourself. So when you affirm something negative about yourself, like “I can’t do this,” or, “I’m not (smart, creative, beautiful, kind, generous, worthy) enough,” you’re still stating an affirmation.
But that isn’t the type of affirmation that will boost your self-belief and support your overall wellbeing. And it’s not the type of affirmation we’re going to be talking about here today.
So for the purpose of this post, anytime you see the word affirmation, know that I mean the positive, uplifting kind.
Below, we’re going to cover everything you need to know to use affirmations so that they actually work: how they’re structured, the different types of affirmations, how to use them, plus bonus tips and tricks for making them work for you.
But first: why?
Does any of this even matter? Do affirmations actually work?
Do Affirmations Really Work?
If you have any hesitation about whether affirmations actually work, I totally get it. I was there, too. When I started consciously incorporating affirmations in my daily life, I knew I really liked the positive words I was affirming to myself, and I knew it felt good, but I had no idea whether this practice actually had any long-term effects.
But it turns out, there’s actual science to back up the claim that affirmations can have a profound positive effect on your life.
Multiple studies have shown that affirmations light up the reward centers in your brain – the same ones that beam when you bite into a decadent cookie or treat yourself to a Target trip. (Okay, I don’t know if that last part is an actual thing. But Target sure feels pretty darn rewarding.)1 2
But why does this matter?
Because the more we train our minds to do this, the more resilient our brains become. You know how another person’s criticism of you might sometimes make you feel upset, defensive, and possibly even angry? Or how you might feel really flustered and mad at yourself when you make a mistake?
By using affirmations, you’re essentially training your brain to remain calm and balanced when these perceived threats arise. You’re better able to regulate your emotions, and you’re less likely to have purely emotional reactions to criticism and negativity.
I like to call this owning your story.
The truth is, our brains aren’t always as smart as we think they are. That’s why they’re so susceptible to subliminal advertising. Subliminal advertising is when external forces plant ideas and thoughts into your brain through visual and auditory cues; your conscious brain can’t perceive these cues, so they slip beyond your perception and may cause you to buy a product or service, believing it was entirely your idea.
But when you use positive affirmations, you’re now in the driver’s seat of your own mind.
You decide how you think and behave. You choose the story you consciously cultivate for yourself. You create your present-day experience through your mindful, chosen thoughts.
And I don’t know if any of this next part is based in science, but here’s what I can tell you about my personal experience:
Affirmations have absolutely changed my life for the better. I used to spend my mornings replaying negative experiences in my head, or imagining worst-case-scenarios for my future. I used to worry all of the time. And I used to think that I somehow had to make myself “better” to be loved. I needed to be smarter, prettier, friendlier, wittier . . . the list goes on. The mountaintop holding my worthiness was tall and steep, and I was pretty sure I was never going to get there.
Not anymore.
Not only do I no longer do or believe any of those things, but I can confidently state that using affirmations gave me the courage and confidence to step out into my purpose, find my voice, and let my authentic self be seen for the first time in my life.
I promise, you have nothing to lose from incorporating affirmations into your life and absolutely everything to gain.
Looking for Affirmations? Check Out These Posts!
How to Structure an Affirmation
The classic intro to any positive affirmation is two simple yet powerful words:
I am.
It’s likely you’ve seen some of these “I am” statements on your Pinterest and Instagram feeds, or in books, magazines, and other media sources. Above is a list of some simple yet powerful “I am” affirmations.
The reason “I am” is the standard format for most affirmations is because it’s a strong, present-tense intro to your chosen affirmation. For instance, when you say, “I am worthy,” you’re asserting that you are worthy right now. Your worthiness isn’t coming at a future date; it’s yours, right now, and it’s inherent to your very being. Nobody can ever take that away from you. Worthiness is your birthright.
This is powerful stuff.
While many affirmations start with, “I am,” there are other ways to start your affirmation and still retain its power. The most important thing is to always keep it in the present tense.
Here are some examples of other ways you might start an affirmation:
- I can . . .
- I accept . . .
- My (life, heart, body, worthiness) . . .
- I release . . .
- I have . . .
- All is . . .
- Everything is . . .
- I feel . . .
Want more affirmations? Be sure to check out my free ebook, 400 Powerful Affirmations Designed to Uplift, Inspire, and Empower Your Highest Self.
Future Pacing Affirmations vs. Mindset Affirmations
In my experience, I’ve noticed two similar yet distinct types of affirmations show up in the self-development, self-love, and Law of Attraction spaces.
Neither one of these types is the “right” or “wrong” way to do affirmations. They’re simply different. You might incorporate both types into your practice, or you might choose to focus on one or the other, depending on what feels right to you.
Future Pacing Affirmations
Future Pacing Affirmations are the types of affirmations you might use in a visualization practice. When using these types of affirmations, you’re asserting that your desired manifestation, dream, and/or goal has already come true.
Below are a few examples of Future Pacing Affirmations. In each of these examples, imagine that the person saying these affirmations doesn’t actually have these things in their present experience, but they’re asserting that they do.
- I am a successful entrepreneur making $10,000 a month. Clients are lining up to work with me, and I am continuing to achieve more success every single day.
- I am married to the love of my life. We live a beautiful, quiet life in the countryside with acres of land and a house large enough to grow our family. My partner loves, protects, and supports me unconditionally. I feel so grateful and lucky every single day to live this life.
- I am a thriving college graduate. I graduated at the top of my class, and now companies are fighting with each other to hire me. I’m getting six-figure offers and that number is only going up!
Jack Canfield gives some really great tips and examples for Future Pacing Affirmations here. (Note that he simply calls them affirmations. Future Pacing is a term I use to differentiate them from Mindset Affirmations.)
Mindset Affirmations
Mindset Affirmations are what I tend to use, and these are likely the ones you most often see on your Pinterest and Instagram feeds. These are the types of affirmations you use to cultivate a positive mindset at any time of the day. The “I am” affirmations in the image a couple sections above are all mindset affirmations.
Here are some examples of mindset affirmations:
- I am capable, competent, and courageous.
- I am radiant, powerful, beautiful, and brave.
- I believe in myself wholeheartedly.
- There’s no limit to what I can achieve.
- I am committed to my goals.
- I have the courage to take big leaps.
- I choose to live my life with a positive mindset.
- I love and accept myself for exactly the person I am right now.
Do you want more positive affirmations? Check out 100 Amazingly Powerful Affirmations to Change Your Life from the incredible and inspiring Liz in Lotus. Liz provides 100 inspiring affirmations broken down into four sections: Money, Love, Self-Love, and Health. Don’t miss Liz’s post to feel uplifted and inspired today!
How to Use Affirmations
So all of this info is helpful, but how the heck do you actually use affirmations so they really work?
Here are my tips and best practices for how to effectively use affirmations:
Feel the Emotions of the Affirmation
Affirmations are strong, powerful affirming statements. Even the gentler, softer affirmations possess an inherent power to them. This is because, no matter what type of affirmation you’re using, you’re consciously choosing to take back your story.
To the external world, an affirmation such as, “I am worthy,” might sound like fluff. But if you’re standing in front of the mirror, looking yourself in the eyes, asserting to yourself, I am worthy . . . that’s an unbelievably powerful moment for you.
Even though affirmations are technically words, they don’t actually start on your tongue or if your mind.
Before anything else, an affirmation starts in the body. Beyond the actual words, affirmations are feelings and emotions.
You’re not just saying, I am worthy. You’re truly feeling a sense of undeniable worthiness.
If you say, I am capable, competent, and courageous, then truly feel these words in your bones.
You might get a tingle along your neck or a little swirl inside your chest. Trust these feelings. This means you’re on the right path.
Stay in the Present Tense
I said this above, but it’s worth repeating.
I am worthy.
Not, I will be worthy when I finally land my dream job.
Not, I’ll be worthy when I lose “x” amount of weight.
And not, I’ll finally be worthy when I find a partner who loves me.
No. No. No.
You are worthy. Right now. Just as you are. You are worthy now, even as you continue to grow and learn and evolve. You are worthy now, even if you make mistakes. You are worthy without conditions. Worthiness is your birthright. Nobody gets to own your worth except you. You. Are. Worthy. Always.
Now take those words, and apply them to all positive affirmations that you use.
Use Affirmations Throughout the Day
You might have a morning journaling routine in which you incorporate affirmations, or you might choose three affirmations to recite every night before bed. These are really, really awesome practices.
Just don’t save your affirmation practice for only these moments.
I love to use affirmations in the morning to create a positive foundation for the day, and I also love to use affirmations at night to cultivate a sense of peace and tranquility before bed.
But often times, it’s those moments in the middle of the day when I need them the most.
Have a list of empowering affirmations handy for life’s more stressful and difficult moments. You can keep these affirmations in your head, on your phone, or on a piece of paper.
You might also write your affirmations on post-it notes and stick them up around your work station or on your bathroom mirror.
You can even set notifications on your phone to pop up in the middle of the day with some empowering affirmations written on them.
Choose frustrating moments to recite affirmations instead of taking a deep dive into negativity. Stuck at a red light? Waiting in line at the grocery store? Negative thoughts won’t make that red light turn green, nor will they make that line move any faster.
So instead, consciously choose the direction of your thoughts so that they serve and support your total wellbeing.
This is how you take back your story and start creating the life of your dreams: with the knowledge and power to choose your thoughts in every moment of every day.
Don’t Force It (AKA The Ladder Method)
Now, I want to take a step back.
I love affirmations. Affirmations have changed my life for the better in so many ways. Affirmations have helped me to find my inner voice and step forward on my path with a courage and confidence I never knew I had.
And because of that, I always feel like I want to share and spread the power of affirmations to everyone.
But it’s important to remember that there are scenarios in which certain affirmations may not serve you:
When You Feel Deep Sadness
I do NOT believe in saying an affirmation such as, “I am joyful, happy, and upbeat,” when deep inside, your heart is breaking and you actually feel deep, all-consuming sadness or grief.
Affirmations are not meant to cover up or suppress your emotions. This is toxic positivity, and that is not beneficial to you or anyone around you.
Sometimes, you simply need to feel your emotions, even the bad ones. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t affirmations that can help you in this situation. Here are a few affirmations I like to use during tough times:
- Emotional releases are good for me.
- I allow myself to take time for me.
- When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I allow myself space to pause and breathe.
- I am far stronger than I realize.
- I am resilient.
When You Don’t Actually Believe the Affirmation
If you state a positive affirmation, but in the back of your mind, a voice is whispering, Yeah right, this will actually do more harm than good.
First, know that if this happens, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. We all experience these moments. Just because an affirmation works well for one person doesn’t mean it should automatically work for you. You are a unique individual with your own past history. You can’t compare where you are in your journey to where someone else might be.
Let’s use the example, “I love everything about my body.“
If total body love is a goal, then this might be an empowering affirmation you want to say. But maybe you say it, and somewhere in the back of your mind, another voice appears out of nowhere and says, “Yeah right. You don’t love everything about your body. Look at all your flaws!“
Again, if this happens, there is nothing wrong with you.
In these situations, I like to use what I call the Ladder Method.
The Ladder Method is the practice of starting with an affirmation you do believe wholeheartedly and working your way up to your desired affirmation.
Let’s use the affirmation above: I love everything about my body.
Now, maybe you can’t start there. But here’s an example of the ladder you might climb to get you there:
- I am open to loving my body and seeing it for all of its beauty.
- My body is deserving of love.
- I really love my smile.
- My body shows up for me, each and every day, and it deserves my wholehearted love.
- I am willing to love my body, just as it is.
- My body is truly beautiful.
The key here is to find the affirmation that feels good to you and begin there. You will be surprised at how quickly your mindset begins to transform once you take the first step and just start.
More Tips and Tricks
- Use Your Adjectives: And adverbs, too. Luckily, this isn’t English class, and you’re not getting graded for your word choice, so feel free to use as many magical, inspiring, uplifting,and empowering adjectives as you want. (See what I did there?)
- Practice Mirror Work: Stand in front of the mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and affirm your worthiness. Tell yourself that you’re beautiful and courageous and resilient and always enough. Tell yourself the words you most need to hear. If this sounds awkward and cringey, I promise, it’s not as bad as it sounds. In fact, it actually feels really, really good.
- Don’t Let One Bad Day Stop Your Momentum: Bad days happen, and their existence says absolutely nothing about who you are as a person. You are allowed to have bad days. What matters is that you keep going. Take whatever lessons you can gain from that bad day, then leave it behind. If you need a night to eat chocolate on the couch as you watch The Bachelorette (AKA me last week), then do it. Then, when you wake up tomorrow, open yourself up to reaffirming your worthiness. You got this. I promise.
- Curate Your Social Media Feeds: Follow a few Instagram accounts that are dedicated to providing daily positive affirmations. Add a Daily Affirmations board to your Pinterest page. You don’t have to completely uproot all of your social media accounts. Just add a few motivating accounts to follow and make it a point to read the affirmations as you scroll. Find the people and words that inspire you.
- Borrow Words From Others: And then make them your own. If you’re having trouble coming up with positive words, feel free to search on Google, Pinterest, Instagram, and any other resource you have at your disposal. And once you find some uplifting words that feel right to you, let them become yours. Feel the emotions in your bones. Let them inspire you.
- Smile: Cheesy, I know. But it works.
What are some of your favorite empowering affirmations? Do you have any tips and tricks to making affirmations work for you? Share your experiences in the comments below!
If you’re looking for a daily dose of inspiration, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest! I’m posting and pinning positive affirmations daily and am always working to create new daily affirmation resources for you.
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Pin this! How to Use Affirmations (So They Actually Work) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
