At our annual company retreat, our CEO, Ann Melinger, presented us each with a deck of work affirmations (Affirmators at Work) and we’re all seriously hooked on them! 

These witty note cards with inspirational sayings are such a great way to start the day! There’s no wrong way to use them but I like to shuffle the stack, close my eyes and choose a card. Then, I try to channel my energy that day and live up to that affirmation. 

Besides being so cleverly written and not sappy or overtly self-helpy, why are they so powerful? I’ve got a few ideas:

FOCUSING ON ONE THING EACH DAY FEELS LIKE A LUXURY

With a zillion things going on at once, doesn’t it feel downright indulgent to choose just one thing to focus on? I think so! 

Whether the affirmation card is about taking risks, imagination, enthusiasm, self-reliance, you get to own that trait for a day. Some cards are challenging (the following-the-process card was a tough day for me), but hey, you can do anything for a day! 

AFFIRMATIONS ARE WRITTEN AS IF THEY’RE ALREADY HAPPENING

Almost every card starts with “I” and uses active verbs in the present tense, which means there’s no “I will” or “I should.” The behaviors listed on the card are happening now and you’re doing it. 

My card yesterday said, “I take big risks and leap into the unknown with fearless abandon, knowing that the best surprises and richest experiences come from bold choices.” If that doesn’t feel like you’re already a boss, I don’t know what will.

A LITTLE HUMOR GOES A LONG WAY

Because the affirmations are so clever and fun, they’re a good reminder to not take yourself so seriously! Many of the cards also make light of some of our fears. 

Back to yesterday’s card, I love this line: “The unknown is filled with spiders and they swarm me and eat me and decorate their spider cave with my bones. But what are the chances?” True. What’s the worst that’ll happen?

Who knew a few sentences every morning could make us all feel more confident, positive and bad ass?! Try them out sometime!

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