I am brave. I am strong. I am smart. I am kind.

These are the positive affirmations that we say together before bed. I have Tucker stand up after stories and we do a superhero stance for brave, flex for strong, point to our head for smart and put our hands over our hearts for kind. Just the other night Ella stood smiling and ready to join in the fun! Of course, she can’t say the words yet, but she does similar actions, and it makes me so happy. Not only is this adorable, but hopefully we will say it enough together that they will believe it to be true! I can only imagine how much more confident I would have been growing up had I fully believed in myself. Positive affirmations are nothing new in our house. If you look at the mirror in my bathroom you will find pink post-it notes with similar statements to what I am trying to instill in the kids. While I am getting ready for the day or hopping out of the shower and looking at the body that is not quite the same as my pre-baby body, I just look at those post-its. I look at the post-its and then I look myself and recite the following sentences. “I am strong. I am confident. I am enough. I believe I can and therefore I will.” Instead of going down a rabbit hole of self-doubt and fighting imposter syndrome, especially through this self-publishing journey, I look at those statements and think instead, why not me and I can do this!

I am brave. I am strong. I am smart. I am kind.

It is so important to me to nurture my kids’ self-worth. Especially having a girl now, I want her to know that she has a voice and to use it. I think having kids helps you reflect on your upbringing and how we can help our kids see themselves as the amazing individuals they are. I’m still working on finding/using my voice, but everyone is a work in progress, right?  In this increasingly critical time of social media where everyone’s “perfect” moments are relentlessly put in front of our eyes, I want my kids to think about what is real and important and that no matter what they are comparing themselves to, they are enough! A little reminder for all of us here that comparison is the thief of joy, and we are ALL enough!

I am brave. I am strong. I am smart. I am kind.

Now that you know our household’s positive affirmations, I challenge you to try it! You don’t have to say the same things we do but say something positive. The sooner you start looking at the good things around you and the great qualities within you, the sooner you start spreading that positivity and joy to those closest to you! The ripple effect from focusing on the good rather than the bad is unbelievable. Don’t you want to be a part of that? I know I do. I want my kids to see someone who believes in themselves. Someone who works hard and loves fiercely and someone who stands up for what they believe in. The first step is to believe in myself and my post-it notes remind me every morning of my potential. So, I’ll keep superhero posing in the mirror because frankly, I believe I can and therefore I will.

Do you believe in the power of positive affirmations? What are some that you speak to yourself? Any children’s books about self-esteem or believing in yourself that you’d like to share? Post in the comments!

These books have been in the rotation at our house for a while, and I love their messages.

-The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin

-Different is Awesome by Ryan Haack

-Elephants Can’t Fly by Charlotte Christie

Have a great weekend and happy reading!

Special thank you to Gold + Grain Photography @goldandgrainphotography.