When I substitute teach, I sometimes feel like I’m on an island by myself leading 30 students. I experience situations that can change quickly especially in middle school. Pre-teens and teenagers have fluctuating hormones and mood swings in any moment. There are other variables that would take me more paragraphs to write but what helps me are the teachers who reach out to me to say thank you for substitute teaching and those who peek in the classroom to ask me if I have everything I need. These teachers have stood out more than others and they are the ones I seek out for conversation. I finally got a chance to speak to a teacher who always gives me a high five and says, “Thank you, for being here!”. Turns out he’s been teaching nearly thirty years. I said to him, “You’ve seen a lot in your time teaching especially with technology changing how the students are learning, but how do you do it?” How do you maintain balance when you deal with student behavior, teach students who don’t want to learn or the constant rules and regulations controlling how and what you can teach? He said there was a specific verse from the bible he reads when he is seeking strength. I immediately said, “An affirmation!” and he agreed. A few days later I spoke to another teacher as I was waiting for my kids to finish with after school activities and she said she repeats a verse from the bible when she is trying to find strength, too. I also have my favorite prayers, but sometimes I just need a few words to get me focused.
The words that we speak are more powerful than we think. What we say to ourselves internally and to others externally determines our actions and reactions in our world. Affirmations can help reset our mind when not on the right track to attaining what we want in life.
What is an affirmation?
Affirmations are short phrases or sentences that we say out loud whenever we need them. By saying a statement out loud we are affirming or pledging to ourselves what our truth is and realigning ourselves with what we want life to be.
Affirmations can be said any time of the day. When I am questioning my writing, I take a deep breath and say, “I am alright and my writing is good!”
When I feel alone I say,” I am never alone my family loves me!” Sometimes I just say, “ I am grateful!” Finally, when I feel off balance and my day is not going my way I listen to an affirmation for 30 minutes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEm-a0AhLu0
You can find more examples by reading Allura Eshmun’s Mini Book of 30 Days Towards Peace.
If you want a few affirmations to use right now here are a few to get you started.
1. I am grateful
2. I am loving
3. I am alright
4. I am financially abundant.
5. I am important
6. I am strong
7. I am worthy
8. I am in good health
9. I am alright with what I have right now in this moment.
10. I am forgiving
You can also create your own affirmations as they relate your life. Affirmations are written in first person and as if it’s already happening right now. One of my favorite affirmation’s is by Louise Hay. She said, “Nothing but good can come to me!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7dUFrZGMuA
Copyright ©2019 by Allura Eshmun