12 Monthly Mirror Messages

Today, I want to talk about a project I’m doing for the first time this year that I call “Monthly Mirror Messages.” This project is pretty simple and is exactly what it sounds like. Each month, I’ll tape an affirmation on my mirror to motivate me during those 30 days. Then on the first day of the next month, I’ll switch out one affirmation for another one. That’s it! Here are the step-by-step instructions if you’d like to do it yourself:

1. Write down 12 affirmations (one for each month of 2022), each on its own small piece of paper.

Here are the affirmations I chose:

• I make a difference in the world by simply existing in it.

• I focus on what I can control and I let go of what I can’t.

• I attract positive people and experiences into my life.

• Success follows me.

• I am the master of my abundance.

• “I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing.” – Louise Hay

• The perfect moment is this one – Jon Kabat-Zinn

• I am full of energy and optimism. I am ready to have fun.

• Creativity runs through me and leads me to great ideas.

• I don’t chase. What belongs to me will simply find me.

• I listen to my intuition and trust my gut.

• I am well-rested and excited for a fun day.

Looking for others? You can get great ideas for affirmations by searching Pinterest for “inspiring affirmations,” “affirmations for self love,” “affirmations for confidence,” etc.

2. Optional: Decorate the pieces of paper around the affirmation. You can add paint, doodles, stickers, or whatever you’d like or keep it simple. I glued some dried flowers from my garden onto the paper and used those as the art.

2. Put every affirmation card into a bowl or jar.

2. At the beginning of each month, choose one affirmation at random. I believe that whichever one you happen to choose will be the perfect one for that month.
3. Use washi tape or clear tape to put it on your bathroom mirror where you’ll see it when you brush your teeth every day. Say that affirmation out loud or to yourself every day.

Curious if there’s science that backs affirmations? I was too. I was pleasantly surprised that there is quite a bit of good research on daily affirmations. Here are a few benefits of using affirmations:

1. Affirmations have been shown to decrease health-deteriorating stress (Sherman et al., 2009; Critcher & Dunning, 2015)
2. They have been used effectively in interventions that led people to increase their physical behavior (Cooke et al., 2014)
3. They may help us to perceive otherwise “threatening” messages with less resistance, including interventions (Logel & Cohen, 2012)
4. They can make us less likely to dismiss harmful health messages, responding instead with the intention to change for the better (Harris et al., 2007) and to eat more fruit and vegetables (Epton & Harris, 2008)
5. They have been linked positively to academic achievement by mitigating GPA decline in students who feel left out at college (Layous et al., 2017)
6. They have been demonstrated to lower stress and rumination (Koole et al., 1999; Wiesenfeld et al., 2001).

Have you ever created affirmation cards or mirror messages for yourself? Do you plan to? Tell me in the comments section!

P.S. Living with Kindness interviewed me recently about what I call the 4 G’s of happiness. Check it out here.