This Thursday (8th of September) is R U Ok day, a national day of action to start conversations with those around us who may be struggling. In keeping with the theme of mental health, I wanted to share my experience of how positives messages have helped me.
It started when I texted a friend after a particularly bad day. She responded with a photo of a note that read ‘No feeling is final’. She too was going through a rough patch and had written this note which she placed above her work desk to help her channel positive thinking. I made my own note, stuck it on my bathroom mirror and found it did help. I began to reframe my thinking and my mood improved.
Since then I have been collecting quotes and sticking them around the house for motivation and to help me be more positive. These positive messages have led to positive thinking which has a range of health benefits such as reduced stress, increased resilience, improved decision making, and overall happiness.
How does it work?
Let’s try a quick experiment. If I were to mention chocolate cake several times over the next 30 minutes, it’s highly likely you’ll find yourself wanting to eat cake. If that didn’t work, take a packet of chips from the pantry, and place it on your kitchen bench (or somewhere visible). It’s likely those chips will be gone by the end of the day.
This is because we tend to take cues from our environment. What we see and hear influences our thoughts and actions. This means you can influence whether you’ll have a good start to the day and feel less stressed by placing positive messages in your environment. To get started, tune into what’s making you feel stressed or anxious. Find some quotes or affirmations that resonate and help you feel positive when you read them. Write them down and stick them up where you’ll be able to see them each day. It could be the kitchen sink, above your desk, or in the bathroom.
Sharing positivity with your loved ones
Surely, I’m not alone when I say this year has really tested the relationships within my household! Stress and confinement are not a great combination. However, taking the time to write each other positive messages has helped.
The message can be as simple as “have a great day” or it can be a note of appreciation. This is a great way to incorporate gratitude and its many benefits into your life. Place the message on your loved ones’ phone or toothbrush to help them start the day positively. You can create unexpected moments of joy by leaving notes in the car, their wallet, or in the pocket of a favourite jacket. Remember those times when you unexpectedly found $2 under the couch or $5 in your jeans. It can just take a small, unexpected, positive event to put you in a good mood. If you are feeling stuck on what to write, take a look at this list.
Sharing positivity with your little ones
Positive messages are a great way to make your kids feel loved and help boost their confidence. My personal favourites are the ‘take what you need’ board and what I call lunch box ‘boosters’.
My friend creates lunch box ‘boosters’ and on days she doesn’t, her son asks for them. I know it’s a case study of one but there’s only one way to find out if your kids will like them. All you need to do is write a message on a small card (or even on their snacks) and pop it into their lunch box. As many children return to school, it’s a great way to provide a bit of a pick-me-up. Here’s a list of 45 encouraging messages with a growth mindset focus to get you started.
The ‘take what you need’ board allows your child to pick and choose what they need. When brainstorming ideas for messages, think about the things that help you to have a good day alongside what you find comforting when you’re having a rough day. Consider attributes to focus on – such as confidence, patience, and kindness. Additionally, the ‘take what you need board’ could include a hug, joke, or story your littles ones can ‘redeem’ when they need it most.
To help you harness the power of positive messages, here are some of my favourite quotes:
“A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.”
“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”
Wishing you lots of positivity!
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