Positive Affirmations for Back to School...

Back-to-school can be a time of anxiety and fear of the new or unknown.  Teaching your kids the art of positive affirmations can help get their year off to a confident start.  Creating a positive affirmation is simple and easy.  What feeling or sense do you want to create for yourself or you child?  What are you trying to accomplish?  Start by writing down your thoughts in first-person, present tense and in a positive frame.  Don't use negative statements or ones that contain "not to" or "no".  For example, "I will not be afraid." isn't a great affirmation.  Instead, try "I am brave."  Notice the use of present tense and the emotion that we are trying to evoke, not avoid.
Affirmations are best said aloud, and repeated.  Build their use into your day, for example when brushing your teeth during your morning routine, say your affirmations.  Use a positive tone of voice and look yourself in the eye in the mirror. If your child can read, consider putting their affirmations on a sticky note next to their bed or on the bathroom mirror.  Better yet, set aside time for an art project to create a piece to display their affirmation on the wall.  
Creating a habit of using positive affirmations can contribute to a lifetime of better mental health.  When we feel as though we are capable, supported and empowered we will weather life's storms with more success.
Here are some of my favorite back-to-school affirmations to get you started:
I am a learning super hero.
I believe in myself.
I make new friends easily and enjoy meeting new people.
I am the best me. I am loved and supported.
I can handle anything in my path.
I am ready to try new things and enjoy new challenges today.
I am a kind person and spread sunshine wherever I go.
Math and science come easily and effortlessly to me.
​I can do anything!