What comes to mind when you think of the month of February? Is it the month of romance/love because of Valentine’s Day? Or is it the month of recognizing and honoring the contributions of our African American ancestors through Black History month? Or is the anticipation of when Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, peeps his head out to predict how long a winter it will be?
Whatever your association with the month of February, I’m sure you will agree it is a unique month. It is the only month with the shortest number of days, even when there is a leap year! That thought could bring anxiety to those whose plate is brimming over knowing that time appears to be shortened. So let me challenge you to change your perspective from scarcity to abundance. A positive outlook can make a huge difference in approaching unpleasantness in a more productive way by focusing on the best happening rather than the worst.
Mayo Clinic cites health benefits of positivity such as: increased life span, lower rates of depression, greater resistance to illness, better cardiovascular health, reduced death from cancer, respiratory conditions and infections, and better coping skills during hardships or times of stress. How do we acquire positivity if we are not naturally wired to have such an outlook? It begins with switching our self-talk; these are the unspoken thoughts running through your head which can be positive or negative deriving from logic or reasoning or misconceptions or preconceived ideas. To train yourself to have positive self-talk, daily positive affirmations are an important habit to form. Here are some tips when formulating your affirmations:
- Use present tense
- Include positive words
- Speak your positive affirmation confidently
- Say it daily or multiple times a day
Some examples of positive affirmations are:
- I further my career with every action I take.
- I’m worthy and value myself.
- Life is full of love, and I find it everywhere I go.
- I see the beauty in everything.
And since February is also associated with heart and love, practice self-love with the ultimate positive affirmation – I AM ENOUGH!
Dr. Gail Ali, CEO
Dr. Gail Ali holds a Ph.D. in Management and a M.S. in Computer Information Systems. She is a consummate higher education professional specializing in academic affairs with over 25 years teaching adult students. She has worked in many industries in both non-profit and private organizations. She is passionate about others attaining their dreams and has founded The Doctoral Mentor which supports and guides doctoral students in this tenuous academic journey.