Do you find yourself going to bed after another crazy day of ordinary life, only to realize that you’ve forgotten to say your affirmations? I know that I’ve done this many times. So, I thought I’d share some ways to build in time for affirmations during even the busiest of days. I list many, because each of us has different gifts and methods that work for us. You’ll notice that I list some that don’t work too well for me, but might work for you. thebusinessdays

Tip #1: Repeat an affirmation during a 5-minutes burst, twice a day.
This is like doing 25 sit-ups in a row. Repeat an affirmation to yourself for 5 minutes at a time. Try to do this twice a day. I try to say the affirmation 100 times during that 5 minute period. If you can say your affirmation in 3 seconds, you can do 100 repetitions in 5 minutes. sportsyearly

Tip #2: Say them in the car or while commuting.
If you are a suburbanite or live in a rural area, you are likely to drive a car and drive it often. Turn off your radio and say your affirmations to yourself. If you commute via public transportation or drive with others and are unwilling to risk them thinking you are psychotic, repeat your affirmations silently to yourself. Sometimes, my affirmations are tongue-twisters and I can’t say them quickly out loud, bareng88 so I’ll revert to repeating them silently even when I am alone.

Tip #3: Write them in your journal.
If you have a practice of regularly journaling, write your affirmations whenever you journal. I do this and find great satisfaction in seeing the affirmations stare up at me from the page. Sometimes I feel that written affirmations are more real than spoken ones, because I have converted them to a visual image. If possible, I also speak them after I write them to get a double whammy of energy. storygame

Tip #4: Note them on your to-do list.
This was suggested to me by a good friend, who wrote her affirmations at the top of her Tasks list in Microsoft Outlook. Every time she looks at the list, she sees the affirmations and is reminded of them. This is almost a subconscious way of sneaking in affirmations on a regular basis.

Tips #5. Post reminder notes in strategic spots.
You can do this in one of several ways. Some people post sticky circles or dots (you can buy these at office supply stores) on their computer, refrigerator, mirror, door handles, etc. to remind them to repeat their affirmation. Using this method, you don’t have to share your affirmations with anyone else who might see the dots. Alternatively, you can write your affirmations on sticky notes and affix them to the strategic spots. My experience with this is that it worked for a while, and then the novelty wore off and I ignored the dots — in fact, I no longer even noticed them. However, other folks have told me that this works well for them. mrspeasy

Tip #6. Set your watch or Personal Digital Assistant alarm to beep or chime every hour.
The hourly chime will remind you to repeat your affirmation. A friend of mine did this when she was studying the daily lessons in A Course in Miracles – the alarm would remind her to say the affirmation from the Course. In this way, she was constantly reinforcing the concept. This is a beautiful practice that enables you to “pray without ceasing” throughout the day, but I have to confess that it didn’t work for me when I tried it. I found that the chimes were a jarring interruption of my daily tasks. I offer it in hopes that it works for some others. stickyspatula

Tip #7. Say them while you take care of your body.
Mindfulness of what you’re doing is to be commended, but if you are a VERY busy person (I’m thinking especially of Moms with small children), sometimes your only private time is when you’re in the bathroom. Say your affirmations while taking a shower, brushing your teeth or, yes, even when using the toilet. Say them repeatedly in a burst, as described above in tip #1, to maximize your precious moments of quiet time.

Louise Hays advices us all to use the mirror not to revile the image that we see, but to love it. Whenever you see yourself in the mirror, give yourself a pep talk of affirmations such as, “I love and approve of you, my loving self. I am so proud of you. You have such a beautiful smile.”