8 Affirmations to Help You and Your Kids During the Pandemic

Affirmations are a great way to spark your personal growth, as long as you’re using the really helpful ones. Sadly, there’s been an explosion of wrongly-worded affirmations that can do you more harm than good.

With the pandemic unabated, knowing how to create calming and empowering affirmations can make a world of difference. In this article, we’ll give you several affirmations you and your kids can use during this time, and guidance on how to create your own.

What Makes a Good Affirmation?

The main idea behind affirmations is to give you the confidence you need to do something. And if that confidence is based on things you have no control over, it’s bound to crumble pretty quickly.

The first thing to ask yourself when creating affirmations is:

Are these things under my control?

For example, if you’re trying to get a promotion, by affirming “I will get the promotion”, you’re not really making yourself stronger nor more productive. That is something that doesn’t completely depend on you – plenty of things can still go wrong. And if they do, you’ll be left disappointed.

So what can you do instead?

Affirm something along the lines of: “I am hard-working enough to get that promotion.” Can you see the difference? Being hard-working is something that completely depends on you, but goes hand in hand with that promotion. Just make sure you’re developing a growth mindset while creating these, (otherwise, if you affirm “I am smart enough” but don’t get the promotion, you may start doubting yourself).

The second thing is:

Go for something achievable.

Again, if you’re affirming “I’ll be a CEO one day”, well… That might well happen, but setting such huge goals right away could really damage your confidence when you notice it’s been a whole year and you’re not a CEO yet! These things take a lot of time and depend on a lot of things, so start with something realistic and less time-consuming. “I can create a brilliant plan for my new business.” would be a better alternative.

Finally:

Make sure you’re not mixing affirmations with magic.

“Tomorrow when I wake up, the pandemic will be gone” is far, far different than “I have control over certain things during the pandemic”. We all wish we could change the world with our thoughts, but unfortunately, that way of thinking can only damage us. If you follow these three tips – make them achievable, under your control, and magic-free – you’ll be creating affirmations that truly help your confidence and mental health.

Now, let’s take a look at eight affirmations you can say both to yourself and your kids during this pandemic to help you cope with it and find your confidence and strength!

1. We have control over things.

We already mentioned the importance of control when it comes to affirmations. With COVID-19 spreading like crazy, you may start thinking you’re powerless and there’s no way to prevent the worst from happening. The same applies to your kids, especially since they’re constantly connected and likely reading about the pandemic all the time.

So find things you do have control over. These things include wearing a mask, taking care of your hygiene, and social distancing. You also have control over how much you read about the pandemic and other scary things that are happening, so you can create certain rules about that together.

2. We have the resources necessary to get through this.

Whether these resources are CDC’s guidelines, social support, mental health professionals that can help you out, the fact that you can work from home and be additionally protected… Whatever it is, name it together and take a moment to feel gratitude for it.

3. This is a chance to grow.

The often painful fact of human existence is that there’s rarely any growth when all is well. After all, why fix what ain’t broken, right? But when we’re forced into a corner, that’s when we start finding healthy ways to cope and support we never dreamed we had!

4. We’ll appreciate some things more once this is over.

Who would have known that sitting in a coffee shop with a friend without worrying about people coughing and sneezing would one day be a distant memory? There are so many things we’ll appreciate (and already do!) so much more after this: time spent with our family, friends, going to a museum or a theatre, not to mention Skype and similar applications that allow us to stay connected at all times! Plenty of things to start appreciating more, aren’t there?

That includes the chance for kids to go to a virtual STEM summer camp and stay safe while meeting peers from all around the world!

5. We have a loving family.

Imagine going through all of this alone, both physically and in the virtual space. It has got to be 1,000 times more scary and uncomfortable than when you’re with family. Both you and your kids can take a moment to simply say how grateful you are for being able to go through all this with the support and love of your family. It sure works wonders for mental health and optimism!

6. We are already bonding more.

Continuing on the previous affirmation, this situation is a great way to further bond as a family. Before the pandemic, the lockdown, and everything else in between, chances are you led pretty hectic lives. Work, school, extracurriculars, friends, chores… there likely wasn’t a lot of time you could spend together as a family. But now is a great time to do some fun things together! From movie nights, game nights, to cooking together and just talking more than usual, there are plenty of opportunities to connect in a way you couldn’t before.

7. It’s okay to be sad and scared.

Although the previous few affirmations were mostly about being grateful and using these new opportunities that have presented themselves to us, let’s not forget mental health isn’t all about that. It’s about recognizing your negative feelings, too, and taking the time to stay with them. Share them with one another, be there for each other, and know that…

8. This, too, shall pass.

One way or the other, this will end. Whether it takes half a year or two years, we can’t know, and there’s not much we can do to hurry it up except protect ourselves and those around us.  What we can also do is sit tight, share our feelings as they come, and enjoy all the little (and not so little things) we normally couldn’t enjoy.

These affirmations should help you weather the storm, but it’s okay if you need extra help. Our coaches are here to offer the support you need to get through these difficult times. Schedule a free call with any of our coaches – they’re another resource worth having.

And remember: this, too, shall pass.