For a while now, I've had this daily reminder on my phone as some sort of a self-confidence boost. Has it worked? Though really subtle, it's surprisingly worked. I mean, I'm not making leaps and bounds in the whole self-confidence category, but that doesn't mean that I have the self-confidence I did in high school. Self-confidence and self-esteem, to go along with it, seem to develop with age as well as personal growth in who you are.

Though, my question is do daily affirmations (regardless of how they're contextualized) really work?

These daily affirmations can come up in so many ways. Whether it's putting a positive message as your lock screen or a reminder or having a mantra or even just thinking one positive thought a day - affirmations can make a difference.

Personally, I just have one or two sentences that are important. They're these little sentences full of words that make reality a little more bearable. I mean, if you really think about it, that's what a mantra does. Or that's really how you keep yourself going. You look to those affirmations that bring you up when you're down. Trust me, I know how cheesy and up-lifty this seems, but honestly, daily affirmations, albeit small and subtle, can cause this cosmic shift in just a singular mood. It's as simple as getting a text that makes you smile - whether it's the person or the text doesn't entirely matter for the subject being, but my point is that having a little mantra/affirmation daily make your mood just that much better.
When I started doing this little daily reminder, I wasn't entirely sure of how much it would really work. Though, with time it became this thing that I would look at and not give much thought to, but in some weird way, it helps. It's my reminder to keep my head up and my eyes focused on the future. It's this super subtle way of reminding myself who I am and who I can be.

While I do have this reminder daily, I'm not entirely sure how much of a believer in mantras I am. They're like catchphrases. They're usually cheesy and overrated, or… well yeah, they're usually just cheesy and overrated. But, it's the little things in life that really matter so whatever works for you, so keep doing you.

I've built this daily affirmation into my own reality and in my view to keep my head up. And whether it be a mantra or whatever "positive thought of the day" you use, just know that these are the things that count. That really do matter. They're these little reminders throughout your life that will help push you through what you don't think can handle.

My food for thought is this: take time to find reminders that will lift you up, no matter how subtle. Look at the stereotypical mantras, adopt one (if you want to) and don't turn back. Add some sort of positivity to your life that'll feel like a hug, warm, comfortable and supportive.

Affirmations, similar to hugs, are what make us feel all warm inside. They're life's little "positive thought of the day." So, do affirmations really work? Kind of. In a weird way, sure, but they still work.