It is very easy for our heads to be filled with negativity, sometimes that negativity is directed at ourselves. Whether it is critiquing yourself in general, or criticizing your art, it is important to be kind to yourself, as you would towards others.
What are positive affirmations?
One helpful tool to be mindful and kind to yourself is using positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are “positive phrases or statements that we repeat to ourselves” (Berkeley Well-Being Institute). Affirmations can be as broad or as specific as you would like, and what better time to be kind to ourselves than the start of the new year!
Using positive affirmations in your art journal.
Many people say positive affirmations out loud to themselves in the mirror to get their day started. However, another powerful way to use affirmations is to write them out. What better way to remind ourselves to be kind then to write and/or illustrate in our art journal?
To get started, think of the affirmation you would like to use. It can be about anything. Some examples are:
I am creative
I trust in myself
I am brave
I am creating my life exactly as I want it
I am proud of myself
The next step has many different possibilities, so let your creativity soar! Write your affirmation in your journal on a page all on its own and decorate the page. This is your space for creativity and the options are endless and up to you. You can use watercolor to color a background and write your affirmation once dried. You can use magazines to create a collage and vision board around your affirmation. You can even draw or paint a self-portrait. The important thing is taking the time to be kind to yourself.
Once you have finished your affirmation page, mark it so you can easily return to it when you need a reminder. To do this, you can use washi tape on the side on the page to make it stand out. You can use a paperclip or bookmark to mark the page. Make the page easy to find and remember you deserve kindness from yourself.
Happy Creating!
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