Affirmations can change your mind.
‘Take positive care of your mind and it will surely take positive care of your life’
Edmond Mbiaka
When creating artwork, I have always sought for it to hold a positive message, for it to connect with someone and encourage reflection. With this in mind, this Summer I really lent into this and created an affirmation deck.
Affirmations are positive statements that challenge unhelpful thoughts.
We can keep a phrase in mind that can disrupt the negative self-talk and encourage something more helpful. I used these frequently during my illness and as I was putting the pieces back together afterwards. Life isn't perfect, and we will encounter many external things good and difficult… but if we can look after our minds there is real power in that. There is a wonderful talk here about happiness, that explores this further.
I wanted to make something beautiful and tactile, using thick printmaking papers and hand-carved stamps each affirmation is sturdy yet soft to the touch and has a beautiful deckled edge. They are designed to be interacted with, so I put them in a gorgeous little box with the ribbon inside to carefully pull the cards out.
You can see all of the cards here.
Here are some tips on how you might use them:
-keep in your car or handbag, for mindful moments on the go.
-Gift the cards individually when you think a friend needs a boost.
-pin them to your desk at work, as a little reminder.
-Incorporate it into your meditation practice.
-draw one at random and reflect on what it may mean for you right now.
-lay them all out and choose what you need, keeping the card with you.
-frame them and display in your home.
There's also another video about how a mantra can impact your day in a positive way.
