Have you ever wished your heard more often how proud your parents are of you? Or how beautiful you are to your spouse… Or hearing your boss tell you how important your work is for the company? No matter how old we are, it feels good to hear positive affirmations. As Seniors age, there are many inevitable changes which take place that increase the need for them to hear positive reflections! One easy answer (at any age) is to say positive affirmations aloud to yourself every single day. As the years go by, our chosen affirmations should change too, reflecting what we are facing in life.
This link provides more detail about the Impact of Positive Affirmations, including a great explanation:
“Within senior populations there is the burden of stress and the reduction in their ability to manage it adequately. As age increases, so does the level of inflammation caused by stress, resulting in damage to the body and mood. From 65 onwards, the risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders increases, as do other problems such as social isolation and psychosis. To make matters worse, the presence of these issues also creates what is termed as co-morbid elderly depression and anxiety… Due to the constant state of fight-or-flight mode, stress hormones (i.e. cortisol) will spike for seniors and take longer to decrease to baseline levels which is how they develop the issues mentioned above. However, the switch in thinking patterns produced by positive affirmation effectively negates these outcomes by removing the senior from the fight-or-flight mode altogether.”
Another link HERE gives great examples of simple but powerful affirmations which Seniors can choose from daily to say aloud.
- “I am living the best years of my life.”
- “I am proud of living so long.”
- “Every day I contribute to the world. I have purpose.”
- “Every day I find happiness and comfort.”
- “I have the benefit of wisdom.”
- “I am wonderfully made.”
- “I have people who love me in my life.”
- “I have the time to cherish the people who matter to me.”
- “I will make a difference to someone today.”
- “My family gives me joy, purpose and hope.”
The practice of self-affirmation is linked to improvements in health and well-being. They lower stress and boost self-esteem. Daily affirmations nurture a positive attitude. They can be as simple as speaking blessings over your life, your relationships and even your body for physical health. They can be spoken aloud, or written out every day and posted in an area where they will be seen, such as on the bathroom mirror.