Every morning, when you wake up and look in the mirror, what words come to your mind? Do you hear words that build up or tear down? What you say to yourself each morning could change the entire course of your day. Here are 11 things to remind yourself before 11 am.
Why are words so important?
Words are a big part of your life. You talk to your family, your co-workers, and you talk to yourself. You may regret saying certain things to others. Did you know that what you say to yourself can be harmful? An ancient proverb confirms the power of your words. It says,
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4 ESV
Don’t believe everything you tell yourself when you look in the mirror, because it could break your spirit. Instead, tell yourself what to believe using uplifting, positive words.
What can words do?
Self-affirmation can decrease your stress and affirm your sense of self-worth. It helps you think about your core values in life in a broader sense, which strengthens you as you make life choices.
11 Things to Remind Yourself Before 11 AM
So many words come to your mind in the morning. It takes purposefulness to control negative thoughts. Here are eleven things you can remind yourself of and turn your day around.
1 – Remind yourself to be grateful
Being grateful is a healthy way to start your day. Gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, or gratefulness. Being thankful has a positive effect on your heart and mind. Grateful people are happier and healthier individuals. They’re better at dealing with adversity and are better able to build strong relationships with others. Every morning, practice this simple exercise. Set a goal to think of ten things you’re grateful for today. Write them down or just say them out loud to yourself. Sometimes the everyday things in your life are worth being grateful for.
Be thankful for some of these basic things:
- Food in your fridge
- Clothes you wear
- Heat or air conditioning
- Running water
- A warm bed to sleep in
- The ability to hear, see or smell
It may surprise you that your list of ten things grows longer. Even on your most difficult day, there is always something to be thankful for, so start your day off this way.
2 – Remind yourself to be kind
They define kindness as being friendly, considerate, or generous. Interestingly, when you choose to be kind to others, you receive emotional benefits. Being kind lowers your stress and helps you feel calmer. You’ll be less prone to depression, less lonely, and you’ll feel happier with your life. It doesn’t take much to be kind to someone. Your kind act could be
- Sending a quick text to cheer up a friend
- Dropping off a coffee to your child’s school secretary
- Raking your elderly neighbor’s leaves
- Taking your teen out for a smoothie after school
3 – Remind yourself to have a healthy lifestyle
Mornings can be tough. You may feel like staying in bed buried under the covers, but it can make you feel worse about yourself and your life. Being physically active improves your mindset. It eases depression and makes you feel happier and healthier. Eating a healthy diet keeps your weight down and makes you feel more comfortable in your clothes. When you tell yourself that you’re going to be healthy today, it motivates you. You are choosing to take control of life rather than letting life happen to you. Whether you choose to take a brisk walk, take your dog for a walk, or eat a healthy lunch, these all contribute to choosing to live a healthy lifestyle today.
4 – Remind yourself to be positive
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” ~ Lyndon B. Johnson
Positive people believe in themselves and others. They’re more resilient and able to stand up under the pressures of life. Positive feelings help you be more creative and find solutions to problems. Negativity pulls you down, causing you to worry and feel overwhelmed. Today, when you look into the mirror, tell yourself you are going to be positive rather than negative.
5 – Remind yourself to help others
“The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it. “~ Richard Bach
Keeping it simple is often the best way to move forward. Choosing to help others is one of the simple practices in life that benefits you. Helping others makes you feel happier. It’s suggested that individuals who help others are more productive, have a more meaningful life, and are wealthier. Being selfish won’t bring you joy. Resist the urge to just take care of yourself today and reach out to help someone else. How can you help someone today? Here are some suggestions.
- Bake cookies for a neighbor with children
- Write a thank-you note to your child’s teacher
- Give a gift card to the homeless man standing at the corner
- Help unload groceries for the young mom with a toddler who lives next door
6 – Remind yourself you are loved
As you look into the mirror today, remember that you are loved. So many people benefit from having you in their life. Even if you don’t feel loved, there is someone who loves you. Whether it’s your mom, your sister, brother, or your best friend, they love you! Whether you feel it today, remind yourself that you are loved. If you’re struggling to feel loved today, be sure to reach out to someone who loves you, and enjoy their love.
7 – Remind yourself to be wise
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.” ~ Maya Angelou
When you choose to be wise, you’re choosing to be someone that others can trust and seek out for advice. It doesn’t mean you think you know everything, but you’re probably a good listener and make people feel you care. A wise person treats people with respect and wants to help them. Of course, being wise doesn’t just happen. It’s usually something you attain over the years. You can grow in wisdom by doing these things:
- Reading non-fiction books
- Learn from your mistakes
- Watch others who are wise
- Study habits of successful people
- Read wisdom books like Proverbs or Psalms
- Skip watching television
- Take trips to different places so you can learn about the customs of other people groups
- Surround yourself with wise people
8 – Remind yourself to stay connected to others
“Surround yourself with the right people, and realize your worth. Honestly, there are enough bad people out there in the world – you don’t need to be your worst enemy.” ~ Lucy Hale
Staying connected to other people makes you feel happier and gives more meaning to your life. Individuals with strong social connections are happier and healthier. These people live longer and have a lower risk of death. Strong family ties increase your self-confidence and self-esteem. Loneliness adds to depression. Today, choose to stay connected to family or friends. Reach out with a text, email, or phone call. Talk to someone dear to you and see if you don’t feel a little bit better about your life.
9 – Remind yourself to learn new things
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
When you commit time each day to learning new things, you exercise your brain and broaden your horizons. Seeing the world as your classroom will energize you and motivate you to ask questions and seek out information. Being a learner helps you
- Improve your brain function
- Strengthen your concentration
- Improve your memory
- Improve your problem solving
- Reduce your chances of dementia
- Increase your attention to detail
So today, tell yourself you’re going to be curious and learn something new you didn’t know.
10 – Remind yourself that you are strong
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” ~ Pablo Picasso
Sometimes life is hard. It can weigh you down so much so that it’s hard to get up in the morning. Despite the hard stuff, you can remind yourself to be strong. Choosing to be strong sets your mindset to not give up. It helps you do things you don’t feel like doing. Well-loved A. A. Milne character, Christopher Robin, said it best when he said:
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Today, as you look into the mirror, tell yourself you will be strong. If you don’t believe what you’re saying, then try to believe what Christopher Robin says about you.
11 – Remind yourself to be happy with who you are
Being happy with who you are will help you feel content with your life. It takes away the stress of comparing yourself with others. This happiness with whom you are makes you more resourceful, purposeful, and self-confident. Every morning, when you look in the mirror, be sure to tell yourself that you are happy with who you are and with who you are becoming.
Final Thoughts on Self-Reminders to Think About Before 11 am
Words affect your life. The words you tell yourself affect you more than you may realize. As you look in the mirror each day, remind yourself about what’s true, what’s real, and what’s important in life. Remind yourself that you can be grateful, kind, healthy, and wise. You can help others, be strong, and you can be happy with who you are. How you begin your day will change the entire day, so start it with positive words that build you up, not tear you down.
