When it comes to self-confidence, it’s easy to get lost in the hustle of trying to crush goals and “slay the day” 24/7. If you’re a working mom, the constant balancing act between work commitments and family responsibilities can create doubts about your ability to meet expectations, both at home and in the workplace. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, your role as a caregiver comes with its own unique set of challenges, making it tough to want to take time for yourself despite knowing you deserve it.

On top of that, how we look can easily determine how we feel about ourselves throughout the day. Our hair looks great, so we’re going to have a great day. Our makeup looks incredible, so we’re incredibly happy! It’s an easy thing to do, especially with how much our appearance gets tied into how we’re supposed to feel about ourselves according to others or beauty standards pushed across the television we watch, the movies we love, or the social media we engage with. 

The world is fast-paced and filled with demands and expectations, so how do we keep our self-confidence in check? More importantly, how do we keep our anxiety from getting the better of us? One answer is affirmations. More specifically, the answer lies in reminding ourselves daily that we love who we are and we accept ourselves just as we are. In 2024, Red Aspen is making affirmations a central theme in our quest to help women like you to stand up, stand out, and stand together by uniting passion with purpose. In this blog, we’ll cover what affirmations are, why they’re important, and what they can mean for everyday women like you navigating your life one day at a time!

What Are Affirmations?

First things first, before we dive too deep into why affirmations are important, it’s best to go over what they really mean. Put simply, affirmations are positive statements that help to challenge negative thoughts and uplift your spirits. They’re phrases you can repeat to yourself to boost your confidence, motivate you to do more, or change the way you think about yourself or look at life in general. In a nutshell, they act as personal cheerleaders and hype squads to remind you that you are loved, you are worthy of love, and you are amazing in so many ways! 

The magic of affirmations lies in their simplicity and repetition. The phrase “I am strong and I am capable” sounds great when said once in a blue moon in front of the mirror, but it sounds way better and far more believable the more often it’s repeated. At the same time, the phrase “I love who I am” sounds wonderful to hear, but it’s the repetition that really helps to inspire confidence when you’re feeling down. By affirming positive statements with regularity, you rewire your brain to embrace those beliefs, fostering a more positive mindset of empowerment.

Why Affirmations Are Important

No matter where you are in life or what you do for a living, it’s easy to feel nervous, scared, or less confident when things don’t go according to whatever plans you made for yourself weeks, months, or years ago in the past. Life can be challenging, messy, and chaotic at times, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting more out of yours!

Given their power to transform how you think about yourself and the world around you, affirmations remain a healthier alternative to allowing self-doubt or depressive thoughts to get the better of you, especially during those times when the little things seem to feel a lot bigger. Here are a few ways that affirmations change your outlook for the better. 

Positive Self-talk is Positively Transformative 

From troubles at work to complications with relationships, many of us have negative thoughts about our lives on almost a daily basis. We’re only human after all! That being said, there’s nothing that says we can’t change those perceptions, even when things seem really, really difficult!

The beauty of affirmations is that they’re like the catchy slogans of beauty campaigns, only instead of promoting products, they promote self-love and confidence! Positive self-talk is truly transformative, and affirmations hold the power to reshape your perceptions into something better than your current circumstances. When you’re upset about a poor job interview or a poor review of your current work performance, affirmations like “I can do better and I am capable of doing better” can work wonders toward helping you crush it on the next go around. When you’re sad about a recent breakup, affirmations of “I am worthy of love and I have a lot to offer” can help to heal your heart daily, rather than holding onto resentment. While negative experiences aren’t anyone’s cup of tea, you can change things for the better by infusing them with positivity and self-assurance. As a result, you shift your focus from flaws to features, from self-doubt to self-assuredness, making confidence the cornerstone of your daily routine. 

Confidence is Beautiful 

Speaking of confidence, there’s nothing more beautiful. A confident woman radiates strength, passion, and conviction. A woman who’s confident isn’t afraid to be herself, and most importantly, she’s highly self-aware, knows all aspects of herself, and trusts herself fully. She knows she’s beautiful just the way she is, regardless of what society or social media tells her. 

Remember what we mentioned before about how the way we look can affect how we feel about ourselves throughout the day? It’s perfectly natural, but ask yourself, what’s your definition of beauty? Is it the typical definition or is it defined by what you see on television or social media? Is it defined by the attractiveness of the people you see called “beautiful,” or the level of success they have or the success you want for yourself? As women, it’s not a stretch to say that all of us are guilty of defining our own beauty based on the approval of others. Our hair, height, skin, clothing, makeup, and even our fashion accessories are constantly judged, so it’s easy to want to change ourselves to match what society says is the most beautiful. This kind of mindset is dangerous, because instead of appreciating and embracing ourselves and our own definitions of beauty, we place our level of confidence and self-esteem in the hands of others and what they think of us.

While being more confident is easier said than done, it becomes a lot easier to manage with the right approach. In a world where beauty, skincare, and makeup influencers have so much sway, affirmations act as a reminder that you don’t have to look like others, dress like others, or be others to be beautiful. Affirmations like "I am confident in my skin," "My smile is my best accessory," or "I shine from within" are affirmations that resonate beyond what the mirror reflects. They’re not just words, but tools that redefine beauty standards you might have subscribed to in the past. They encourage a shift in perspective, emphasizing that beauty encompasses not just the way you look on the outside, but your uniqueness and individuality as well. Ultimately, this helps to foster a more holistic sense of beauty and a healthier sense of empowerment, one that reminds you that true beauty, the kind that people really notice, radiates from within.

Write a New Narrative for Your Life with Affirmations 

You’re stronger than you know and more confident and beautiful than you give yourself credit for! No ifs, ands, or buts about it. While you might have days you don’t always believe it, there’s a power in reminding yourself of your worth on a daily basis. As a beauty and cosmetics company celebrating women everywhere, Red Aspen is thrilled to do our part in reminding women like you of everything you have to offer! 

As you start this next chapter of your life, write a new narrative for yourself with affirmations. Start small if it helps, but add them to your everyday routine whenever possible. You’d be surprised at how quickly they can transform your life for the better!