New Year’s Resolutions are made by millions of people every year. Unfortunately, most of those resolutions are not kept. They quickly get discarded in January or February, by people who either don’t have good willpower, or who realize that what they planned to do just isn’t realistic.

That creates a huge sense of failure that can leave people very discouraged and upset. You don’t have to fall victim to that, though. Instead, you can create affirmations for the new year.

How Affirmations and Resolutions are Different

An affirmation is less specific than a resolution. It’s more about the general aspects of life, how to keep things in perspective, and how you can refer to them all year long to see the kind of progress you’re making. Because of the generality of affirmations, Generationsthey are easier to maintain and less stressful.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t goals or they aren’t important, but only that they aren’t focused on deeply specific changes, like losing 100 pounds or running a marathon. With the generality they offer, affirmations are easier to keep and still help you improve your life.

Affirmations Focus on the Positive

It’s a huge accomplishment to get through treatment and lead a sober lifestyle. It’s something to be proud of, and something to hold onto when you feel like you aren’t making progress in your life. The energy for continued support has to come from somewhere, of course, and much of that energy comes from affirmations.

They should always be positive, and never focus on anything negative about you, your surroundings, or your life. Even if you’re focusing on a comparison between where you were and where you are now, keep the negativity completely out of your affirmations.

How to Get Started

If you’re not sure where to get started with affirmations, consider the things in your life that are the most important to you. Naturally, your sobriety is extremely valuable. There’s more to your life, though.

Maybe there are things you’ve lost, like a career or family relationships that you’d like to rebuild. Perhaps there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but you haven’t been healthy enough to go for it. No matter what you want to focus on, there are positive affirmations you can use to get started.

Examples of Positive Affirmations

For example, if you want to work on your health, you can vow to only use positive talk about how you look and feel. The more you say it, the more you’ll start to believe it, so only say good things about yourself. Where you were isn’t where you are, so don’t dwell on it.

Multi-Generation Family Enjoying Walk In Beautiful CountrysideThe same is true with relationships, whether you want to mend broken ones, nurture the ones you have, or make new ones with other sober people.

Letting go of the past, accepting responsibility for your actions, and continuing to grow and transform into the person you want to be can all be helped along through affirmations. Think, speak, and act positive about all aspects of your life. It may be difficult sometimes, but it’s a very worthwhile part of your continued sobriety.