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Thank you. Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Podcast and Chill.
I'm Gwen. And I'm Leo. So how's your week?
Did anything good happen? Well, it's okay if your week was good or bad.
We're happy you're here. You showed up today, and that's already enough.
Yeah, we know you have tough days just like us.
On those days, do you feel tired or maybe a little lost?
Maybe you woke up late, forgot your homework, or had a fight you can't stop thinking about, Or you looked at social media and thought, wow, everyone's life is better than mine.
I've felt that way too. Those days make you feel like you're behind, right?
Like everything is too much. And sometimes, you just wish for something that could make all your problems go away. or you think you need super strong willpower to get through it.
But today, let's forget that. Let's try something new, something simple that can help when life feels heavy.
We're talking about affirmations.
These are short, kind words you say to yourself.
They can feel like a hug for your mind. Before you think it's strange, I used to think it was weird, too.
But then I tried it and it really helped me feel better.
Stay with us until the end. You'll learn how to love yourself more.
And you'll also learn 10 affirmations in English.
So you can work on your self-love and your English at the same time.
Let's get started! Thank you. Affirmations.
Sounds like a big fancy word, right? But it's actually simple.
Yeah, an affirmation is just a short positive sentence. you say to yourself again and again to feel better.
What's your favorite one, Gwen? Mine is, I'm trying and that's enough.
Oh, I love that. My favorite is, this experience is making me stronger and wiser.
I say it when I fail at something. Like what?
Hmm, like when I failed an exam, didn't get a job, or even after a breakup.
I remember saying it in my bathroom, crying after my ex and I broke up.
It felt kind of silly, but it helped a lot.
I hear you. It can feel a little silly saying those things to yourself.
But hear me out, if it helps you feel even a little bit better when things are hard, then it's totally worth it.
You don't have to believe the words right away.
Just try saying them to yourself quietly when you're having a tough time.
It's when your heart feels heavy. you feel scared or you want to give up.
Maybe you've been wanting to quit learning English because, well, You kept making grammar mistakes or couldn't understand native speakers.
You might have felt like a loser. We've all been there.
And it hurts. It really does. But instead of being mean to yourself, you could say...
I'm learning, and it's okay to make mistakes.
Can you feel how much softer that sounds?
How much kinder? Of course, saying those things won't make you feel better right away, as affirmations aren't magic.
You can't expect saying these words to fix your inner talk right away.
I bet right now your mind is already whispering something like, see, this isn't going to work.
It is really tiring, isn't it? But I promise you, you can change that voice.
Changing the way you talk to yourself from mean words to kind ones isn't hard.
It takes a lot of practice, of course, but it's definitely possible.
And you can do it anywhere you feel safe, in your room, while walking, or before you sleep.
Now you might be thinking, okay, but why should I really try affirmations?
And that's a fair question, my friends. Yeah.
Always easier to do something when we understand why it is important.
To answer this, let's think about those moments when life feels extra heavy.
Maybe you have too much to do, too many worries, and you haven't been sleeping well. your mind starts feeling dark and tired.
And then you see other people who seem to have it all together.
How does that make you feel? Let's be honest, it hurts, right?
You start thinking, I'm so far behind, or I'll never be as good as them.
I remember feeling that way last year. I joined a dance class but everyone seemed better than me.
Oh dear, and what did you do? two weeks, I quit because my head kept telling me I was such a terrible dancer.
That's so hard, Leo. When our thoughts turn against us, it feels like the weight just keeps getting heavier.
Yeah, it's like carrying a heavy bag everywhere you go.
Every step gets harder. And if you're learning English, you might know this feeling too.
Maybe you've seen other people speak so easily and you feel slow or not good enough.
This is where affirmations can be a gentle hand to hold.
They give you a moment to stop, breathe and speak kindly to yourself.
And if it feels too hard to say something nice to yourself, Imagine you're speaking to your best friend.
You would never say to your friend, you're hopeless, right?
So why say it to yourself? So next time you wonder if affirmations work, think of them as that good friend in your head whispering, You're okay.
You're growing. I love that. Can you feel how soft and safe that sounds compared to...
You're terrible at this. Of course, it doesn't make every problem disappear. but it does make the pain lighter.
So true. It's like when you're crying and someone puts a warm hand on your shoulder.
It doesn't erase the sadness, but it helps you breathe.
That's what affirmations do. They quiet the mean voices in your head and remind you to be gentle with yourself.
And when your mind is kind, your words become brave.
That bravery makes you feel safe enough to try again.
Yeah, instead of fighting yourself all day, you have more energy for the things that you wanna do.
And the sweetest part is, when you practice being kind to yourself, it becomes easier to be kind to everyone else too.
Alright, now that we understand what an affirmation is and why we should do it, let's finally do it!
Yeah, let's practice some affirmations. And if you're worried it'll be a boring, repetitive task, don't worry because it's not.
Let's think of practicing affirmations as planting a garden in our heads.
Right. So, the affirmations are like the good seeds and our brain is the soil.
Just like a real garden, it takes time for those seeds to grow.
And our negative thoughts are the weeds.
Correct. While we can't get rid of them all at once, we can keep planting the good seeds.
And one day, those positive thoughts will eventually grow strong enough to push out all the weeds.
Isn't it beautiful? Let's do it! We're going to practice 10 beautiful affirmations together.
Just listen, repeat, and be gentle with yourself. you can also try to shadow what we say.
Remember, you don't have to feel these words perfectly right now.
Just let them sit softly in your heart. Our first affirmation is about being gentle with yourself when things aren't perfect.
Repeat after me. I am doing my best. It's okay if it's not perfect. beautiful.
One more time, I am doing my best. It's okay if it's not perfect.
If you made mistakes today, that's okay.
If you didn't finish everything you wanted to do, that's okay too.
You're human and you're doing your best.
Number two is about learning. Maybe you feel slow compared to others.
Maybe English feels so hard sometimes. but your speed doesn't matter.
You're still moving forward. Repeat after me.
I am learning at my own pace. Slow is still learning.
Awesome! Once more! I am learning at my own pace.
Slow is still learning. Every word you learn, every sentence you try, every mistake you make, it's all learning.
You don't have to rush. Number three is so important.
How do you talk to yourself in your head?
Are you mean? Do you say things you would never say to a friend?
Try this. I am kind to myself. No more mean words to you, okay?
You're doing great. Again, I am kind to myself.
No more mean words to you, okay? From now on, let's change that voice.
You deserve the same kindness you give to others.
Number four is for when you're scared to speak English.
Maybe you worry about your accent or you think people will judge you.
But you know what? Every time you say even one English word, you're being brave.
Repeat after me. I speak English with courage.
Even one sentence is brave. One more time, guys.
I speak English with courage. Even one sentence is brave.
Good job! Remember this, our dears. Even saying hello shows courage when it's not your first language.
Number five makes my heart feel warm. Sometimes you feel like you need to prove yourself Like you need to show everyone how good you are.
But today, right now, you don't have to prove anything.
Let's say this out loud. I am enough today.
You don't have to prove anything. Beautiful.
Let's say it once more. I am enough today.
You don't have to prove anything. You're enough just as you are, with all your questions and mistakes and trying.
We're halfway through and you're doing so well.
Can you feel how these words are different from what your mind usually says?
Keep going with us. These next five affirmations are going to wrap around your heart like a warm blanket.
Number six is for when you feel guilty about taking breaks.
Maybe you think resting is lazy, or you should always be working or studying.
But your body and mind need rest to grow.
So, remember to say this, I allow myself to rest.
Rest is not lazy. One more time, I allow myself to rest.
Rest is not lazy. keep in mind that your body and mind need rest to grow.
Number seven is about trusting your path.
Maybe you see other people learning faster, getting better jobs, or seeming happier.
And you wonder if you're doing something wrong.
Okay, repeat after me, I trust my journey.
No need to rush. Well done. Again, I trust my journey.
No need to rush. Your life is yours. Your timing is perfect for you.
You don't need to rush to catch up with anyone else.
Number eight is for your worried mind. When you feel scared about tomorrow, or stressed about things you can't control.
Say this softly, I choose calm over worry.
You are allowed to feel peace. Again, I choose calm over worry.
You are allowed to feel peace. Don't forget to say this to yourself when you feel overwhelmed by the unknown.
Number nine, celebrates the little things you do.
Maybe you think only big changes matter, but that's not true.
Every small step you take has power. Learning one new word, being kind to someone, or even just taking one deep breath.
These small things are part of your journey.
And that's why they are important. Let's say this out loud.
I love small steps. Small is still powerful.
Once more guys, I love small steps. Small is still powerful.
Remember guys, everything big starts from something small.
And our last one, number 10. This is for when today felt too hard. when you're not sure you can face tomorrow.
But look, you made it through today. You're here.
You're listening. You're trying to grow.
That shows how strong you are, even when you don't feel strong.
Repeat after me. I believe in tomorrow. You made it through today.
That's strong. One last time, I believe in tomorrow.
You made it through today that strong. You just spoke 10 beautiful sentences to yourself, 10 gentle gifts for your heart.
How does that feel? Different from how your mind usually talks to you, right?
These words are yours now. You can use them whenever you need them.
So now you have these 10 beautiful sentences. let's talk about how to use them in your daily life.
The answer is simple, whenever you need a gentle friend in your head.
The easiest time is in the morning, right when you wake up.
Before you check your phone, before you worry about the day, just whisper one affirmation to yourself.
Like... I am enough today. It's such a soft way to start, don't you think? instead of jumping into stress right away.
Or when you're walking to school or work, and your mind starts being mean.
That's the perfect time to quietly say, I am learning at my own pace.
No one has to hear you. You can say it in your head.
While you're sitting on the bus or waiting in line somewhere.
Oh, and here's something I love doing, writing them down.
Get a small notebook and write one affirmation that you need that day.
Yes, and you don't need fancy paper or perfect handwriting.
Just simple words on any piece of paper.
Put it where you'll see it. Some people record their own voice saying the affirmations then listen back when they're feeling sad.
Hearing your own kind voice can be so healing.
What about when you're studying English and getting frustrated? perfect time.
Instead of thinking, I'm so stupid, stop and say, I speak English with courage.
Even one sentence is brave. And when you can't sleep because you're worried about tomorrow, I choose calm over worry.
You are allowed to feel peace. Just breathe and repeat it slowly.
The most important thing to remember is you don't need to change everything at once. just one soft sentence a day.
Maybe today you only remember to say one affirmation.
That's perfect. Tomorrow you might remember too.
That's also perfect. Think of it like learning to be your own best friend.
Best friends don't expect perfection. And if you forget for a few days, don't be angry with yourself.
I mean, would you get upset if your friend forgot to compliment you once in a while?
Nope. So don't do it to yourself. Start small, be patient, And trust that these kind words will slowly change how you feel about yourself.
Because we all deserve to have a kind voice in our head.
Look at you. You are here with us today.
You listened to 10 kind sentences and said them out loud.
You spoke English, you tried something new, and you said gentle things to yourself.
Do you know how amazing that is? Some people live for years without being kind to themselves.
But you just spent time learning how to love yourself better.
And if your mind is saying, this was silly, or I don't think this will work, that's okay.
That's just your old voice trying to stay in control.
But now you have a new voice. a softer one and every time you use these affirmations that gentle voice gets stronger.
You don't have to remember every affirmation or say them every day.
Just go at your own pace. When you remember, whisper one kind sentence.
When you forget, that's okay too. We're so pretty. proud of you for being here, for trying, for being open to treating yourself with kindness.
Keep going, our dear friends. Slowly, kindly, and always with love for yourself.
Thanks for hanging out with us today at Podcast and Chill.
I'm Gwen. And I'm Leo. Until we talk again, be gentle with your heart.
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