

How you start your day can very well determine how it will go and even how it will end. Kicking off your morning with self-affirmations can be a major game-changer for your entire day. It can up that confidence and help you accomplish so much more because you'll feel the strength to do it. I know I've had so many mornings when I just wake up in a funk, and that messes up my attitude for an entire day.
Adding these self-affirmations to my morning regimen, and then even repeating them throughout the day (because it's very clear that things and people can test us), has seriously helped me learn that I can control how my day goes and how I feel throughout it. Check out some of my favorites below.
"I'm More Than Enough"
As women, it's so easy to think we're not doing enough. We're constantly facing this battle and balance between self-care and providing for everyone else around us, and that's before rejection is thrown into the mix.
Having an off day can definitely make any woman come down way too hard on herself and make her feel like she's slipping. Having this daily reminder that you're not just enough but that you're more than enough can serve as a constant notice that you're doing an amazing job.
"I Don't Sweat The Small Stuff And Choose To Be Peaceful"
One night this week my husband and I had the smallest disagreement you can think of. I woke up the next morning and thought, "Am I still supposed to be mad at him?" I couldn't even remember what happened. I told him, and we laughed it off, but we haven't always been able to do that.
When it comes to marriage, work, or anything that can have unexpected challenges, it's so easy to sweat the small stuff and make it a much bigger deal than what it is. Going beyond just making the decision to not overexaggerate little things, and literally confessing that you won't do it, can help you laugh off the small conflicts that could have otherwise brought down your entire day and spirit.
"I Can Succeed In Anything I Put My Mind To"
Before you take on the day, say and believe that anything you go after will be successful. It doesn't have to be like every other seemingly ordinary day.
While this affirmation is pretty self-explanatory, it also calls for action, because you can't be successful at something if you don't know what success looks like for you. Think about writing down everything you want to accomplish. Later, you'll be able to look back at the day and see it as a great one. Then, go after every aspiration that you wrote down with the belief that you can do it.
If it doesn't turn out the way you plan, at least you'll be one step closer and can try again tomorrow.
"I Love Myself Just The Way I Am"
The morning seems to be the time where self-doubt and insecurities reign supreme. While we should be bright-eyed and twerking in front of the mirror from excitement about what the day will bring, it's easy to find ourselves picking apart every little detail of our inner and outer features.
At some point, we just have to tell ourselves that we're perfect the way we are. Saying this affirmation will help you start the day with confidence instead of anxiety and self-doubt. Feel free to repeat it when you're tempted to look into the mirror in your car and examine every part of you. Whatever flaws you have, doesn't mean that you're not worthy of self-love.
"I Don't Let Fear Stop Me From Trying New Things"
While it's easy to hate fear, it's even easier to let it rule over us. With it, we tend to stay in the box that we've always rocked. Without it, there's no limit to how far we can go.
I've always heard the statement fear stands for is False Evidence Appearing Real. So what are we afraid of? Confessing this affirmation about fear at the beginning of the day can help you tap into your bravery for something small like trying new food that you would never eat, to something major like starting a business.
"I Choose To Be Happy & Content Where I Am, On The Way To Where I'm Going"
This affirmation is an amazing one because it not only makes it clear that you'll be happy no matter what situation you're in but also says you don't plan on staying there.
It presents this perfect balance between being content and striving for more. It's a reminder to you that your life is an amazing one, but that there's so much more out there for you to experience. Saying this can not only make you feel better but inspire and push you to go after better.
"I'm Healthy And Make The Best Decisions For My Body"
If you're on this lifelong journey of living healthily, this affirmation will help you start your day off the way you've hoped. I know for me, there are days when I'll say I'm eating healthy and then eat five pieces of chocolate before I even realize what happened.
You might feel weird at first but making this confession in the morning and repeating it when those tempting moments come (because they definitely will) can get you closer to your goal than you might think. Soon you'll start feeling yourself like, "aayyyee I got this."
"I Choose To Get Rid Of Old Negative Habits And Embrace New Positive Ones"
What's one habit that you've been trying your hardest to break but can't? Write it down and remind yourself every morning that you're going to stop doing it. It's easy to fall into a habit for long periods of time without even recognizing that we're doing it. Before we know it, we've started doing something we feel like we can't stop.
Making this declaration daily is a reminder but can also let you know you're strong enough to overcome whatever you feel is holding you back.
"I Know My Own Self-Worth And My Confidence Is Amazing"
I think we can all benefit from saying this when we're scrolling on social media, or when we're at work and someone is coming for our patience.
Either way, letting yourself know that you're worth whatever you want and more helps boost that confidence and makes it clear to you more than anyone else that you're valued. Pairing this affirmation with other ones listed previously like, "I am enough" and "I love myself the way I am," can seriously bring your self-love to a new level and make your days so much better.
"The Best Is Yet To Come And Today Will Be The Best Day I've Ever Had"
No matter how great or bad your life is going, your best days can still be ahead. I was at an event recently and it seemed like the DJ refused to play songs outside of the 2003-2008 era, but I was completely fine with it because it reminded me of the amazing times I had in high school and college.
Sometimes it's so easy to glorify our past that we don't realize the life-changing moments we're in now and have ahead of us. Proclaiming this statement lets you know that while you've had some amazing times, the best is yet to come sis.
Related Stories:
Positive Affirmations Helped Ciara Manifest The Man Of Her Dreams – Read More
4 Affirmations To Help You Through A Breakup – Read More
The Power Of Positive Speaking Can Change Your Life – Read More
How To Change Negative Energy Into Positive Vibes – Read More
Featured image by Shutterstock
- 'You Are Worthy': 5 Empowering Mantras That Will Help Shift Your ... ›
- 14 Positive Affirmations When You Feel Like Giving Up - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- How To Get Your Confidence Back When It's Slippin' - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Healthy Practices For Days You Feel Low Anxious Depressed - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
- Positive Affirmations For Anxiety To Repeat Daily - xoNecole ›
- 10 Affirmations to Tell Yourself Every Morning to Attract What You ... ›
- 17 of the BEST Affirmations for Your Morning. Kick Start your day ... ›
- 50 Morning Affirmations For Success And Confidence ›
- POWERFUL POSITIVE Morning Affirmations for POSITIVE DAY ... ›
- 50 Mantras To Start Your Day On The Right Foot | HuffPost ›
- Morning Affirmations: Train Your Brain A Fantastic Day Everyday ... ›
- 8 Affirmations to Say Every Morning before Getting Up | influential ... ›
- Daily Positive Morning Affirmations for Personal Transformation ... ›
- How To Start Your Morning Routine With Love ›
- 8 Morning Affirmations You Should Say Before Getting Up | Prolific ... ›
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
You Don’t Have To Choose: How Black Women Can Care For Others Without Self-Sacrifice
One of the primary instructions we receive before a flight takes off is to prioritize putting on your life vest first if there’s an emergency, even before assisting others. It’s funny how this rule rarely translates to the daily routine of women.
As women we are taught, directly and indirectly, to put others first. Whether it’s our romantic partners, kids, parents, friends, or even our jobs. Mental health survivor and founder of Sista Afya Community Care, Camesha Jones-Brandon is challenging that narrative by using her platform to advocate for Black women and their right to self-care.
Camesha created the organization after her struggles with mental health and the lack of community she experienced. The Chicago native explains how she created Sista Afya to be rooted in “culturally grounded care.”
pixelheadphoto digitalskillet/ Shutterstock
“So at my organization, Sista Afya Community Care, we focus on providing mental health care through a cultural and gender lens,” she tells xoNecole. “So when we think about the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, we think about the multiple identities that lead to certain experiences and outcomes as it relates to Black women.
“So in the context of culturally grounded care, being aware of the cultural history, the cultural values, and then also the current issues that impact mental health outcomes.”
Words like “strong” and “independent” have long been associated with Black women for some time and many of us have begun to embrace the soft life and are using rest as a form of resistance. However, some of us still struggle with putting ourselves first and overall shedding the tainted image of the “strong, Black woman” that had been forced on us.
Camesha shares that while there’s more and more communities being created around empowerment and shared interests like running, she still questions, “are Black women really comfortable with being vulnerable about sharing their experiences?”
Being vulnerable with ourselves and others play an important role in healing the instinctive nature of always being “on” for everyone. “I'm currently facilitating a group on high functioning depression, and yesterday, we talked about how when Black women may be struggling or have shared their concerns with other people. They may be minimized, or they're told to just be strong, or it's not so bad, or I went through something worse back in Jim Crow era, so you should be thankful,” she explains.
“So I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people. So that is probably a very common theme. I think we've made a lot of progress when we talk about the superwoman syndrome, the mammy stereotype, the working hard stereotype, the nurturing stereotype. I think we're beginning to unpack those things, but I still see that we have definitely a long way to go in that area.”
I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people.
Roman Samborskyi/ Shutterstock
While we’re unpacking those things, we know that we’re still women at the end of the day. So as we continue to serve in various roles like mothers, daughters, sisters, and caretakers, we have to make caring for ourselves a priority. Camesha reveals four ways we can still care for others without abandoning ourselves.
Trust
First things first, trust. Camesha explains, “Some of the burdens that Black women have can be linked to not feeling like you can trust people to carry the load with you.
“It's hard because people experience trauma or being let down or different experiences, but one of the things that I found personally is the more that I'm able to practice trust, the more I'm able to get my needs met. Then, to also show up as my best to care for other Black women.”
Know Your Limitations
Another thing Camesha highlighted is Black women knowing their limitations. “The other thing that I would like to bring up in terms of a way to care for yourself is to really know your limitations, or know how much you can give and what you need to receive,” she says.
“So often, what I see with Black women is giving, giving, giving, giving, giving to the point that you're not feeling well, and then not receiving what you need in return to be able to feel well and whole individually. So I really think it's important to know your limitations and know your capacity and to identify what it is that you need to be well.”
Don’t Take On A Lot Of Responsibilities
Next on the list is not taking on so many responsibilities, sharing herself as an example. “The other thing is taking on too much responsibility, especially in a time of vulnerability.
“One thing that I personally struggled with was being so passionate about community mental health for Black women, and saying yes to everything and taking on so much responsibility,” she reveals. “That affected me to do well in serving Black women and then also impacting my own well being.”
Practice Self-Care
Lastly, she notes the importance of practicing self-care. “The last thing is really practicing regular self care, regular community care, so that it's embedded into your daily life. So for me, having prepared meals, going to the gym, getting eight hours of sleep, spending time with friends and family, all of those things are part of my self care that keep me at my best,” she explains.
“Then community care, leaning into social networks or social groups, or spending time with other interests or hobbies. That's a part of my community care that keeps me going, so that I can take care of my needs, but also to be able to show up best in care for others.”
Find out more about Camesha and Sista Afya Community Care at communitycare.sistaafya.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by AS Photo Family/ Shutterstock