Creating an Affirmation Jar | 101 Positive Thoughts, Mantras, and Affirmations to Start Your Day

The world is in chaos.I guess it always has been in one way or another, but it sure feels like "the sky is falling" from where I'm sitting.Today as I'm writing this from a local coffee shop and feeling oh so thankful to be able to go inside the building, order a drink, and sit at a table while I work, I can't help but feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. There is rioting, looting, gang violence, sex-trafficking, and just outright ugliness everywhere I turn. It's disheartening to say the least.So here I sit. Feeling this weight. Absorbing the negative energy I feel all around me. And so thankful at the same time. I am lucky enough to work for myself and still have the ability to work. No one in my family, nor I have gotten sick. We are healthy, happy, and moving forward.But some days are harder than others. Some days I let the harshness around me influence my mental health. And some days, it's just too much to handle. On these such days, I look for the good. I look for the people helping one another and being kind to one another. I seek out the positive. And that starts form within.

I've recently started an affirmation jar. This little jar is full of positive messages, helpful mantras, motivational bible verses, and daily reminders of the positive impact I can have on the world if I just focus on what I can do instead of what I can't do.So if you're like me and need some daily reminders of the good stuff we have in life and positive messages we should have flooding our neuro-pathways, here's a list of 101 affirmations. I've written each of these on a little piece of paper and put them in a jar. Every morning. I pull out the positive message for the day. It's a great way to keep me grounded and not let the negativity take over. I hope it helps you as well!

1. 1. 1. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
      2. I’m courageous and stand up for myself.
      3. I will succeed today.
      4. I deserve to have joy in my life.
      5. I’m worthy of love.
      6. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
      7. I approve of myself and love myself deeply.
      8. My body is healthy, and I’m grateful.
      9. I’m more at ease every day.
      10. I’m calm, happy, and content.
      11. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23
      12. My life is a gift and I appreciate everything I have.
      13. I’ll surround myself with positive people who will help bring out the best in me.
      14. I don’t need someone else to feel happiness.
      15. I’m allowed to take the time to heal.
      16. My imperfections make me unique.
      17. I’m allowed to make mistakes; they don’t make up my whole story.
      18. I choose not to criticize myself or others around me.
      19. My potential to succeed is limitless.
      20. Money comes to me easily and effortlessly.
      21. Difficult times are part of my journey and allow me to appreciate the good.
      22. I forgive those who have hurt me.
      23. I’m in charge of my life and no one will dictate my path besides me.
      24. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
      25. I constantly attract opportunities that create more money.
      26. I’m doing my best and that is enough.
      27. I have the power to create change.
      28. I know exactly what to do to achieve success.
      29. I choose to be proud of myself and the things I choose to do.
      30. I will not compare myself to strangers on the Internet.
      31. I am enough.
      32. I let go of all that no longer serves me.
      33. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, or the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." -Deuteronomy 31:6
      34. I love myself fully, including the way I look.
      35. My life becomes richer as I get older.
      36. I can absolutely do anything I put my mind to.
      37. I’m worthy of respect and acceptance.
      38. My contributions to the world are valuable.
      39. I am worthy of making more money.
      40. My needs and wants are important.
      41. I make a significant difference to the lives of people around me.
      42. I am blessed with an amazing family and friends.
      43. I attract money easily into my life.
      44. My life is full of amazing opportunities that are ready for me to step into.
      45. I’m free to create the life I desire.
      46. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39
      47. I’m open to new adventures in my life.
      48. I’m bold, beautiful, and brilliant.
      49. My body shape is perfect in the way it’s intended to be.
      50. When I allow my light to shine, I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
      51. "Our faith can move mountains." -Matthew 17:20
      52. I am open and receptive to all the wealth life offers me.
      53. I will not judge others.
      54. My actions create constant prosperity.
      55. I will embrace today and take a chance doing something that scares me.
      56. Money and spirituality can co-exist in harmony.
      57. I am full of positive loving energy.
      58. I welcome love and romance into my life.
      59. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalm 27:12
      60. I am in a loving and supportive relationship.
      61. No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of worrying can change the future.
      62. To make small steps toward big goals is progress.
      63. Negative thoughts only have the power I allow them.
      64. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:3-6
      65. I can choose to make my curses my blessings.
      66. I deserve love and I get it in abundance.
      67. I am loved, loving and lovable.
      68. I will accept that sometimes things must end.
      69. I am blessed with an incredible family and wonderful friends.
      70. I give out love and it is returned to me multiplied manyfold.
      71. I forgive myself and set myself free.
      72. "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" -Romans 8:31
      73. I believe I can be all that I want to be.
      74. I am in the process of becoming the best version of myself.
      75. I have the freedom & power to create the life I desire.
      76. I will not compare myself to others.
      77. I choose to be kind to myself and love myself unconditionally.
      78. I am thankful I woke up this morning.
      79. My possibilities are endless.
      80. I will not do things for others that makes me unhappy.
      81. I am worthy of my dreams.
      82. I deserve to be healthy and feel good.
      83. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:13
      84. I am full of energy and vitality and my mind is calm and peaceful.
      85. Every day I am getting healthier and stronger.
      86. I honor my body by trusting the signals that it sends me.
      87. I manifest perfect health by making smart choices.
      88. I am grateful to be alive. It is my joy and pleasure to live another wonderful day.
      89. Happiness is my birthright. I choose to be happy and I deserve to be happy.
      90. Being happy comes easy to me. Happiness is my second nature.
      91. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13
      92. Good things are happening.
      93. I will not listen to the "haters".
      94. I am deeply fulfilled by what I do.
      95. I’m allowed to take up space.
      96. "Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.'" -Mark 10:27
      97. My past is not a reflection of my future.
      98. I am smart enough to make my own decisions.
      99. I’m in control of how I react to others.
      100. I choose peace.
      101. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

   If you'd like to see more uplifting and positive things to incorporate into your life, follow me on Facebook!

Forget Brunch with the Girls, Try Coffee and Cupcakes for Valentine's Day Instead!

I'm just going to say it. Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday. I've never really cared to give my classmates fold-over valentine's that have cutesie messages in them and are sealed with a heart sticker. My husband and I hardly ever celebrate it. For us, it's just another day because we do little things to show one another that we love each other every single day. That being said, I've shown in the past my Valentine's Date Night Checklist, How to Create the Ultimate Valentine's Day Breakfast in Bed, and even given 10 Ideas on What to Get Hubby for Valentine's Day.But when it comes to "Galentine's Day", that's a whole other thing entirely. There's just something about being around your girlfriends and crafting, eating, and chatting that is just so fun! Maybe it's because we all get a kick out of the hearts and pink and red decor, but it's always a good time - no matter what we do.This year, we decided to make things easy on ourselves by skipping the brunch and having a "Coffee and Cupcakes" girl's morning instead. We had so much fun and I'm going to show you everything you need to pull of this easy-peasy event!

Decor

I am a firm believer in using a lot of items from your home that you have already and then just adding a few pieces that will make the theme or holiday pop. For this Valentine's Day setup, I chose to go with a Modern Farmhouse Valentine's Day celebration that was just the right amount of pink, red, hearts, and love to set the tone. A lot of the items I got from Jane.com, but since that site is seasonal, I thought I'd show you other options to get similar items if you liked them and wanted them fro yourself.

Mirror

Full disclosure...I grabbed this white farmhouse mirror right off of my mantel. I like it on the table because it added some height to the overall look and it draws your eye up. If you're looking for one like it, I found one like it here.

Buffalo Plaid Table Runner

This black and white checkered table runner is so versatile! I keep it on my table year round and change out the decor around it. Super simple!

Felt Leaves Garland

You know I had to add a little green into the mix, so this fake leaf garland was perfect! I found a similar one here that would look great as well!

Farmhouse Pitcher

I found this adorable green farmhouse pitcher at Dirt Cheap and I put some fake (but good fake) flowers in it. I found a similar looking white farmhouse pitcher here.

Vintage Metal Mug Holder

This mug holder might be my favorite find on the table. It's such a great use of space and easy for people of all ages to grab a cup to use for their coffee or hot chocolate. It looks perfect in a coffee bar in your kitchen.

Hand Towel & Towel Ladder

I am so in love with this little kitchen towel ladder! And then I found the most perfect little Valentine's Day kitchen towel and of course I had to incorporate it in to the look as well.

Wood Chalkboard Coffee Sign

Perfect Peace Designs made this for me and I just love it! It ties the whole table together and I'm so impressed by her creativity!

Pom Pom & Tassel Wall Hanging

My friend Lauren at Cotton & Sawdust is so talented! She makes the coolest stuff and how gorgeous is this wall hanging made out of pom poms and tassels? She also makes some beautiful macrame pieces as well!

Food & Fun

First of all, music is a must! Anything from "Girl's Just Want to Have Fun" to Spice Girls is perfect!

Mugs

After we had the right tunes playing, we got our coffee on! I found the most adorable Valentine's Day mugs, so everyone had a different one!

Cupcakes

First of all, these cupcakes look WAY fancier than they are. Here's my little secret...these are made from a regular old box mix. The only difference is that I got these tulips parchment paper liners and filled the cupcake liners with double the batter (so instead of the box mix making 24 cupcakes, it only makes 12 over-sized cupcakes instead). The best thing about these is that they're made out of parchment paper, so your cupcake goodness won't all come off on the wrapper. You can get red paper, pink paper, or this craft paper 3 color set that I used. They also have other colors here for any occasion (or just because) you like!

Up to 65% off New Deals added every day at Jane.com! Shop today!

Decorating the Cupcakes

Could have I just iced them myself? Yes. But it's way more fun to do it with your friends...because it always turns into a competition of who's looks best. Here's a tip for how to make it as mess-free and easy to ice as possible. I use store-bought icing and put it into tipless piping bags. I just apply light pressure, swirl the icing around the top, and voila! A pretty little cupcake! Just don't forget the oversized heart sprinkle.If you'd like to see more tips like this, follow me on Facebook!