#affirmations

#affirmations

Whenever we talk about practicing yoga for the heart chakra, our focus is releasing tension around the heart, including the chest as well as the upper back and shoulders. More than that, the anahata, or heart chakra, has to do with our ability to give and receive love as well as our ability to feel compassion and empathy toward ourselves and others in the world.

Let's be honest: people place a little too much pressure on mornings. You've heard the advice. "Develop a morning routine!" "Set intentions!" "The quality of your entire day hinges upon what you do immediately after waking up!" It's not that this is bad advice. It's just a little perfectionist-y. And chances are, your real life mornings don't feel as picturesque as Cinderella waking up and having a family of bluebirds bathe and dress her.

In today's world, there are a lot of people who like to intensely criticize others while rarely taking responsibility for their own behavior. They often have traits of Cluster B ( narcissistic, antisocial, borderline, and histrionic) personality disorders, which tend to be "dramatic, emotional, or erratic" 1 and have strong associations with "domineeringness, vindictiveness, and intrusiveness." 2 If you have to deal with such a person, either occasionally or every day, there is a simple way to minimize the impact of their negative words on you.

Do you ever repeat affirmations to yourself, maybe while looking in the mirror or driving in your car? It feels weirdly powerful, especially when you say them out loud. And the ThinkUp app wants you to harness that power. Instead of listening to pre-recorded mantras from a stranger, you get to record your own very specific affirmations and play them whenever you like. The goal? To boost your mood, feel more self-assured, and maybe even manifest a few dreams.

Research shows that daily habits like talking with friends, spending time in nature, and enjoying cognitively engaging activities lead to better mental health (Everyday Actions and Behaviors Linked to Better Mental Well-Being: Study, 2025). Choosing your thoughts intentionally by practicing daily affirmations has been shown to improve self-esteem, promoting overall psychological well-being and improving behavioral performance (Sachdeva et al., 2024; Cascio et al., 2015).

Manifesting is the idea that you can make a goal reality by thinking about it often and sending positive energy out into the universe. It's said that the clearer you picture your ideal future, the more likely it is to come true, and it's why many people add manifesting to their daily routine. It often means vision boarding, reciting morning mantras, or journaling affirmations like "I am successful" or "I am in a happy relationship."

You are worthy. You don't have to prove your worth, and you are important. These ideas are what every child should hear and every grown-up should know.