10 Positive Affirmations for Students

Take a moment and think about your natural self-talk habits. Do you find that you're boosting yourself up to tackle the day or tearing yourself down?

Self-talk is our inner voice, the way we think without speaking out loud. It is our day-to-day internal dialogue: Did I submit my lesson plans? Have I graded those essays? When should I assign the next project?

With a voice seemingly chatting all waking hours, it's natural that voice will harbor some negative thoughts at times. How can you help yourself, as well as encourage the younger generation, to keep self-talk positive and encouraging?

Self-Talk and Affirmations

As a parent or an educator, you may hear kids speaking negatively about themselves. See how these common negative phrases can be turned into  positive thoughts, giving kids more confidence and boosting their self-esteem.

Practice Makes Improvement

The adage "Practice makes perfect!" may seem encouraging, but this phrase can actually discourage students from taking chances toward achieving their goals. They may fear if they're not good enough, or perfect, at something that they have failed. Instead, reaffirm their thinking to "Practice makes improvement." With this mindset, students know that meeting a goal—academically or not—will include moments where they may struggle or need practice to overcome challenges.

As a mentor for children, you can flip the script on negative self-talk and promote motivation, optimism, and confidence in kids. You will be amazed what simple, positive expressions can do to boost a child's self-worth.

Nicole Thompson is a contributing writer and editor to the Lincoln Learning blog. She brings more than a decade of experience in education, curriculum, and communications to her blogs. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Master of Science in Instructional Leadership, with certifications in secondary English and Communications. Nicole is married with four children and has a spunky golden retriever named Cinder and a rescue dog named Annie Banannie.