I don’t claim to be an expert on affirmations. However, I have used them over the years and, I swear, that’s how I acquired my 2005 VW Beetle in 2005.

During my commute between Daytona Beach and the main UCF campus in Orlando I used to say this:

I own a brand new completely paid for Lagoon Blue VW TDI Beetle.

After about six months of saying that the money practically fell into my lap. I bought myself, with one check, a Lagoon Blue (at the time VW-speak for metallic royal blue) VW TDI (turbo diesel, again, VW-speak) Beetle. It turned out to be the most dependable car I ever owned.

Affirmations also helped me get the Orlando apartment I wanted and some other things. I also swear by this general affirmation that helps me stay positive:

I am lucky.

I’m pretty sure it has helped me stay lucky and kept a lot of things from getting worse.

I really do believe that attitude is everything. No matter how, “New Age,” you are, there is empirical evidence that supports the notion that staying positive helps you navigate life better.

Any of you who have been reading my blogs over the past year know that life for me was supposed to drastically improve after I had my total knee replacement in December of 2019. I had an amazing surgeon who did the surgery in a great hospital where I got treated like a queen, except for that second physical therapist who didn’t like, “Seinfeld,” and who tortured me by making me walk up and down the hallway on the day of my surgery. I know he was just doing his job but, honestly, I was high on three medications that made me drowsy and I just wanted to hang over the walker and drool on the shiny 7th floor vinyl linoleum. Thats how it is when you get a major joint replaced. You have to use it or it won’t work right. Still, it felt like some kind of cruel orthopedic conspiracy.

Then the Coronavirus hit us and life sucked for a globe full of people. It’s been really hard on bi-polar people, such as myself. I am lucky to be medicated. I truly am.

I thought, yay, I will get to work out again and get my body back in shape. Nope. Coronavirus got a name associated with its ugly germmy self: COVID-19 and here we all are a year later still wearing masks (unless you are unfortunately living in Texas) and social distancing and praying we stay COVID-free.

This has really done a number on my confidence and normally upbeat attitude.

Currently, I’m facing some scary medical possibilities. I could have uterine cancer and I haven’t even gotten to the vaginal biopsy and the colonoscopy yet. I’ve needed that since last August. Something is going on there, according to Cologuard. But the CT scan I had in the ER last month revealed that there are no masses in my colon. The scan, however, does not detect polyps.

There are so many other crappy details in my life right now that it is really super hard to not fall into the abyss. Writing is my only direct form of joy, other than the close, beautiful friends I have. All my dearest friends live at least a county or several away from my home. Writing is what is keeping me alive.

I love learning and doing research.

Life has been so far removed from the path I belong on-that included finishing my, “accidental,” second BA and entering the MA in anthropology program at UCF. School brings me joy, too. I’m good at it. My GPA is 3.84.

It’s been awhile since I did affirmations. It’s as if I forgot they even existed. I have noticed that dwelling on negativity seems to draw more negativity. It’s time to dig out some of my old affirmations and practice saying them again.

I want to share with you some of the things I learned about using them. First, they need to be spoken or thought in a concentrated manner and repeated at least twenty times. Also, phrase them in a positive way. If you want to gain income because you are always broke avoid saying what you don’t want. Say what you want. Instead of saying, “I don’t want to be broke,” say something like, “I have all the money I want.” Also state what you want rather than what you need.

Here are a few I say:

I am completely healthy.☀️☀️☀️☀️

I have a brand new metallic blue VW TIGUAN.🚙🚙🚙🚙

I live in a clean, safe, pest-free, roommate-free beautiful home near UCF.🏡🏡🏡🏡

Please note past and present roommates, it’s not personal, I just love the solitude that comes with living alone. If I should be so lucky, I would share space with a significant other and pets. Maybe, kids, if the SO has them.

I have all the money I want to pay all my bills on time or early.💵💵💵💵

I am rich enough to practice random acts of financial kindness whenever I want.💰💰💰💰

I am at peace.🌈🌈🌈🌈

I am lucky. 🍀🍀🍀🍀