An interview with Leasa Wright
Leasa Wright is a prenatal yoga instructor and a certified sound therapy practitioner. She joined Ovia’s Stressless Fest in 2021 to lead the Ovia community through a series of affirmations. We brought her back today to talk a bit more about affirmations and to explain the impact that an affirmation practice can have, particularly for those who are TTC.
Leasa began an affirmation practice – alongside her regular breath work and yoga – after suffering from a traumatic brain injury and experiencing loss. An affirmation practice can be helpful for anyone who is going through a challenging time or looking to combat the negative self-talk that can creep up on all of us.
By taking yourself through a series of affirmations (and accepting that you may or may not believe as you say them aloud), you can slowly alter your perspective, melt stress away, and change the conversations you’re having with yourself. “This area of our lives is so untapped,” says Leasa.
Of course, changing your perspective won’t happen overnight and a habit takes time to form, but as Leasa reminds us, this is a gentle place to start.
How would you describe an affirmation? Can you give us some examples?
Affirmations are positive statements which you consciously choose to replace negative inner scripts with something more useful, creative, and open. An affirmation is a positive statement that can help you challenge and overcome negative thoughts.
Your affirmation will be personal to you, and specific to what you want to achieve or change. Here are some examples:
- I believe that life is working out for me. I am open to good things happening to me.
- My happy thoughts help create my healthy body
- I am taking care of my body and mind in order to welcome a baby.
- My body is designed to conceive.
- Patience and care help my body prepare for pregnancy.
- I am open to the greatness and power that comes from being true to myself. I welcome miracles into my life now. I welcome goodness, I welcome in love.
- My natural state is one of ease, grace, love, radiance and prosperity.
- Life is working out perfectly for me. Everything around me is happening for me. Good things are always happening to me.
- I follow my dreams because I know I am meant to. I know I am worthy of my dreams. My dreams are coming true.
What are the benefits of speaking positive affirmations out loud?
The power of affirmations lies in repeating them out loud, to yourself regularly. It’s useful to recite your affirmations several times a day (maybe schedule them to pop up in your notifications or write them on notes around the house). You also need to repeat your affirmations as soon as you engage in the negative thought or behavior that you want to overcome. The combination of speaking and hearing at the same time helps to solidify the impact of the affirmation.
Especially throughout your fertility journey, it’s so important to be gentle with yourself. These affirmations are one way to practice self love.
Why is the repetition of an affirmation so powerful?
Many of us do repetitive exercises to improve our physical health, and affirmations are like exercises for our mind and our outlook on life. These positive mental repetitions can reprogram our thinking patterns so that, over time, we begin to think – and act – differently.
Affirmations can be repeated 3-5 times daily to reinforce the positive belief. Writing your affirmations down in a journal and practicing them in the mirror is a good method for making them more powerful and effective
Who might benefit from practicing positive affirmations?
Affirmations can lower anxiety and make it easier to sleep and eat. They can help to lower stress hormones in the body. All of this is important for conception. Using positive affirmations can also help alleviate fears and prepare the mind for pregnancy.
Where should people start?
Start by creating new positive statements for yourself.
- First analyze the thoughts or behaviors that you’d like to change in your own life, then write down 3 affirmations for yourself.
- Next, write down the time of day that you will commit to practicing your affirmations.
- Repeat your affirmations at least three times daily — first thing in the morning, midday, and just before you go to sleep. Regular repetition will gently return your focus to manifesting the life you want.
How can people expect to feel after trying this practice?
Affirmations help to engrave feelings of calm and hope as part of a self-care routine. They are powerful tools to influence changes in your moods, feelings, thoughts, and habits, but they require practice to be effective.
If integrating affirmations into your day doesn’t feel like the right fit for you. Even just paying attention to the ways in which you speak to yourself, and practicing positive self-talk can make a world of difference in how you see yourself and how you envision your future.
