AFFIRMATION PLAYING CARDS
WHAT ARE THEY?
These affirmation playing cards were designed to deliver powerful life changing messages to your mind, while giving you the option of being able to play cards alone, or with family and friends.
They make the perfect gift for your loved ones to pass on a kind, thoughtful and caring gift.
Here are some ideas on how to use them:
1. Choose a card each day, read it 5 times either out loud or in your head.
Really try and believe in what you are saying.
Practice this as often as you can.
2. Pick a card at random – maybe the universe is trying to tell you something?
3. Use our 52 Wellbeing activities idea to match your chosen card with a wellbeing activity. Click here
4. Play Solitaire and read through the affirmations as you play
5. Play cards with family and friends - instill words of power into your children too!
WHAT ARE AFFIRMATIONS?
Affirmations are a self-help strategy used to promote self-confidence and belief in your own abilities.
You’ve probably affirmed yourself without even realizing it by telling yourself things like:
“All I can do is my best.”
“I’ve got what it takes.”
“I believe in my ability to succeed.”
These simple statements help shift your focus away from perceived failures or inadequacies and direct your focus toward your strengths — those you already have and those you want to develop.
Evidence suggests that affirmations can help you to perform better at work. According to researchers, spending just a few minutes thinking about your best qualities before a high-pressure meeting – a performance review, for example – can calm your nerves, increase your confidence, and improve your chances of a successful outcome.
Self-affirmation may also help to mitigate the effects of stress. In one study, a short affirmation exercise boosted the problem-solving abilities of "chronically stressed" subjects to the same level as those with low stress.
Sources: Mindtools.com, Healthline.com:
MENTAL WELLBEING IDEAS
Choose any affirmation card and look up the activity which corresponds with it in the table below
Activities | Card |
|---|---|
Write a letter to a friend, telling them about things that have been going well for you recently. Could you include some photos or draw a picture for them? | Ace of Clubs |
Think of a gift that you could give to somebody. Can you draw or make something that will make them smile? | Ace of Hearts |
Get some slips of paper and write something nice about a friend and then give it to them. Could you make similar ‘compliment slips’ for everyone in your family or your class? | Ace of Diamonds |
Make a friendship bracelet using some string, wool, beads and other small items. | 2 of Spades |
Make a certificate for a friend to celebrate one of their special qualities or an achievement. | 2 of Clubs |
Complete a ‘random act of kindness’ by doing something nice for a friend or a stranger anonymously (if possible). | 2 of Hearts |
Write a thank you letter to somebody to show your appreciation for a gift or something that the recipient has done for you. | 2 of Diamonds |
Drink some water. Keep a record of how much water you are drinking each day. | 3 of Spades |
Keep a sleep diary over the course of a week to check if you have been getting enough sleep each day. | 3 of Clubs |
Think about times when you have been brave. How did you overcome your fears? | 3 of Hearts |
Write a letter to yourself in a week, month or year. What goals do you hope to achieve by the time you read your letter again? | 3 of Diamonds |
Think about something that might be worrying you at the moment. Make a comic strip in which you overcome those worries. How did you do it? | 4 of Spades |
Keep a record of your wellbeing each day. Make a note of how you are feeling, things you might be thinking about and things you are looking forward to. | 4 of Clubs |
Give a person (or a tree) a hug! How does it make you feel? | 4 of Hearts |
Ask somebody for help with something that has been troubling you recently. | 4 of Diamonds |
Make a ‘Fab File’ to collect work and pictures that you are proud of, certificates that celebrate your achievements and cards from people that you care about. You could then look at it whenever you might be feeling low. | 5 of Spades |
Make a list of all of the things that you have achieved in the past week / month / year. Think of a way to celebrate your amazing progress! | 5 of Clubs |
Make a list of all of the things that you are grateful for. Could you show these on the petals of a flower drawing or the coloured stripes of a rainbow painting? | 5 of Hearts |
Make a timeline to show the main events in your life and to highlight when you achieved new things for the first time | 5 of Diamonds |
Keep a food diary to review the food and drink that you consume each day. Which parts of your diet are the most healthy? | 6 of Spades |
Think about your favourite meal. Is it linked to a special celebration (e.g. a birthday or a religious event)? | 6 of Clubs |
Learn how to bake or cook something. Could you make a healthy treat or a new meal? | 6 of Hearts |
Try star gazing. Look outside at night and search for the stars. Can you make any pictures or patterns with them? | 6 of Diamonds |
Make a dream catcher and add small pictures or slips of paper that show your hopes for the future. | 7 of Spades |
Find out about a charity that is important to you and think of ways that you could help. | 7 of Clubs |
Listen to some relaxing sounds (e.g. rainfall, beach sounds, rainforest soundtracks). How do they make you feel? This Youtube channel has lots of examples. | 7 of Hearts |
Play a game with a friend or family member. This might be a favourite card / board game or a new game that you have never played before. Could you make up your own game too? | 7 of Diamonds |
Try some exercise. You could go for a walk, follow a workout or yoga video (e.g. Cosmic Kids) or play an active game with your friends. | 8 of Spades |
Get outside. Go for a walk and try to look for different plants and animals. Could you make a note of which ones you see or draw a picture of some of them? | 8 of Clubs |
Grow some seeds and monitor their progress each day. Could you work with others to create a small garden? | 8 of Hearts |
Lay on the ground and look at the clouds. Do you know the names of any of the clouds? Do they look like any pictures or patterns? Could you draw a picture of some of them? | 8 of Diamonds |
Try to solve some puzzles with a friend. These could be jigsaws, number puzzles or crosswords. | 9 of Spades |
Go on a ‘senses walk’. Head to a familiar place (or somewhere completely new) and think of all of the things that you can see, hear, smell and feel. | 9 of Clubs |
Take some photos of people and things that are important to you. Could you display these in different ways? | 9 of Hearts |
Try using your non-dominant hand to do some everyday tasks, e.g. brushing your teeth, drawing or writing. How does this feel? | 9 of Diamonds |
Find some old toys or other items that could be donated to a charity. How could your donation help others? | 10 of Spades |
Visit a library or a bookshop and find some new books to enjoy. | 10 of Clubs |
Plan a routine that might help you to relax before bedtime. How does this compare with others’ routines? | 10 of Hearts |
Sit somewhere and breathe slowly, counting each breath in and out. | 10 of Diamonds |
Dance! Put on your favourite song and dance along. You might be able to follow a dance-along version of the video on Youtube too. | Jack of Spades |
Talk about the benefits of being active with your friends. Could you plan a sporting event for everyone to get involved in? | Jack of Clubs |
Have a talent show to share skills and talents that you and your friends have. | Jack of Hearts |
Sing the lyrics to your favourite pop song or simply sing your favourite nursery rhyme to yourself. | Jack of Diamonds |
Find some inspirational quotes online and choose one that you like. Could you turn it into a poster? | Queen of Spades |
Try giving a compliment to somebody every day. How does it make them feel? How does it make you feel? | Queen of Clubs |
Put on some calming music and colour in some colouring pages. There are lots of free printables online | Queen of Hearts |
Write a story. Use ideas from your favourite stories or the things that are around you right now. You could also try to illustrate it. | Queen of Diamonds |
Laugh! Share some favourite jokes with friends or watch a funny cartoon or video. | King of Spades |
Think of something that you could do to help a neighbour. Could you surprise them with a kind action? | King of Clubs |
Learn a new skill. Follow some instructions from a book, a parent / teacher or an online video to learn how to do something new! Could you then teach that skill to somebody else? | King of Hearts |
Walk around barefoot in a safe place (check it carefully first!). How does it feel? | King of Diamonds |
Make a time capsule that includes information about your life today. Which people are most important to you? What are you most grateful for? What are your favourite things? What goals do you have for the future? | Joker |