Do Positive Affirmations Work To Get Better At Math?

Tears rolling down my cheeks, I put the pencil down, put my head on my hands, and tried hard not to sob. I felt like a total failure. 

Scratch that…

Failure is not a feeling. It’s a judgment. And yes, I was definitely judging myself.

When I was in grade school, my nickname was “La Biblia.” My school director said it was because “the Bible has all the answers.”

In high school, everyone called me “Cerebrito.” It means something like “little brainiac,” because am short and I got the highest grades and accolades in town. The kids called me that in honor of a geeky and nerdy character in a popular telenovela by the name of “Cristal.”

I excelled at almost every subject – including math!!! I wasn’t good at Physical Education, though. I personally didn’t see Sports as a learning experience.

My mindset back then was that I went to school to learn and to work, not to play, and now I wish I’d play a little more… At least I became a chess champion, right?

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I was so good at math that I tutored other students. In fact, tutoring and helping my peers with their homework was a great source of income for me, as a young entrepreneur.

I loved A’s and, I didn’t know it then, but “being smart” was the only part of my identity I actually liked. It gave me everything I always craved: attention, respect, acceptance, approval, and a sense of worth I couldn’t find.

And then I was done with high school. I was only 15 years old and I was ready to move to the city and take on the world.

I wanted to be a marketer, to innovate, create, and sell, and I decided along the way that I was done with math- forever.

Back to That Defining Math Moment…

As I sat in the small room crying, seeing my classmates get their work done well before the time ran out, shoulders back and smiles on their faces, while I was sitting in self-hatred. 

I had enrolled in college again as a mom and I never thought that I would ever have such a hard time with math. 

I took a deep breath. So I wasn’t born mathematically gifted? Fine!

But that was a lie.

The truth is that my brain changed after being in a coma.

I am not sure if it was trauma or transformation, because they are so interwoven. But I wasn’t a math genius anymore.

And in this moment… I realized I felt shame about that. Because my inner child was wondering:

“if I’m not a genius… then what am I?”

It’s the fear that now that this identity is taken away, I must be losing my worth.

Having a growth mindset means you believe that you can cultivate most skills through your efforts.

So I reminded my inner child that my worth is not attached to my intellectual skills or accomplishments.

And a part of me decided I was going to transform my negative self-talk.

As soon as I got home, I started writing Positive Math Affirmations to re-program myself for success. 

Positive Math Affirmations

I wrote over 100 positive affirmations, printed the sheet, and placed it inside a sheet protector in my 3-ring binder so I could remember to read them before I worked on any math problems.

I also use my Voice Memos app to record myself reading these affirmations with classical music on the background, and I would fall asleep to them every night.

In fact, I had them playing in the background as I slept, so my subconscious mind could hear my voice saying them. 

I did this with my Breakup Healing Verses, too.

Choose the Math Affirmations that Work for You

Math is easy for me!

Education is the gateway to my future! 

Math is a doorway to my dreams 

I achieve all my educational goals

Math prepares me for a bright future 

I am smart and today I will prove it!

Math is fun for me!

I value my education 

Math creates a more complete me 

This semester is MY semester!

I make math success a priority! 

I am succeeding at a whole new level!

I learn more math every day!

Education is the path to freedom

I ace all my classes

I can use models, numbers, and lines to represent my thinking

Today I pledge to learn

I am mathematically inclined 

Today I am claiming my dreams!

I enjoy solving math problems

Answering math problems feels natural to me

I eagerly absorb information 

I am persistent – I keep going until I solve a math problem

I am an honor student

Mathematics is part of who I am

A chance to learn is a chance to grow

I am a good math student!

I always do well on math tests.

I find math easy to understand.

I love growing!

I am good at math!

I find enlightenment all along my path

Math is important to me!

I learn from every experience

Math is creative!

I grow from every experience

I am confident in my math skills

I choose to consciously to invest in my future

Math is fun!

Whatever I need to learn always comes my way at just the right moment

I estimate before I solve problems to find a reasonable target

My mind is open mind  and it collects wisdom

Math is enjoyable!

I can remember and use math vocabulary 

I receive light when I need it

I am relaxed and calm while doing math!

I embrace true learning

I can understand math!

I love working with numbers

My mind is expanded

Math helps me achieve my goals!

My thoughts are transforming my world

I attend all my math classes!

I have the courage to transform myself 

Math makes me a better problem solver!

I believe in myself

I get more confident with math every day

I think logically

The more I learn, the more I achieve

I enjoy doing math everyday!

I always make an exceptional effort!

Math is useful!

I thrive on every experience

I am fluent and automatic with my math facts 

I ask questions in class!

I am great at math

I love learning new things 

I notice patterns and relationships in math problems

I thrive and I succeed at school!

I love math

Learning is my gateway to an abundant future

I calculate figures easily

I am attentive and focused in class

Math comes easy to me

I set high standards for my educational experience and I achieve them

I look for math problems to solve  

Learning new things is a challenge and I love challenges!

My math skills are improving

I am a creative thinker

I process math problems effortlessly

When I am exposed to information that benefits me, I absorb it like a sponge!

I am a mathematician

I make connections to the real world 

I am logical thinker

I read carefully

I solve mathematical equations easily

I pay attention to detail

I solve everyday math problems quickly

I always justify my solution

I am adept at math

I feel good about myself when I make my best effort

I am learning how to solve math problems

I can learn anything! I can know anything! I am learning to solve math problems in my head 

I can be anything! 

I look for math problems to solve

I am a great student and getting better each and every day!

I am getting faster at solving equations

I am easily and effortlessly learning

I calculate answers flawlessly

Solving equations comes naturally to me

I am developing a love for math

Learning is life

I love learning and I am good at it!

I solve everyday math problems quickly

As my demand on my thinking grows, my learning expands

I love the challenge of finals!

I am making the most of my academic opportunities

My mind works easily on math problems 

I am acing all my finals this semester

Math is a part of my everyday life

I am learning how to solve math problems

I love taking tests

Education is my way up! Education is my way out! Education is my way through!

Math is enjoyable

Tests are a breeze for me

I love doing math

I am a good learner, I grow and I learn at my own pace

Solving math problems is fun for me

Today I take charge of my education

I am the engine of my learning!

I am prepared for my tests and assignments

I am constantly pursuing and finding truth

As you can see, not all the positive affirmations I wrote had to do directly with math or had the word math in it.

I integrated things I consider to be facts about myself, so that I could find the math statements a bit more believable. 

Do Positive Affirmations Work To Get Better At Math?

Even though saying these positive math affirmations didn’t feel true in the beginning, I ended up feeling confident about my ability to pass math.

I took my math final minutes before I walked the TECLA Awards red carpet and I got an A+. When I got on that stage to accept my award as Best Latina Family Creator, I felt like I had received two awards that night.

I ended up passing college math with A+, while doing all the things: being a mom, an entrepreneur, and homeschool educator.

Math is not something I was done with. I am now more comfortable using it in my daily life. Math is inevitable, so I might as well become friends with it.

Writing down positive math affirmations, reading them out loud, hearing them consciously, and believing them subconsciously help create positive shifts that create better results.

Positive math affirmations work for kids, youth, and adults alike. Of course, we still need to be diligent in our work, but having a growth mindset makes anything so much easier!

Have you used positive math affirmations? Share your thoughts or your story with us below.

Founder of the Positive MOM® and creator of the S.T.O.R.Y. System: a blueprint to craft and share powerful stories that will transform your results and help others do the same. Dr. Elayna Fernández is a single mom of 4, an award-winning Storyteller, Story Strategist, and Student of Pain. She’s a bestselling author, internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, and 5x TEDx speaker. She has spoken at the United Nations, received the President’s Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award, and was selected as one of the Top Impactful Leaders and a Woman of Influence by SUCCESS Magazine. Connect with Elayna at thepositivemom.com/ef and follow @thepositivemom. To receive a gift from Elayna, click HERE.

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