I love this, Taylor! Positive affirmations often have the opposite effect on me, too. Instead, I've learned to be "real" with myself. If I'm struggling with something in life, like procrastinating or being short-tempered, I try to "look within" and get curious about why (possible causes or reasons). Instead of getting down on myself, I try focusing on learning what I can improve upon to address the undesired behavior. I do this with my kids, too. Curiosity serves us so much better than harsh judgment or jumping to conclusions.