Do affirmations actually work?
Affirmations sound very hippie-ish, but they’re one of the easiest and most effective ways to change your life. By improving your outlook and making you more aware of your thought patterns, affirmations have the power to transform your mindset and mood.
Oftentimes, self-improvement practices can be difficult or unnatural to incorporate into your daily life, or they require time and money. We all want to grow and become better, but sometimes the advice we are given requires us to really exit our comfort zones to see any change, which can be overwhelming or discouraging.
Affirmations are different in that they’re easy, something you can start right now, and don’t require any tools or supplies. While I went through a phase of thinking they’re cheesy, I have come to love affirmations can say with certainty that I’ve tangibly changed my life since incorporating them. For example, when I was feeling really stuck and burnt out, I started saying “I am making a choice right now” to help myself learn to take ownership of my actions and recognize the intention behind them, as well as the good results (or more difficult consequences). Whether I procrastinated a task, chose to hang out with a friend, or stayed up late reading, I repeated that affirmation to myself and came to realize that it was much more effective in encouraging me to change, rather than creating rigid rules or beating myself up for falling short of my goals.
Keep reading for some of my favorite affirmations and how I incorporate them throughout my day, regardless of my schedule.
what are affirmations?
Affirmations are positive, thoughtful statements that can help you transform negative thoughts into a more positive mindset. Similar to mantras, they’re short sentences you can repeat throughout the day (or as needed) to boost your mood, improve your outlook on life, and increase your self-esteem and sense of self.
how to write effective affirmations
Affirmations are only effective if you fully believe in them. I’ve definitely tried to incorporate affirmations that others have suggested, but if there’s even a little doubt in my mind, they don’t work and if anything, take me out of a positive mindset and back into skeptics-land. When writing your own affirmations, here are some tips:
Find the balance between where you are now and where your goals are. Saying “I’m a millionaire” doesn’t personally feel good to me when I’m having to keep a more watchful eye on my budget; something like “Money is on it’s way to me” feels better.
Know your strengths. I cannot visualize anything, that is just not my strength. I’m much better about channeling feelings. For me, I gravitate more towards affirmations that make me feel something - excited, empowered, at peace. If you’re a visual person, saying something like “I own a mansion” and then being able to visualize that mansion in your head is more powerful.
Use “I” statements. Affirmations are all about you, your sense of self, and your relationship with yourself. They’re much more about “I love myself just as I am,” rather than, “everyone loves me.” You cannot control other people and affirmations are created to help you grow from the inside out.
Keep them short. Like a mantra, you want them to be short, sweet, and easy to remember (and repeat). There’s no rule on word count or anything like that, but you want to be as direct and exact as you can. “I have 9 dogs and work my dream job with no coworkers,” is a little long-winded, “I am living my dream life” brings about the same sentiments, but is shorter to say and then encourages you to envision what exactly your dream life entails.
how to use positive affirmations
Affirmations only work if you work them; the more you utilize them, the more effective they’ll be. Find ways to incorporate them into your routines that feel good for you; you want the affirmations to add to your life and keep you mindful without feeling like a chore. Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate positive affirmations into my daily life:
Set reminders or alarms on your phone. I like the Reminders app because you can set it for when you’re getting into or out of your car, but find alarms to do a better job of getting my full attention. Both work well; depending on how life is going, I’ll set a new affirmation to display every few hours or even every hour.
Write them on sticky notes and place them around the house. Another easy way to incorporate affirmations. Place them in areas you frequently visit or always see. I’ll place them on the kitchen counter, my bedroom ceiling, bathroom mirror, or at my desk.
Use a whiteboard marker to write a new affirmation on my bathroom mirror each day. The act of writing is very intentional and there’s a lot of science behind why it’s so beneficial. Physically writing an affirmation every day is a great practice, and white board markers are easy to wipe off of mirrors.
Buy waterproof shower affirmations to uplift your shower routine. I like these waterproof shower affirmation cards. I switch them out weekly or monthly; the colors are pretty and all of the affirmations in the pack are genuine and heartfelt.
Buy a set of affirmation cards for your desk or kitchen. As much as I like writing my own personal affirmations, I also like to take inspiration from premade sets. These make a great gift; it comes with a wooden display panel and there are 52 high-quality cards that you can switch out every week. I have the Mindful set, but they also make some specifically for finance, health and well-being, as well as love and relationships.
affirmations that actually work
Here are some of my favorite affirmations that I’ve personally found success with:
I am making a choice right now.
I am fully supported in this.
It is safe to tell a new story around experiences that do not serve me.
It is okay to be me.
I am loved and accepted exactly as I am.
I am enough.
It is safe to acknowledge my fear.
I am worthy of my dream life.
I accept and love myself.
Struggle is not required.
affirmations that aren’t cheesy
Failure is off the table. Failure is not an option.
It’s enough when I know it is.
I am right where I am supposed to be.
I show up honestly and transparently no matter what.
I want it bad enough. I'm ready. This is my time.
It gets to be easy.
Everything works out for me.