What are Affirmations and How to Use Them: a Guide From Theory to Practice

In today’s world, where stress and a fast-paced life increasingly affect our emotional and physical health, the search for tools to maintain mental well-being becomes particularly relevant. One such tool, which has proven itself over centuries but gained particular popularity in recent decades, is affirmations. These brief but powerful statements can be the key to transforming your life, helping to rethink your views, reduce stress levels, and learn to appreciate yourself. This article offers a complete guide to using affirmations: from their historical roots in ancient religions and philosophies to modern methods of application for personal growth and improving the quality of life.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations are short phrases that, when repeated regularly, change thinking from negative to positive, prompt action, reduce stress, help withstand difficult times, boost self-confidence, and improve well-being. These statements act as a self-help tool, giving us the opportunity to actively influence our perception of reality and mood.

Affirmations can be divided into two types: positive and negative affirmations. We encounter both types regularly.

Specifically, a positive affirmation is any positive phrase about oneself that motivates you to move forward. Such affirmations strengthen our belief in ourselves and fill us with energy to achieve goals. They become the basis for building healthy self-esteem and a positive outlook on life.

On the other hand, an example of a negative affirmation can be seen when you make a mistake and then think: “How stupid I am”. Such thoughts strengthen negative self-perception and can undermine our confidence. They create internal barriers that prevent us from moving forward and realizing our potential.

If you can notice a negative affirmation, you have the opportunity to change it to a positive one. In this case, you can tell yourself: “I can learn from my mistakes.”

The origin of affirmations

Affirmations have their roots in Buddhism, among the ancient Hindus in the form of mantra meditations. By repeating a certain word or sentence, they tuned themselves to a specific state, as a way to focus on higher truths and calm their minds.

Among Buddhists, the most common affirmation is “Aum” or “Om”, symbolizing the affirmation “It is, will be, or becomes.”

For Hindus, the most popular affirmation is “Hare Krishna”, which sounds like this:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

This mantra is a simple repetition of many names of Krishna: Hare, Krishna, and Rama.

Also, the idea of affirmations, as we understand them today, can be traced back to ancient Egyptian texts, where words and sounds were used for healing and altering consciousness. In ancient Egypt, for example, magical spells and affirmations were read for protection and healing, reflecting the belief in the power of words to change reality.

With the development of psychology in the 20th century, the concept of using affirmations for self-help and personal growth received scientific grounding. Emile Coué, a French psychologist and pharmacist, was one of the first to explore the influence of self-suggestion on mental and physical states. His famous statement “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better” became a cornerstone of the theory of positive self-suggestion.

In subsequent decades, with the development of positive psychology and new views on mental health, the use of affirmations became more widespread. Louise Hay, an American motivational author, played a significant role in popularizing affirmations as a tool for self-healing and personal growth in the late 20th century. Her books and educational programs emphasize the power of affirmations in overcoming negative beliefs and creating a positive lifestyle.

Why affirmations are needed

Affirmations are needed to maintain good morale in a person’s life, changing their vision to a positive one. They are not magic spells capable of transforming consciousness without active actions. Instead, affirmations provide support on a person’s life path, influencing their cognitive processes.

The benefit of affirmations can be understood with a simple example. Imagine you are facing difficulties in completing a task, causing disappointment, decreased motivation, and self-blame for lacking talent or intellectual abilities. This regular negative reaction to failures leads to the habit of automatically responding negatively, significantly reducing the chances of success in any endeavor. However, if you cultivate a positive mindset through affirmations, for example, stating, “Today I failed to solve this task, but it is a valuable lesson that will allow me to identify areas for growth and achieve success in the future”, you change your approach to overcoming difficulties.

Failures are often associated with the perception of them as failures. In reality, our universe does not have the concept of “failure”. What we consider a failure is a growth point, indicating what needs to be changed, learned, and done to achieve success. Affirmations are precisely for such conclusions. They calm the mind, helping us better cope with tasks or situations that arise, reducing stress. Affirmations help release all the accumulated stress we have been holding inside and fill ourselves with more beneficial things for our lives.

If you think people treat you poorly, criticize you, ignore, use, or mock you, it means you have such a mindset. You allow such thoughts, and on a subconscious level, believe that you deserved such treatment, or you treat people this way. Changing thinking changes our environment and reality. We give meaning to the people and things around us and then can suffer because of it. So, give meaning only to things that build in your life. Affirmations are useful for this purpose; they program your mind to think positively, creating positive thinking as a habit.

Regular practice of affirmations plays a key role in developing and strengthening emotional intelligence, which, in turn, affects our overall well-being and ability to effectively interact with the world.

1. Developing self-awareness:

Affirmations promote the development of self-awareness, helping a person to recognize their emotions and thoughts. Regular repetition of positive statements leads to a deeper understanding of one’s feelings and reactions to different situations.

2. Self-regulation of emotions:

Positive affirmations teach a person to manage their emotions. When faced with difficulties or stressful situations, using statements like “I am capable of handling any challenges” leads to a more calm and balanced reaction to hardships.

3. Developing empathy:

Some affirmations may be aimed at developing empathy and understanding other people’s perspectives. This improves interpersonal relationships, reduces conflicts, and promotes more harmonious interaction in society.

4. Strengthening positive thinking:

Positive affirmations form a positive internal dialogue, which helps reduce the negative impact of stress and anxiety. This fosters an optimistic view of the world, which in turn positively affects overall emotional state.

5. Increasing self-confidence:

Repeating affirmations about one’s ability to overcome difficulties and achieve goals strengthens self-confidence. This is especially important when facing challenges and striving for personal growth.

6. Creating a positive emotional background:

Affirmations help form a positive emotional background, which contributes to overall mood improvement. Positive thoughts and affirmations create a favorable atmosphere, which positively affects emotional health.

How to apply affirmations

The application of positive affirmations can vary depending on your preference. Here are several ways to use affirmations:

Use specialized apps

There are many apps dedicated to positive affirmations, such as ThinkUp, Shine, or I am. You can browse or listen to affirmations created by other users to get inspired or create your own.

Write them down

Writing down positive affirmations can help you integrate them into your daily practice. If you’re writing your own, write in the present tense, as affirmations should be connected to the present and future, not the past. Consider writing affirmations on cards or sticky notes and hanging them in accessible, visible places to physically remind you of your values.

Visualize your affirmations

If you don’t like the idea of writing down and hanging up affirmations, you can simply visualize them. This is also an effective way to use affirmations. Develop personal phrases that work best for you and use them when needed. Immerse yourself in a calm state and visualize a soothing scene along with your affirmation to strengthen its effect.

How to create affirmations

The most effective practice of affirmations is to create your own. Since you know yourself better than anyone else, look inside yourself and write down desires and words that come to mind.

Step 1. Decide on the type of affirmations

To come up with your own affirmations, first decide which type of affirmations you need. For your convenience, below is a list of popular types of affirmations, depending on your needs:

• Affirmations for love
• Affirmations for self-love
• Affirmations for self-acceptance
• Affirmations for health
• Daily affirmations
• Affirmations for relationships
• Affirmations for confidence
• Affirmations for a good mood
• Affirmations for beauty
• Affirmations for self-esteem
• Affirmations for success
• Morning affirmations for a productive day
• Money affirmations

Step 2. Focus on yourself

First, calm your mind from daily questions and problems. You must create a clean canvas in your mind to properly understand and focus on creating affirmations. Focus all your positive thinking on yourself and start your affirmations with a simple and powerful phrase: “I am.”

Step 3. Focus on the present moment

Writing affirmations in the present tense focuses your attention on the present moment and emphasizes the possibilities of the present time. Write affirmations as if your goal is to resolve the past and future in one phrase in the present time.

Never set time frames in your affirmations, as they usually shift the focus to negative thoughts or outcomes that might arise if our affirmation is not achieved in that timeframe.

Remember, when you are ready, circumstances will align so that your affirmation will come true.

Step 4. Set future goals for yourself

Affirmations emphasize what you are doing right now to achieve your goals. If you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with affirmations, work on setting goals before starting with affirmations.

Remember, the chosen area should genuinely interest you. Don’t pick a topic just because it’s trendy right now.

When you have a clearly set goal, an affirmation will enhance your motivation, focus, and skills to achieve that goal.

Step 5. Write down phrases that come to mind

Now that you have gone through the previous steps, it’s time to start writing affirmations. Don’t limit yourself with any rules or expectations. Just write down all the phrases that come to mind. It can be anything from short statements to full sentences.

Don’t worry about grammatical correctness or logic. The main thing is to capture your thoughts and feelings on paper or electronically. Your task is to capture the energy and ideas that arise in you at the moment of writing.

This process can be very intuitive and spontaneous. Allow yourself to be open to new ideas and expressions. After all, the keys to your growth and development are hidden within you.

When you finish writing your affirmations, you might want to review them, edit, or add something new. But start simple – just write down everything that comes to your mind and allow yourself to be honest and open with yourself.

Step 6. Regularly repeat the written affirmations

For your affirmations to be effective, it is important to repeat them regularly. Create a ritual that suits you to incorporate affirmations into your daily routine.

You can repeat them in the morning when you wake up to set a positive tone for the whole day. Or incorporate them into your daily meditation or yoga practice to focus on your goals and desires.

If you have several affirmations, try making them into a mantra or meditative repetition to deepen their effect.

Remember, regular repetition of affirmations will help embed them in your subconscious and gradually change your thinking and behavior according to your desires and goals.

Examples of popular affirmations

Below are examples of popular affirmations that cover various aspects of life—from self-confidence and self-care to healthy relationships and productivity. These affirmations have become a source of inspiration and support for many people around the world, allowing them to feel more motivated, calm, and happy. They serve as a reminder of our inner strength and capabilities, as well as our ability to overcome any obstacles on our way to our goals.

Affirmations for confidence

• I can change the world.
• It’s okay that there was a struggle.
• I am made to withstand any chaos.

Affirmations for self-care

• Everything will be alright with me.
• My body is beautiful.
• I deserve the best.
• I am calm, I control the situation, and I am safe.
• I am stronger than my anxiety.
• I am enough. I have done enough. I can let go.

Affirmations for healthy relationships

• I deserve love.
• I am grateful for my partner.
• I am ready to accept love in abundance.

Affirmations for combating depression

• I choose how to feel, and today I choose happiness.
• I am satisfied, I am safe, and I feel strong.
• I live with high resilience.

Morning affirmations

• I am grateful to have woken up today.
• Today I will see the world with love.
• Today I will be the best version of myself.

Affirmations for sleep

• I am grateful for the restoration that my body will undergo.
• I am at peace with everything I can’t control.
• Tomorrow will be a wonderful day.

Affirmations for work/productivity

• All I can do is my best contribution.
• Failure is part of success.
• If I keep trying, my successes will increase.

Affirmations for strengthening motivation

• I am a leader, and challenges help me grow.
• I am strong, capable, and I feel great.
• I choose to be helpful and kind.

Affirmations for supporting self-esteem

• I am unique, and I matter.
• I love deeply and deserve full love.
• I forgive myself for mistakes I made when I didn’t know better.
• I deserve respect.