A Simple Guide With 11 Tips On How To Practice Self-Affirmations

“Give it to yourself. Validate yourself. Affirm yourself. Yes, it’s nice to get it from others, but we must build within ourselves the ability to self-affirm.” – Josh Hatcher.

Is it sometimes hard for you to believe in yourself? Do you struggle to think positively? Or does your mind always seem to be able to find the worst-case scenarios? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. We’ve all been there! Daily positive affirmations are the answer. They may be a useful tool to help you shift your mindset in ways that improve your life.

As you know, life is full of ups and downs. It’s a roller coaster of emotions and success. If you’ve been in a situation where you feel very negative or nothing seems to be working out as expected, say no more! Life can be very challenging, and sometimes we only see what’s not going well.

However, there is a way to reverse these emotions by unlocking your strengths and potential through the power of positive affirmation practice. This article will provide tips on incorporating positive affirmation into your daily self-reflection routine for your overall well-being. It will help you find out what affirmations are and how they can shift your perspective.

• What’s a positive affirmation?
• Why are positive affirmations so important?
• How to create positive affirmation routine?
• Examples of affirmations
• Starting an affirmation journal

What’s A Positive Affirmation?

A positive affirmation is a strategy that encourages us to affirm our worth and abilities, thereby fostering a more optimistic outlook and enhancing our overall well-being. It’s basically the practice of repeated positive statements intended to boost your self-esteem, confidence, and overall well-being.

Therefore, affirmations are statements that we say to ourselves that can shift our minds in ways that can make us feel better about ourselves and our lives. They don’t make our thoughts come true. Rather, they help us think in ways that make our lives better.

Affirmation practices involve focusing on your positive qualities and traits while ignoring negative self-talk or limiting beliefs that can hold you back.

Why Are Positive Affirmations So Important?

Researchers suggest that deliberate thought processes—like affirmations—can be made automatic over time (Paulhus & Coue, 1993). ​We also know from neuroplasticity studies that the human brain can change and grow, even into adulthood (Demarin & Morovic, 2014). More specific to affirmations, the more we repeat these positive statements and the more we have these positive thoughts, the easier it can be to have these thoughts again in the future. Research suggests that affirmations can help us maintain our self-esteem in the context of threat (Critcher, Dunning, & Armor, 2010). For example, if a boss is harsh, critical, or dismissive, affirmations may help us continue to feel good about ourselves. When we put this research together, the evidence is compelling that affirmations can be good for well-being. 

Positive affirmations will help you counter negative thoughts and boost your self-esteem. Moreover, the practice will help you develop a positive mindset, leading to better mental health, increased resilience, and improved relationships with others. That’s why creating affirmations routine can be a powerful way to achieve your goals.

How to Create a Positive Affirmation Routine?

As mentioned earlier, creating a positive affirmation routine can be a very powerful tool to boost your confidence and, ultimately, your well-being. Moreover, the process is simple and easy to incorporate into your self-care routine. Here are 11 easy-to-follow tips to help you build the routine from scratch.

Tip 6: Repeat your affirmation daily. This step is vital to the positive affirmation practice. Repeat your affirmations aloud every morning and evening before bed. If you need a confidence boost during the day, go for it, too! It’s really up to you.

Tip 7: Incorporate visualisation into your daily routine. Why not log your affirmations in a journal or on a visual board. You can journal in the morning or before bed. If you choose to use the visual board, place it where you will see it daily to remind you of your goals. These tools hold you accountable and help you track your entries, your progress and stay motivated. So, find the tools that work best for you.

Tip 8: Set up a reminder if necessary. Making your affirmations part of your daily routine can be challenging. So to start, try setting up reminders or having an accountability partner to help you achieve this goal. With time, staying consistent and eventually reaching your potential will be easier.

Tip 9: Be consistent: It can be easy to fall into the trap of only reciting affirmations when we’re feeling down or unmotivated, but actual change occurs when we commit to making positive affirmations. Therefore, set aside time and place to regularly recite your affirmations. As I said, feel free to include your affirmations in your morning or bedtime routines.

With dedication and commitment, you can create a daily practice that positively impacts your mental and emotional health.

Tip 10: Visualise your success: As you repeat your affirmations, close your eyes and visualize yourself achieving your goals. This can make your affirmations more effective. Believe and feel the words you say to feel the power of positive thinking. For example, if your affirmation is “I am successful,” you can take a few minutes each day to visualise yourself achieving your goals and feeling the sense of accomplishment that comes with success. Use the Self-Care Vision Board from our collection of free tools to get started.

Tip 11: Be kind to yourself: Remember to be patient and compassionate with yourself, and trust that the power of positive thinking can bring about excellent results. It doesn’t happen overnight. It will take commitment and consistency.

Examples of Affirmations

Everyone is different, so it’s best to choose affirmations that feel the best to you. Check out this list with 40 Affirmations in our collection of free tools. You could try the affirmation, “I am full of love.” Someone else may prefer, “I am strong and capable,” or “I am fine just the way I am.” Explore the following affirmations to see if you find some that feel good to you.

• I grow and improve every day.
• I appreciate the opportunities I’ve been given.
• My life is full of potential.
• I give myself permission to be myself.
• I have the power to change.
• I am courageous.
• ​I’m allowed to have needs and take up space.
• I have value.
• I am worthy of love.​
• ​I am enough.​​

Starting An Affirmation Journal 

If you think that affirmations may be helpful to you, one way to use this strategy more often is to start daily journaling. You might start by writing a few affirmations each morning or explore journaling ideas and prompts to get yourself going. You may also want to elaborate on each affirmation to help strengthen it. For example, if you write, “I am full of love,” you might go on to write about the loving thoughts or feelings you have.

Starting a morning affirmation practice can be a fun way to cultivate more positive emotions and start your daily self-care routine. Be careful not to expect magic, though. Instead, focus on small improvements over time that help you feel better about yourself or your life.

In Essence

When you embark on the journey of positive affirmations and commit to reciting them daily, you will begin to retrain your brain to focus on the positive aspects of your life and build a positive outlook on life.

In a world that can often be filled with negativity and self-doubt, cultivating a positive mindset through affirmations can make all the difference in your overall happiness and success. If you practice intentionally, a positive affirmation can transform your outlook on life and help you grow. You’ll feel more empowered and in control of your life.

I hope these tips help you become positive and have a much more pleasant outlook on life!! Any tips missing from this list? Share with us below.

References

• ​Paulhus, D. L., & COUÉ, E. (1993). Bypassing the will: The automatization of affirmations. JMS, 4, 1.
• Demarin, V., & Moroic, S. (2014). Neuroplasticity. Periodicum biologorum, 116(2), 209-211.
• Critcher, C. R., Dunning, D., & Armor, D. A. (2010). When self-affirmations reduce defensiveness: Timing is key. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(7), 947-959.

Tip 1: Identify your personal goals and values: Before jumping right into your affirmations, consider what you want to achieve with this practice. What are your goals, values, and strengths?  Once you have a clear idea, write them down. You can have a journal dedicated to your affirmations and learn how to journal along the way.

Tip 2: Brainstorm a list of positive qualities you possess as well as phrases that inspire and motivate you. From there, you can begin crafting affirmations that reflect your unique identity and aspirations. Use the Daily Positivity Journal from our collection of free tools to get started.

Tip 3: Align your affirmations with your goals, strengths and values: Look at your strengths, personal values, and goals when crafting statements that resonate with you on a deep level. Once you have a clear idea, write your affirmations down, thinking about what you want to achieve and what matters most. You want your affirmations to align with your goals and values.

Tip 4: Make your affirmations personal and specific: You want to create clear and relevant affirmations to your own life and experiences. The more detailed your affirmations, the more powerful they’ll be.

Tip 5: Choose positive, present tense phrases. Once your goals are clear, write your affirmations in the present tense as if they’re already true. They should also be positive. For example, instead of “I will not be late,” say, “I am always on time”, or instead of writing “I want to lose weight”, say, “I am strong and healthy at my ideal weight”.

Tip 6: Repeat your affirmation daily. This step is vital to the positive affirmation practice. Repeat your affirmations aloud every morning and evening before bed. If you need a confidence boost during the day, go for it, too! It’s really up to you.

Tip 7: Incorporate visualisation into your daily routine. Why not log your affirmations in a journal or on a visual board. You can journal in the morning or before bed. If you choose to use the visual board, place it where you will see it daily to remind you of your goals. These tools hold you accountable and help you track your entries, your progress and stay motivated. So, find the tools that work best for you.

Tip 8: Set up a reminder if necessary. Making your affirmations part of your daily routine can be challenging. So to start, try setting up reminders or having an accountability partner to help you achieve this goal. With time, staying consistent and eventually reaching your potential will be easier.

Tip 9: Be consistent: It can be easy to fall into the trap of only reciting affirmations when we’re feeling down or unmotivated, but actual change occurs when we commit to making positive affirmations. Therefore, set aside time and place to regularly recite your affirmations. As I said, feel free to include your affirmations in your morning or bedtime routines.

With dedication and commitment, you can create a daily practice that positively impacts your mental and emotional health.

Tip 10: Visualise your success: As you repeat your affirmations, close your eyes and visualize yourself achieving your goals. This can make your affirmations more effective. Believe and feel the words you say to feel the power of positive thinking. For example, if your affirmation is “I am successful,” you can take a few minutes each day to visualise yourself achieving your goals and feeling the sense of accomplishment that comes with success. Use the Self-Care Vision Board from our collection of free tools to get started.

Tip 11: Be kind to yourself: Remember to be patient and compassionate with yourself, and trust that the power of positive thinking can bring about excellent results. It doesn’t happen overnight. It will take commitment and consistency.

Examples of Affirmations

Everyone is different, so it’s best to choose affirmations that feel the best to you. Check out this list with 40 Affirmations in our collection of free tools. You could try the affirmation, “I am full of love.” Someone else may prefer, “I am strong and capable,” or “I am fine just the way I am.” Explore the following affirmations to see if you find some that feel good to you.

• I grow and improve every day.
• I appreciate the opportunities I’ve been given.
• My life is full of potential.
• I give myself permission to be myself.
• I have the power to change.
• I am courageous.
• ​I’m allowed to have needs and take up space.
• I have value.
• I am worthy of love.​
• ​I am enough.​​

Starting An Affirmation Journal 

If you think that affirmations may be helpful to you, one way to use this strategy more often is to start daily journaling. You might start by writing a few affirmations each morning or explore journaling ideas and prompts to get yourself going. You may also want to elaborate on each affirmation to help strengthen it. For example, if you write, “I am full of love,” you might go on to write about the loving thoughts or feelings you have.

Starting a morning affirmation practice can be a fun way to cultivate more positive emotions and start your daily self-care routine. Be careful not to expect magic, though. Instead, focus on small improvements over time that help you feel better about yourself or your life.

In Essence

When you embark on the journey of positive affirmations and commit to reciting them daily, you will begin to retrain your brain to focus on the positive aspects of your life and build a positive outlook on life.

In a world that can often be filled with negativity and self-doubt, cultivating a positive mindset through affirmations can make all the difference in your overall happiness and success. If you practice intentionally, a positive affirmation can transform your outlook on life and help you grow. You’ll feel more empowered and in control of your life.

I hope these tips help you become positive and have a much more pleasant outlook on life!! Any tips missing from this list? Share with us below.

References

• ​Paulhus, D. L., & COUÉ, E. (1993). Bypassing the will: The automatization of affirmations. JMS, 4, 1.
• Demarin, V., & Moroic, S. (2014). Neuroplasticity. Periodicum biologorum, 116(2), 209-211.
• Critcher, C. R., Dunning, D., & Armor, D. A. (2010). When self-affirmations reduce defensiveness: Timing is key. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(7), 947-959.