You’re probably here because you’re curious about what affirmations are, what they do, and how to use them. They are very simple once you know how and this guide on how to use affirmations with some examples will get you on the right track to implementing a beneficial daily practice!
Affirmations are amongst many daily practices that we can easily implement in our lives to support us, and are well worth a go! Everything you need to know about getting started with affirmations is discussed below, as well as some examples and how to create your own!
We also have other useful articles on how to write affirmations and how many affirmations you should say a day!
Table of Contents
What are affirmations?
Affirmations are simple, present-tense statements (that you have found or created) that you say, think, and write to yourself repeatedly, to help you improve your self-talk, and your actions, and create a reality that you are happy and fulfilled with.
The affirmations are in the present tense, so you say them as if this reality is already happening and true. For instance “I am majorly successful in my blogging business.” rather than “I want to be successful in my blogging business.”
In saying these ‘true’ and positive statements frequently, you begin to believe in your desires, goals, and dreams as if they are already happening, and this has a positive impact on how you live your life and the choices you make.
What do affirmations do?
A common theory is that your ideas create your actions, and your actions create your reality. Therefore what affirmations do, is that they help you to believe in yourself, which then means you are more likely to take positive action, and your reality begins to change for the better, or in the way that you desire it to be.
Using affirmations regularly, will help you with gratitude and help you to keep progressing positively in yourself and your life. When you use affirmations regularly, you begin to feel positive about your limitless potential.
Sometimes, affirmations can even help us to reveal our own blocks because where we struggle to believe what we are saying, it can highlight where we might need to give ourselves some more attention.
How to use affirmations
In order to get the most out of affirmations, follow these simple steps:
- Spend some time with yourself to better understand which area of your life you want to improve
- You can do this by journalling, or simply just getting some thoughts or dreams down on paper
- Decide on a key area you want to focus on based on the above
- Find or create 3-5 affirmations that describe your desired reality (make sure they are in the present tense)
- Write them down each morning and night (10 times each is suggested but you can do more if you have time!)
- Say them to yourself throughout the day (it can help to write them on post-its and place them where you’ll see them to remind you for instance the refrigerator)
- Speak them to yourself in the mirror at least once a day (again, sticking them on the mirror with Post-its can help to remind you)
- Repeat this daily for at least a week
- After a week, revisit your thoughts, and add more to the list, amend the list, or simply keep the same if you are happy and repeat the process again
- Consistency is key!
It really helps to spend some time with yourself, getting to understand yourself and any parts of yourself or your life that you feel need your attention, or that you feel most negative about.
Doing this will help you to choose the best affirmations for yourself, that will help you with your goals, aspirations, and desires, and turn negative situations into positive ones. You can easily do this by spending some time writing down what is going on for you, what you are consciously thinking, and what you are currently saying to yourself.
Don’t overthink it, just get your thoughts down on paper and reflect on your thoughts and life and which areas you feel need some improvement. When you do this, it improves your self-awareness and as a result, it is much easier to pick or create affirmations that will be the most effective for you.
You can use ready-made affirmations and I list some examples down below. Or you can create your own affirmations.
If you want to create your own affirmations, simply think about your desired outcomes (using the suggested tools above for self-reflection), and then construct your sentence.
For example, if you currently feel negative about your business, and know you want to change your mindset and start believing in your success, and taking positive actions. You could simply turn a negative sentence into a positive one.
Turn “my business is struggling and have no confidence in myself to achieve success” into “my business is doing extremely well, and I have confidence in its success.” Or turn “I have made barely any money in my business, and I wish I could make at least $2k a month” into “My business is thriving and I consistently make $2k a month”
Keep using self-reflections with your affirmations, even on a daily basis, as this will help you to stay in tune with yourself, your life, and how the affirmations are helping you.
Have fun with it, enjoy the process, and commit to changing your life!
What are daily affirmations?
Daily affirmations are simple statements you say to yourself each day, in the present tense, as if what you are saying is already true. The reason you say affirmations daily is that it takes some time to improve your self-belief, your habits, and your actions. If you only said them once, they would have minimal impact on your life. In order to see the most benefit, the sentences need to be repeated each day, and consistently until you begin to notice positive changes!
What are some examples of positive affirmations?
Positive Affirmation Examples
- I am happy and I love myself so much!
- I have paid my debt and my bank balance is growing at a phenomenal rate
- My life is full of fun experience
- I glow, I am vibrant and I feel amazing
- I trust and accept myself, exactly as I am
- I am capable, confident, and successful
- I am a great person to be around
- My bank balance is flowing with abundance
- Today is a good day, and my life is totally fulfilling
- I am able to communicate with ease
- I have the best job in the world!
- My colleagues are so friendly and I love to work with them!
Holly Jaskolka is a certified Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner, yoga instructor, and an impassioned advocate for holistic well-being. Fueled by her love for animals and wanderlust, Holly leads a plant-based lifestyle that she complements with immersive travel experiences. When she’s not jet-setting to uncover the world’s hidden gems, she’s empowering individuals to heal emotionally, particularly those grappling with the aftermath of breakups. Connect with Holly on LinkedIn.
