How To Use Affirmations

When I first started learning about affirmations, I tried implementing them but I didn’t do it right. I’ve learned so much since then and I wanted to share some easy tips to make this tool work for others.

Affirmations are such a powerful tool to get results in your life. They create beliefs that can shift the way we act and live. There’s a quote by Gandhi that says:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”

Our thoughts and words play a huge role in creating the life we want. It’s so common that we listen to negative talk, we tell ourselves we aren’t good enough or we listen to the limits others place on us. Instead we can use positive affirmations to instil confidence and empowerment. Muhammad Ali’s affirmation was “I am the greatest”. We should be telling ourselves that because if we don’t believe it no one else will. We need to choose how we want to perceive ourselves, because that is how we will act and that is how the world will treat us.

Using Affirmations

An affirmation is a positive statement about your best self. It’s something you say out loud or write down, to achieve your goals and affirm the way you want to live. Affirmations have gotten some mixed reviews, some saying they will change your life and others saying they will do nothing. I believe it’s how you use them that makes the difference. Telling yourself  “I am ______” (skinny, rich, healthy), will not necessarily make it so. There are some tricks in using affirmations to create the performance and results you want.

1. Write what you actually believe – When you create an affirmation, if you don’t believe it’s true your brain will turn it into a negative statement filled with self loathing. Don’t write “I am skinny” if you don’t believe it. Instead try a statement like “I’m working really hard on my health and fitness”.
2. Write positive – Your brain does not like negative self talk, your statements need to be positive and filled with self compassion. Avoid “I’m stopping smoking”, instead try “I am engaging in healthy behaviours that support my health”. Avoid “I’m not eating junk food”, instead try “I’m eating food that keeps my body healthy and strong.”
3. Write in the present – Don’t skip to your end goal right away. Make affirmations about what is going on in the moment and what steps you are doing right now to achieve your goal. Sometimes that end goal can seem very far away and daunting, like fitting into your skinny jeans, getting your dream job, or finding a partner. Try focusing on what you are doing right now to make that end goal a reality.

Think about your goals and how you want to live. Create an affirmation that positively embodies a moment, write it down or say it out loud. Your statement can change depending on the day or how you want to act in a given situation. Make it personal and feel the passion.

I’m working hard to be the best version of my self.
I’m acting with compassion and empathy.
I love living a healthy and fit life.
I’m calm and peaceful.
I feel great.
I am strong.
I actively listen and communicate to build connection.
I’m trying my best to live authentically.
I look for opportunities to help others.
I focus on living a positive and vibrant life.
I work hard to achieve my goals.
I believe in consistency and dedication to achieve success.
I follow my dreams.
I embrace failure.
I find strength in struggle. 

Try using affirmations to give yourself a push towards your goals and to fill your mind with encouraging thoughts to help you be your best. Remember your thoughts and beliefs create who you are.

With love,

Lucy