Affirmations, we all use them. Unfortunately often in a negative way. But what if you start using positive affirmations consciously from now on? Your life may look completely different.
What are affirmations? (meaning)
Affirmations are phrases you keep saying to yourself that make you believe them and make them a part of you.
Often this happens very unconsciously and these thoughts are negative. Here are a few examples that you will probably recognize (from yourself or people you know): I’m not good enough, I’m clumsy, I just can’t do that, that’s me, there are no good men/women, money is bad, that is beyond my means, I cannot change, ….
You notice it already, these messages don’t exactly make you happy. If you now say this to yourself daily, and often has been doing so for years, then you really start to believe this.
Fortunately, it also works the other way around and with positive affirmations you can start to feel (more) powerful and think more positively. How does this work?
How do positive affirmations work?
We are all programmed from an early age. Because of our parents, school, friends, events, … we start to believe things about ourselves and the world.
That can be good things, but also sometimes things that now (years later) get in the way and no longer serve us to go the way we want.
By working with positive affirmations, you can break that old pattern. You are aware that you want to start thinking differently and you will actively focus on this.
Repetition is important here. The more often you repeat the positive, powerful affirmation, the more you believe it. What you believe you will act upon. This act in turn influences the results in your life.
One reason affirmations work so well is because what you focus on takes place. If you have just bought a certain car, you will suddenly see that car much more often in the streets. I don’t see it, and you probably didn’t either, until you focused on it.
The same goes for affirmations. Because you are now going to focus on the positive message, you will see many more situations that will support it. You get too many stimuli to process them all, so your brain filters things. By consciously focusing on the positive, your brain will show more positive things, and filter out the negative. You can also get a lot more peace of mind this way.
Does that sound interesting? Super! How will you use these positive affirmations now?
How do you use affirmations?
As you could already read, negative affirmations arise spontaneously. If that is standard with you now, then you will have to deal with positive affirmations much more consciously.
If you do that for a while, these positive thoughts (about yourself) will also become a part of yourself and you will also get them spontaneously. Before that, you will have to put in a little effort.
Choose an affirmation from the examples below that makes you happy, or just one yourself.
Turn it around
Take a look at the negative things you are saying to yourself right now. Make a list of this if you want. You might feel really bad right now, but we’re going to change that in a moment.
Adjust each sentence so that it becomes a positive affirmation. Even if you don’t believe it at first, you will. For example: I am clumsy, can transform you into I am a handy person. Or I don’t dare to talk to people, I feel comfortable in the presence of others, I can be myself with other people, I can have a good conversation with strangers,….
Now read through these new sentences. Do you immediately feel a little better?
Yourself In The Now
When making the affirmations and repeating them, you will choose sentences in the now and focused on yourself. So not: I would like to be happy, but I am happy. You pronounce it like it already is.
We often talk about ourselves in the third person. “You should try a little harder”, if you really mean “I should try a little better”. If you now want to turn this into a powerful affirmation, you can repeat “I am someone who does his best”. Do you see the difference? You talk about yourself and act as if it already is, you speak in the now-time.
To repeat
You can say this out loud if you are standing in front of a mirror. But you can also repeat the affirmation regularly in your mind.
The power of an affirmation lies in the repetition. Repeat the phrase regularly in your head or out loud. Write these down several times in a row. Print it out and hang it somewhere you visit regularly.
All these ways will reinforce each other. Some are very conscious, such as saying it out loud, but don’t underestimate the unconscious affirmations like the one you have hung in a box.
For example, I printed out the quote “patience is power” and hung it in a frame on my desk. This is to constantly remind me to be calm and patient, that long-term thinking is important. That short-term results are not necessary, but are the result of small steps in the long term. It’s all in these 3 words for me.
Attach a feeling to it
Try to associate a positive feeling with it. If you also start to feel good when you think, pronounce, write or read the sentence, it will sink in even better and become a part of yourself.
When to use the affirmations?
You can use an affirmation throughout the day. You can also build in specific moments for it so that you do not forget it.
For example, right after you wake up and lie in bed for a while. Only get up when you have empowered yourself so that you can start your day with full courage.
Taking a moment to meditate after getting up can also help get the day off to a good start. Just before you start the meditation, you can repeat your positive sentences.
During a walk in nature
Right before you fall asleep.
At moments when you become aware that you are thinking negatively.
Examples of affirmations
There are some things about which we all say something negative about ourselves or what we believe. By consciously repeating other powerful sentences for this, it will be of great benefit to you. Here are some examples.
Affirmation for self-love & self-confidence
- I’m fine the way I am
- I’m beautiful inside and out
- I love myself
- I accept myself as I am
- All my quirks make me unique
- I am proud of who I am
- I’m happy
- I am relaxed
- Relaxation is part of my day
- Today is a fantastic day
- I am confident
- I’m brimming with confidence
- I let go of all tension and worries
Affirmation Love
- I am worthy to receive love
- There are many good men/women
- I find a suitable partner
- I trust to meet the right love partner
- I give my love unconditionally
- I am grateful for the relationship(s) I have
- I’m a good mom/dad
- My heart is open to love from others
- I am grateful for who I am and for the other in my life
Affirmation Money & Success
- I can earn a lot of money
- I can do a lot of good things with money
- I deserve success
- I am a successful person
- I’m good at saving money
- I’m good at making money
- Making money is my thing
- I am proud of what I have achieved
- I help others to achieve my goals
- I have the knowledge to achieve my goal or I gain it on my way to it.
- I see possibilities everywhere
- Every day I take a step toward my goal
- Making money is easy
- Abundance is reserved for me
Affirmation for health And weight loss
- I choose for healthy meals
- Sports make me happy
- Intuitively I choose the healthiest options
- I love and take care of my body
- I drink a lot of water to optimally nourish my cells
- It’s easy to reach my ideal weight
- I like to exercise with friends
- I feel vital
Before bedtime
If you want to end your day well, you can repeat a few affirmations before going to sleep. If you get a good and calm feeling, you will also be able to fall asleep more easily.
So you can start using all affirmations before going to sleep. But if you have trouble falling asleep, you can also use affirmations specifically for this.
For example:
- I can sleep well
- I am someone who falls asleep quickly
- Good sleep ensures that I wake up energetic and cheerful in the morning.
Affirmation Cards
If you would like some support to get started with positive affirmations, you can use affirmation cards. Affirmation cards are small cards, often the size of a playing card, with positive messages on them.
You can draw a card from the deck daily or whenever you feel it is necessary. Then read the text on it and think about it for a while. You can place the map in your area that day, for example on your desk so that you can look at it regularly.
Conclusion positive affirmations
Basically you brainwash yourself with affirmations. You consciously ensure that you will have more positive thoughts (about yourself). Through repetition, this will become a part of yourself, so that you will act on it. Your actions provide the results, so with the positive thoughts you will also change the outcome of your life. Ideal for getting started.
Which affirmations do you use or do you want to use?
