How to Use Affirmations Effectively: 7 Steps

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Self-affirmations are positive, or self-written, statements that can affect the subconscious mind, making us develop a better and more positive perception of ourselves. Affirmations can help you change harmful behaviors, or achieve goals, as well as repair any damage caused by negativity, through all those statements that we constantly repeat to ourselves (or that others repeat to us) and that help create a perception negative of us. Affirmations are easy to create and use, but you'll need to take the time to make them work. Here are some pointers to help you get the best out of this powerful tool. Look at them and listen to them several times a day, until they become an automatic thought.

Steps

Step 1. Think about your positive qualities

Take stock of yourself through an inventory of your best characteristics and skills. Are you good looking? Write it down. Are you a hard worker? Write this down too. Write each quality in a short sentence, starting with the pronoun "I" and using the present verb: "I am beautiful," for example, or "I am generous". These statements are statements about your person. We hardly focus on those aspects of ourselves that we love, preferring to dwell on what we would like to change. An inventory will help you break that routine, and using these affirmations will give you a way to appreciate yourself, gaining the confidence to assimilate the affirmations about who you want to become.

Step 2. Think about the negativities you wish to counter, or the positive goals you wish to achieve. In an effort to counteract the negative perceptions you have developed (about your appearance, your abilities, and your potential), affirmations can be extremely helpful

We will call these kinds of claims "counter-claims". Affirmations can also help you achieve specific goals, such as losing weight or quitting smoking. Make a list of your goals, or any harmful perceptions you have of yourself, that you want to change.

Step 3. Organize your list with different priorities

You may find that you have multiple goals, or need numerous counter-statements. The best thing, however, will be to focus on a limited number of affirmations at a time, choosing the most important and most urgent ones for you, and starting your work of change from there. When you notice improvements in those areas, or when you reach your goals, you can develop new ones by referring to new sections of your list. You could try to use as many statements as you like, but it is advisable to limit yourself to a number equal to or less than 5.

Step 4. Write your statements

In step 1, you practiced several different things, writing statements about your current positive qualities. You can limit yourself to using these statements and use them as counter-statements, or you can decide to add new ones, in order to influence your future behavior. The statements you use to influence future changes should follow the same basic rules listed in step 1. They should start with "I," and be short, clear, and positive. There are two types of forward-looking statements:

• "I Can" Statements: Write a statement stating that you can achieve your goals. For example, if you want to quit smoking, a statement like "I can quit smoking," is a good place to start. Many experts recommend avoiding all sorts of negative connotations, thus preferring a phrase like "I can free myself from smoking," or "I can become smoke-free."
• “I Will Do It” Statements: Write a statement stating that today you will actually use your abilities to achieve your goals. So, following the examples above, you might say, "I will be smoke-free today," or "I will smoke fewer cigarettes today than yesterday." Again, the affirmation will need to use positive language and simply express what you will do today to achieve your long-term goals.

Step 5. Match some of your positive characteristics to your goals

Which of the positive qualities you listed in Step 1 will help you achieve your goals? If you want to quit smoking, for example, you will need your willpower and courage, just as you might want to keep looking good, or to protect your family's health. Select two or three self-affirmations to support those geared towards your goals.

Step 6. Make your affirmations visible so that you can use them

Repetition is the key to making affirmations effective. Think about your affirmations several times a day, every day. There are many ways to do this.

• Decide to write down your affirmations twice a day in a diary or diary when you wake up and before bed. As you do this, repeat the affirmations to yourself. Ideally, your affirmations should be the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing you think about before bed.

  

• Meditate on your affirmations. Close your eyes, shut out the rest of the world, and think about your claims. Repeat the words as you reflect on the meaning they have for you; think about the future and try to feel the emotions that the affirmations evoke in you.

  

• Leave reminders in different places. Use sticky notes and write a statement for each piece of paper. Prepare several post-its for each statement, and place them in clearly visible areas: in the place where you sit at the kitchen table, on the steering wheel of the car, in the desk drawer, on the computer monitor, etc. Whenever you see it, read it and reflect on its meaning.

  

• Take your affirmations with you. Make a list of your statements and put it in your wallet or purse. If you need support, or if you feel yourself wavering, pull out your list and read it.

  

Step 7. Continue using affirmations

The more you state something, the more solidly your mind will accept it. If you have a short-term goal, use your affirmations to achieve it. If you just want to use your statements as counter-statements, use them whenever you want. Watch and listen to audio and video composed of short positive affirmations, do it every day as you drive to work, when you wake up and before falling asleep.

Advice

• There gratitude it is a type of affirmation: "I appreciate all that is good in my life and I am confident that more will come".
• If you don't want people to know about your claims, place them in discreet places. Remember, however, that it is important that you see them frequently, otherwise they will not be effective.
• If you find yourself repeating your parrot affirmations, rather than focusing on their meaning, change them. By rephrasing the phrase, you can reinvigorate its power.
• Affirmations can be used in conjunction with visualizations to increase the power of both. By visualizing your affirmations, you can make them more real in your mind. Use the five senses appropriately (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) for your mental visualizations.
• NOTE: It is said that, in the case of recorded affirmations, it is good to use the second person pronoun 'YOU'.
• Ask a friend to repeat a version of your statements. For example, "Marianna, you are eating healthy and feeling great." The power of self-affirmation lies in freedom from dependence on the approval of others. However, statements made by others can be as beneficial as their negative statements can be harmful.
• Combine positive emotions with your affirmations. Think about how achieving your goals will make you feel, or how much satisfaction you will feel in being able to do something. Emotion is a fuel capable of making affirmations more powerful.
• If you think it is difficult for a statement to be fulfilled, add the words "I choose to" to your statement. "I choose to be in my ideal weight," for example, or, "I choose to maintain my weight easily and effortlessly."
• Don't be discouraged if your statements don't seem to work at first. Think about how you are using them. Do you really believe it? If you don't believe your claims, they can still be effective, but the process will take longer. If you are tired of waiting, make sure your goals are achievable and set reasonable expectations for when to achieve them. Use affirmations to counter negative statements, or to achieve small milestones, over time you will gain the confidence to address the bigger issues.
• Don't let people be your judge. Some will say to you, “I don't think you will make it.” Don't let their words weaken your spirit, don't listen to them.