That’s the idea behind affirmations — short phrases you can repeat to change the way you think and feel about yourself. If you meditate or practice yoga, you may already be familiar with affirmations — they’re often integrated with these practices. In a tweet last year, Jennifer Lopez revealed the affirmations she uses: “I am whole, I am good on my own, I love myself.” Michelle Obama said in a Twitter post last year that her daily mantra is: “Am I good enough? Yes, I am.” Affirmations are free and easy to practice anywhere, anytime, so they’re a really accessible tool to cope with stressful current events, says Corey Yeager, PhD, a Minneapolis-based licensed marriage and family therapist and the author of How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have With Yourself (a book about building self-awareness). “People are latching onto simple ways to help themselves,” he says. “Affirmations help build and improve your self-esteem. They can also act as a way of challenging and replacing your negative and anxious thinking when it comes to stress, depression, physical pain, and anxiety,” says Lee Phillips, LCSW, EdD, a psychotherapist and sex and couples therapist in New York City certified by the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute. Affirmations do this by replacing negative self-talk, explains Dr. Yeager. For example, if you made a mistake and then think, “I’m so stupid,” Yeager says, you’re unintentionally using a negative affirmation. But if you can spot the negative affirmation, there’s an opportunity to change it to a positive one. In this case, you might tell yourself: “I can learn from my mistakes.” One psychological theory of self-affirmation comes from research on the self carried out in the 1980s by Claude M. Steele, PhD, a social psychologist. His theory is that when people have thoughts or experiences that threaten the way they think about or perceive themselves, they are motivated to restore their self-image. Steele suggested that people generally want to have a positive image of themselves, so when they experience a threat to that image (such as somebody telling them they’re not good at something), they tend to affirm their sense of self — which, in turn, allows them to handle these threats in a more secure, balanced way. The affirmation is way to help navigate that stressful situation. If we practice affirmations every single day, we may be able to create new pathways in the brain, explains Dr. Zand. It is similar to muscle memory: Instead of flexing our very negative thought processes, we instead create a habit of flexing a more balanced and positive self-view. “I would call affirmations a neuroplastic habit,” he says. Here are some other potential benefits.
Affirmations Can Boost Your Sense of Self
In a small randomized controlled trial, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to better understand how affirmations affected internal processing and reward systems in the brain. They found that participants who used positive affirmations reflecting their values had more activity in the reward center of their brains (neural processes associated with positive self-view and self-competence) than those who didn’t.
Affirmations Can Help With Behavior Change
Research suggests that affirmations can support people who are trying to make positive behavioral changes (like following a healthy diet plan, limiting alcohol intake, or limiting caffeine intake), according to a meta-analysis of 144 studies.
Affirmations Can Help You Perform Under Stress
Affirmations could also improve your ability to problem-solve while under stress. In one randomized controlled study, participants who repeated an affirmation related to a value they saw in themselves (like creativity, independence, or sense of humor) performed better in a stressful word-association problem-solving task than those who repeated an affirmation related to a value they didn’t consider important to them. In Yeager’s real-world experience as a psychotherapist for the Detroit Pistons, he uses affirmations with NBA players to help them remove the opportunity for negativity to set in during a game. For example, an affirmation may help an athlete improve their game or rebound from a play that didn’t go so well. “I talk to players a lot about how, when you’re in the game and something negative happens, you turn the ball over,” he says. He’s not talking about the basketball itself; you reframe the way you see the situation, he explains. The athlete might have their own personal affirmation, or Yeager might suggest using this one: “I was built for this. I’m not worried.” Finally, while affirmations can help in all these ways, they are not a substitute for professional treatment if you need it. If you’re experiencing persistent feelings of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, self-doubt, or stress, the Cleveland Clinic advises talking to a mental health professional who can help.
Pick Your Affirmation
The first step in starting an affirmation practice is to pick an affirmation. You can use a phrase you’ve heard that really resonates with you, or, Yeager advises, you can also come up with your own affirmation that will serve your purpose. Some steps:
Decide on a purpose. Think about what you’d like to get from the affirmation, says Yeager. Do you want it to reassure you of something? Motivate you to accomplish a goal? Or boost your confidence?Keep it short. Yeager suggests using a phrase that’s about three to seven words. “[You] want it to be quick, easy, and short enough that it can be repeated over and over,” he says.Keep it authentic. An affirmation needs a level of authenticity in order to be used effectively, says Zand. It should be something you believe is true, even if you may not feel that truth all the time, he says.
Decide How and When to Use It
Affirmations can be said in your head or out loud. Sometimes it depends on when you want to use them. If you’re at home in your bathroom, you can stand in front of the mirror and say an affirmation out loud. If you’re in a public setting, say on a bus, you’ll probably want to say it in your head. When you choose to practice really depends on why you’re using the affirmation. If you want to get your day off to a positive start, Dr. Phillips recommends practicing them in the morning. To help you relax and regulate your nervous system after a long day, he suggests saying them in the evening.
Keep Using It
Once you’ve decided on your affirmation(s) and a time that suits your schedule, try to make a regular habit of it. For example, if you decide it’s going to be for the morning, make it part of your morning routine. Repeat it as many times as you need. Practicing affirmations regularly is key to their effectiveness, especially if you’re trying to change thinking patterns or behaviors. To help you stick with the practice, the Cleveland Clinic notes you can write your affirmation(s) on notecards and place them around your home; keep them in your phone’s Notes app so they’re accessible; and set a reminder to repeat or reread your affirmations at the same time each day.
Affirmations for Confidence
I can make a difference in the world.It’s okay that the struggle happened.I was built to endure any chaos.
Affirmations for Self-Care
I’m going to be all right.My body is beautiful.I deserve the best.
Affirmations for Healthy Relationships
I am worthy of love.I’m thankful for my partner.I’m ready to receive love in abundance.
Affirmations for the Morning
I am grateful to have woken up today.I am going to see the world in a loving way.Today I’m going to be my best self.
Affirmations for Sleep
I’m grateful for the repair my body is going to go through.I am at peace with everything I cannot control.Tomorrow is going to be a great day.
Affirmations for Work/Productivity
All I can do is my best.Failure is part of success.If I keep trying, my successes will increase.
Affirmations for Sex and Healthy Sexuality
My sexual experience can include all kinds of activities.I can have an orgasm, but it is not required.I can have arousal before desire.
Affirmation Apps
Calm This app offers guided meditations, sleep stories, and mindfulness programs. You can follow along with affirmations from the app, or repeat your own affirmations while practicing breathing exercises or listening to a calming soundscape. Shine This app offers daily meditations and affirmations, self-care courses, and journaling to promote emotional health. Positivity with Andrew Johnson The app features affirmations and meditations to help you build a more positive outlook, led by mindfulness expert Andrew Johnson.
Affirmation Podcasts
Affirmation Pod Affirmaton Pod releases weekly affirmation sessions, each under 15 minutes, featuring themes like “I am a Light,” “I am Resilient,” and “One Step at a Time.” In each one, host Josie Ong walks you through simple affirmations you can follow along with at home. Affirmation Babe This podcast features empowering affirmation sessions to fit any schedule, from two-minute “Morning Gratitude Affirmations” to half-hour “Chakra Affirmations for All 7 Chakras,” as well as monthly affirmations tailored to each astrological sign. Host Ashley Diana talks through the theme of each session, before listing relevant affirmations you can repeat. Affirmations for Black Girls This podcast describes itself as a safe space for women to explore their emotions, offering discussions and affirmations on topics like “Finding Ways to Set Healthy Boundaries and Honor Your Personal Space” and “Learning to Celebrate Yourself Fearlessly After Trauma.”
Books on Affirmations
Positive Affirmations: Daily Affirmations for Attracting Health, Healing, & Happiness Into Your Life by Rachel Robins This book delves into what affirmations are, how to practice them, and how to reframe negative thoughts. It also offers sample affirmations and tips for personalizing your own affirmations. Affirmations: The Power of Affirmations and the Secret to Their Success by Louise Stapely This book discusses the most effective ways to practice affirmations, and explores questions like “How fast do affirmations work?” and “How do I know if my affirmations will work?” Daily Affirmations for Success and Happiness: 500 Positive Affirmations to Rewire Your Brain by Creed McGregor This book offers a huge variety of sample affirmations to help you become the person you want to be, create opportunities for success and happiness, and reframe your thought patterns for the better.
