“Today is the day for you to begin creating a joyous, fulfilling life. Today is the day to begin to release all your limitations. Today is the day for you to learn the secrets of life. You can change your life for the better. You already have the tools within you to do so. These tools are your thoughts and your beliefs.”
-Louise Hay
Every thought we think and every word we say is an affirmation. With every thought and word, we create our life experiences.
Powerful, aren’t we?
Now consider this: A lot of what we normally think and say is actually negative – and our experiences follow suit.
So how do we navigate this conundrum? We have to retrain our thinking and the way we speak.
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Easier said than done. But is it?…
When we change our thinking process, then everything in our life will also change – the people, places, things, and circumstances. Affirmations are solutions that will replace whatever problem we might have. Whenever you have a problem, repeat over and over:
“All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe.”
This simple affirmation will work miracles in our lives!
Now here’s the rub: We need to turn our negative thoughts and words (affirmations) into positive ones for a positive outcome. For instance, replace “I never have enough money” with “Money flows into my life easily.”
The more we think and speak about our limitations -- poor relationships, problems, illness, poverty, and so on -- the more we anchor them in place.
Conversely, the more we think and speak about what’s really true – having abundant power and opportunities for good – the more we anchor them in place.
Exciting, isn’t it? (Are you secretly already telling yourself that this doesn’t really work, that it’s silly, oversimplistic, woo-woo, or magical thinking?) Then consider this: it’s backed by science.
How Positive Affirmations Based On Science?
We can rewire our brains by using affirmations on a daily basis. It’s all about the word neuroplasticity.
Despite being one of the most sophisticated and complex structures in the known universe, the human brain can get a little mixed up on the difference between reality and imagination. This very loophole serves as the basis of self-affirmation.
To elaborate, when you repeat affirming statements daily, you’re helping your brain create a mental image of the goal you’re trying to achieve or the version of yourself you are aspiring to become.
And when this mental image is created, it activates the parts of the brain that’d be activated if you were to experience the goal you’re trying to achieve in real life.
So, simply put, when you repeat positive affirming statements, you’re encouraging your brain to accept your affirmations as fact. This, in turn, prepares you to take proper action toward achieving your goal.
We must then take action toward our goals. Making positive affirmations followed by taking action based on those affirmations is what creates the actual change.
Need more proof?
Consider self-affirmation theory. By practicing positive self-affirmation, we affirm our core values and beliefs, and this helps us establish our identity. Our identity shapes how we create and respond to our life experiences. Positive affirmations can help us to reshape our identity, and stand firm in our values, regardless of any threats.
What Exactly Are Affirmations?
Affirmations are positive statements that you say to yourself, out loud, or in your mind. The idea is that when these positive sentences enter your consciousness (whether through speaking or thinking), they subconsciously change the way you think about things.
Each affirmation is short and simple.
These positive sentences and phrases imprint themselves into your mind, slowly but surely changing how you think about yourself and life. It might sound a bit ridiculous at first (and it definitely takes most people some time to get on board with affirmations), but after trying them out, most people realize just how powerful they can be!
You can also use affirmations as a tool for visualization purposes – such as imagining yourself achieving your goals or dreaming about how you want things to turn out when they finally happen.
Generally, you can use positive affirmations in conjunction with positive thinking and visualization to harness the power of positive energy. Yet, it’s worth noting that affirmations don't have to be positive in nature, though it’s more common for them to be that way.
For instance, “I will not give up” is a positive affirmation, while “I won’t fail again” is more of a negative statement (as it focuses on what you don't want to experience).
Examples of Positive Affirmations
While creating affirmations that are personal to us and our aspirations is optimal, we can use these examples to inspire us to set out on the right path.
Let’s take some from the playbooks of powerful folks like Oprah Winfrey, Louise Hay, and Rev. Michael Beckwith, to name a few:
- I am a powerful creator
- I am available to more good than I’ve ever experienced, realized, or imagined before in my life.
- I am unstoppable.
- I have the capacity to learn new skills, and I can learn this.
- Making mistakes is normal and is a part of the growing process.
- Life supports me in every possible way.
- I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.
- I give my body what it needs.
- Life brings me only good experiences.
- I am open to new and wonderful challenges.
- I release others with love.
- I deserve the best, and I accept it now.
- All my needs and desires are met before I even ask.
- Wellness is the natural state of my body.
- I flow easily with new experiences, new challenges, and new people who enter my life.
- I now go beyond other people’s fears and limitations.
- I am Divinely guided and protected at all times.
- I am positive and grateful for everything that I have in my life!
- I am worthy of success and happiness!
- Every day, I bring more good into my life.
- I trust the process of life.
- I claim my power.
- It does not matter what other people say or do. What matters is how I choose to react and what I choose to believe about myself.
- I forgive everyone in my past for all the perceived wrongs.
- I let go of all fear and doubt, and life becomes simple and easy for me.
- Everything I need comes to me at the perfect time.
- All that I need to know at any given moment is revealed to me. My intuition is always on my side.
- When I share love, it comes back to me multiplied.
- I now free myself from destructive fears and doubts.
- Life always reveals to me what I need to know at just the right moment.
- I deserve the best, and I accept it now.
- As I change my thoughts, the world around me changes.
- I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing, for all the right reasons.
- It is safe to look within.
- I forgive myself and set myself free.
- As I say yes to life, life says yes to me.
- I now go beyond other people’s fears and limitations.
- I am Divinely guided and protected at all times.
- I trust the process of life.
- I am deeply fulfilled by all that I do.
- We are all family, and the planet is our home.
- As I forgive myself, it becomes easier to forgive others.
- Whatever I need to know is revealed to me at exactly the right time.
- Everyone I encounter today has my best interests at heart.
- I am willing to ask for help when I need it.
- I forgive myself for not being perfect.
- Perfect health is my Divine right, and I claim it now.
- I release all criticism.
- My income is constantly increasing.
- I balance my life between work, rest, and play.
- I spend time with positive, energetic people.
- The more peaceful I am inside, the more peace I have to share with others.
- I have the courage to live my dreams.
- Life supports me in every possible way.
- I am healthy, whole, and complete.
- I am at home in my body.
- I attract only healthy relationships. I am always treated well.
- I come from the loving space of my heart, and I know that love opens all doors.
- My healing is already in process.
- There is always more to learn.
- I now live in limitless love, light, and joy.
- I become more lovable every day.
- I have compassion for all.
- I trust the Universe to help me see the good in everything and in everyone.
- There is plenty for everyone, and we bless and prosper each other.
- I love and approve of myself.
- Life is good, and so it is!
- All is well in my world.
- It’s only a thought, and a thought can be changed.
- I am strong enough to make my own decisions.
- I'm in control of how I react to others.
- I deserve to feel joy.
- I am worthwhile, and my needs matter.
- I love myself for who I am.
- I am a quick, capable learner;
- Whatever difficulties come my way, I have the power to overcome them.
- I was born strong, and I grow stronger every day.
- Today, I am going to trust myself and my instincts.
- I treat others with respect, and they treat me the same.
- I choose to rise above the hurtful things that might come my way.
Positive Affirmations for Kids
By learning to practice positive affirmations at a young age, kids can become much more prepared to use them later in life. Here are very simple affirmations for young kids to practice and remember.
- I am loved.
- I am creative.
- I am kind.
- I am brave.
- I am a responsible person.
- I always do my best.
- I am unique.
- I am capable.
How to Begin Using Affirmations
So, how should we start? According to Louise Hay, a pioneer, author, and speaker on such topics, we can begin by making lists. Hay breaks this down into simple steps:
Make a separate page for each topic, such as love, family, health, prosperity, and myself.
Write at the top of each page what your belief is about that topic. For instance, “What I Believe About Love is…” “What I believe about family is…” and so on.
Write down every thought that comes up about these subjects, both negative and positive. A very clear picture of your belief systems will emerge.
The next step is to take each negative statement and turn it around into a positive affirmation.
Doing affirmations is consciously choosing to think certain thoughts that will create positive results in the future. They create a focal point that will allow you to begin changing your thinking. Affirmative statements are going beyond the reality of the present into the creation of the future through the words you use in the now.
When you choose to say “I am very prosperous,” you may actually have very little money in the bank at the moment, but what you’re doing is planting seeds for future prosperity, Hay says.
Each time you repeat this statement, you’re reaffirming the seeds you’ve planted in the atmosphere of your mind. That’s also why we should plant these seeds in a happy atmosphere. Healthy thoughts produce more quickly in rich, fertile soil.
Say your affirmation in the present tense, and give it emotional weight. Put passion into it! Feel it in your body! Anchor it into your body!
You can also combine positive affirmations with visualization and positive thinking! Try to visualize yourself achieving your goals, then say positive affirmation statements about what you're doing. For instance:
"I am energetic" while visualizing yourself running along the beach on a sunny day, or “I have achieved my goal” as you imagine seeing it happen in real life.
Practice Positive Affirmations Every Day
To get the most benefit from affirmations, start a regular practice and make it a habit.
- Start with 3 to 5 minutes at least twice a day. Try saying affirmations when you wake up and before going to bed.
- Repeat each affirmation about 10 times. Focus on the words as they leave your mouth. As you say them, believe them to be true. Say them with passion. Feel them in your body.
- Make your routine consistent. Try not to skip any days.
Hold a gemstone that’s in alignment with your positive affirmations.
The Takeaway
Creating the life of our dreams for ourselves, others and the planet may seem like magic, but with repetition, consistency, and passion – followed by action – we can use affirmations to think – and speak—good into existence. Affirmations help rewire our brains, and that’s backed by science.
