How to Make Affirmations Work: Affirmations are a powerful way to reprogram your brain, as long as you use them correctly and incorporate them into your life on a regular basis. If you have been using affirmations for a while and still haven’t seen any results, then it’s time to try something new. Here are some tips to help make affirmations work for you:
How to Make Affirmations Work
You should write them down so that you can remember them.
When you write your affirmations down, you are helping yourself to remember them. You can also focus on them more when you write them down, which helps them become even more effective. Writing down your affirmations is also great for making sure that they are personal and true to who you are as a person. It will help remind you what it is that you want in life and who it is that you want to become as an individual over time.
Writing down your affirmations will also help remind you of the things that you do not want in life as well as making sure they do not happen again or become part of your life again in any way shape or form.
Do not repeat the negative.
When you start making affirmations, it’s important to avoid using the word “not.” For example, if you have a goal of losing weight and don’t want to eat junk food anymore, what are some positive things that you can say? Instead of saying “I will not eat junk food,” try something like this: “I will choose healthy foods.” This is a much more effective way to make your affirmation work because it focuses on what you WILL do instead of what YOU WILL NOT DO.
Write it down.
You can write your affirmations on any surface, but a journal or piece of paper is best. Write it down, and then read it to yourself. If you’re writing your affirmation in a journal, use a pen or pencil rather than a ballpoint pen or marker because these might bleed through the page (if they don’t, they will later; trust me).
It’s important that you write down your affirmations as soon as possible after you’ve thought of them—even if it’s late at night. Also, make sure to record them somewhere so that in case something happens and all electronics are lost, you still have access to them!
Be realistic.
Be realistic. Realize that you can only set goals within the time you have available and the resources you have at hand. For example, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds in a month, but your current exercise routine consists of walking around the block once or twice a week, it’s probably not going to work. Instead of setting yourself up for failure by creating a goal that doesn’t allow enough room for error, try breaking down smaller milestones into weekly or monthly goals instead (like losing one pound per week).
If your affirmations aren’t working out as planned and you feel like giving up on them completely, don’t be afraid! Use this opportunity as an opportunity for self-reflection and growth rather than an excuse for negative thinking about yourself. Ask yourself: what went wrong? Was there something I could have done differently? How does this affect my overall perception of myself?
Be specific.
If you’re asking for something, be specific. This is a key component to making your affirmations work. For example, if you want love in your life, don’t just say I want love; say instead that I want to attract a partner who has the qualities of being honest and loyal, and kind. If there is no one else in the room, who are you going to attract? A liar? A cheater? Someone who isn’t at all kind? No! You attract what is like yourself by using strong words that describe what it means for someone else to be attracted to YOU! If we look at this from another angle: if YOU can’t see yourself taking on these qualities or having them about yourself (or being attracted by them), then why would anyone else?
Visualize it.
Visualize it. Visualizing the outcome or the process of achieving your goal is very important.
You should visualize yourself achieving your goal, as well as thinking about how you will look and feel once you have achieved it. Some people like to use affirmations in order to visualize their goals, which can help them achieve those goals much more quickly.
Visualization techniques are also useful for helping with confidence issues and overcoming procrastination, so if you struggle with either of these things then consider using this technique as well!
Find a mantra.
A mantra is a word or phrase that you repeat silently to yourself. It can be a word, like one from your native language, or it can be an invented word. It doesn’t have to have any meaning—what’s important is its sound and how it makes you feel when you say it. Some mantras are long and elaborate; others are brief. No matter what kind of mantra you choose, repeating it will help keep your mind focused on the task at hand—be it meditation, yoga or prayer—and prevent distractions from pulling your attention away from the present moment
Get in touch with your feelings.
- Be in touch with your feelings.
- Feelings are not always rational and they can range from positive to negative. This means that you might be feeling sad, happy, angry, disappointed, or frustrated at any given time. These feelings may come and go within a matter of minutes or hours. They may also motivate you to take action in a certain direction to achieve a goal or make some changes in your life. You might feel motivated by the thought that this new job would allow more time with family and friends, or perhaps less stress on the commute every day!
Focus on one affirmation at a time until it becomes a habit.
There are several ways to do this. One way is to write the affirmation down and post it somewhere you’ll see it every day, like on a mirror or fridge door. Create an image for yourself of what you want, then place that thought in your mind when saying your affirmations out loud. As you say them, make sure they’re in the present tense and specific about what you want—if not, affirmations won’t work!
For example: Instead of saying “I will be happy,” say “I am joyful.” Instead of saying “I will feel confident,” say “I am confident.”
Aim small to begin with, and then aim for something bigger in the future.
- Set smaller goals.
- Have a plan to achieve your goal.
- Write down your goals and keep them visible so you can see them every day.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or ask for help when you need it!
Affirmations are a powerful way to reprogram your brain, as long as you use them correctly and incorporate them into your life on a regular basis
Affirmations are a powerful way to reprogram your brain, as long as you use them correctly and incorporate them into your life on a regular basis.
Consider it like going to the gym and working out; if you go for a run once every month, it’s not going to do much good for your health. But if you make exercise part of your routine and go to the gym every day, over time, those positive changes will become permanent. The same is true for affirmations: If you only say a few affirmations once or twice in your life, there’s no guarantee that they’ll stick with you forever (or at all). However, if you use affirmations regularly—like several times per week—and integrate them into how you live every day, their effects can be profound!
Make your affirmations positive.
The next tip to making affirmations work is to make them positive.
Positive affirmations are more effective than negative ones because they focus on what you want and not on what you don’t want. The reason for this is that when we think about something, our brain will search for evidence to support our thoughts, whether it be conscious or unconscious. If we tell ourselves that something bad is going to happen, then our brain will find evidence to support this idea and make us feel as if it is true. On the other hand, if we tell ourselves something good or positive about a situation (such as “I am happy”), then our brain will look for evidence that supports this statement (i.e., smiling people) so that we can feel happy too!
Don’t use “not” in your affirmations.
Don’t use “not” in your affirmations.
The word “not” negates whatever comes after it. For example, if you say, “I am not a failure,” what does that mean? You’re not a failure? Right—but what does that mean for someone who is working hard to change their life and make progress with their goals? It means they’ll keep going until they become a failure. These kinds of words can cause you to manifest exactly what you don’t want; instead, replace them with positive words like “am,” or better yet, add an adjective or verb to describe how you’d like your life to be (see my example below).
State your affirmations in the present tense.
You can use first-person language:
I am, I have, I do. For example, instead of saying “I will learn French,” say “I speak French.” Instead of saying “I want to get a job,” say “I have a job.” Remember to use present tense verbs! Also, be sure to replace any pronouns with the correct gender (he/she/it). Then you’ll be using present-tense nouns and pronouns.
If you’re having trouble finding nice affirmations that sound natural when said in the present tense, check out these examples from The Law Of Attraction Book:
Use first-person language.
First-person language is important in affirmations because it makes you feel like you’re the one taking action. For example, instead of saying “I am happy,” say “I am a happy person.” Instead of saying “I have a loving relationship,” say “I love my partner.” It’s also important to use present tense (instead of future or past) and active voice (instead of passive). We do this for the same reason that we use first-person language: it feels more truthful when you’re doing something instead of having it happen to you.
Examples:
- I’m a happy person!
- My partner loves me!
Keep your affirmations short and simple.
The shorter and simpler your affirmation, the better. And don’t be afraid to keep it short—a single word or short phrase can have a big impact.
It doesn’t matter what words you use as long as they work for you. Some examples of affirmations are “I am confident”, “I am happy”, and “I am strong”.
You can also try visualizing a specific situation where this strength will come in handy for example: imagining yourself standing up for yourself when someone insults you but doing so in a calm way instead of lashing out at them like usual (after all we need to feel peace within ourselves first before we can project it into our outer world).
State what you want, not what you don’t want.
If your affirmations are negative, you’re actually creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, if you say that you don’t want to be overweight and then add the words “no matter what,” then your subconscious mind may hear the message as: “I am overweight and I’m not going to change.” This will make it much harder for you to lose weight.
Instead of saying “no matter what,” try saying something like “I’m in control of my own health.” You can also use phrases like “I am healthy” or “my body is strong.”
Repetition is key for making affirmations effective.
- Repetition is key for making affirmations effective.
- The frequency with which you say your affirmation can have an impact on its effectiveness.
- How long you hold the statement in mind during each session can also play a role in its outcome.
- If you are actively saying your affirmation aloud, it’s important that you listen to how it sounds as well as how it feels when spoken.
Understand why it works
Affirmations work by changing your beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and habits. This can be done in the following ways:
- Changing your beliefs about yourself – for example, changing from “I am not good enough” to “I am good enough”.
- Changing how you think – for example, avoiding negative self-talk such as “I am stupid” or “I will never get over this illness” and instead using positive thinking such as “I can learn anything if I put my mind to it!”
- Changing how you feel – for example, feeling confident when applying for a job rather than fearful that you won’t be accepted because of what others might think of your application (which may have little bearing on its outcome).
- Changing your habits – for example working out regularly so that it becomes part of your routine (and therefore easier) rather than something that has to be consciously decided upon every day (which is more likely to make exercising seem like an unpleasant chore).
Be present
You are in the present moment. You are aware of your surroundings, and you are focusing on what’s right in front of you. Your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all focused on this very moment. You do not dwell on the past or worry about future events. Instead, you take time to be mindful of your body and its sensations—your breathing, heartbeat, and bodily sensations such as hunger or fatigue.
You may find that practicing these skills will help with other areas of your life as well!
Be consistent
Affirmations are a great way to build positive habits and improve your life, but you won’t see results if you don’t use them consistently. You have to make affirmations a daily habit that becomes part of your routine. You should use affirmations throughout the day—not just when you feel down or need motivation. When I’m writing, editing or looking for new content ideas, I listen to an affirmation track on my phone with headphones while I work. This helps me stay focused and relaxed at the same time!
Be personal
As you begin to craft your affirmations, be sure to use your own words. Don’t try to speak in the voice of someone else or a fictional character—unless it’s one that resonates with you on some level. You don’t have to be wordy either. In fact, a simple sentence is often the most effective affirmation because it doesn’t distract from what you want or how much you believe in yourself.
Your voice can play a big role in how effective an affirmation feels for you! If possible, record yourself saying the affirmation and listen back—it may sound different than what you expected because of how your body responds internally when speaking your own truth aloud (even if it feels weird). Once again, because this is so personal, I recommend using this method sparingly—so as not to overwhelm yourself with too many versions of “you are amazing!”
Affirmations work best when you are aware of how you are saying them and how you are saying it.
It’s important to affirm yourself. When you are aware of how you are saying it, it is much easier to make affirmations work.
- Be aware of your body language – If your body language is open and confident, then that will help with the effectiveness of your affirmation.
- Be aware of what you’re saying – It’s just as important to be aware of what we are saying as it is for us to be aware of our body language when using affirmations. For example, if my goal is “I am beautiful” and I say this out loud in front of a mirror but do not believe it myself, then those words will not have any effect on me whatsoever!
Don’t beat yourself up
The second tip is to don’t beat yourself up.
It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re trying something new and it doesn’t work right away. Don’t worry about being perfect, just have fun and enjoy the process! And as I said before it’s best if you can do this with a friend or family member who also wants to make their affirmations work. You’ll be able to keep each other motivated and accountable for your goals by checking in regularly with one another in person or via text message or email depending on how close you are geographically (and whether or not there are long-distance charges).
Take one day at a time
When you set out to make affirmations work for you, it is important that you take it one day at a time. If your goal is to develop a new habit, then recognize that this will take time and consistency. Be patient with yourself and do not be disappointed if things don’t happen immediately. Instead of thinking about how many days or weeks it may take before they become second nature, think one day at a time.
One step at a time: I have found it helpful to think in terms of taking small steps when putting affirmations into practice so that they can begin working on a daily basis without feeling overwhelmed by the task ahead of me. For example: instead of trying to improve my self-confidence by changing everything about myself overnight; instead, I focus on improving just one aspect (e.g., posture) every single day until eventually, all the changes become second nature!
One hour at a time: Many times, we get caught up focusing on the end result when what we really need is guidance along the way towards achieving our goals – this is where setting aside designated times per week comes into play! For example: if my goal was weight loss, I would set aside certain hours every week where I focused solely on healthy eating habits versus having those same meals throughout my entire day which leads me back towards unhealthy choices later down the line (I’m guilty).
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re struggling with making affirmations work, don’t assume that it’s a sign of weakness or failure. Instead, see it as an opportunity to seek out additional support.
You might not want to discuss your mental health issues with friends and family members because you don’t want them to worry about you or think less of you. However, they may be more supportive than they seem; in fact, some studies show that having social support is one of the most important predictors of success when trying to make changes in your life.
Another option is seeking out professionals who can provide guidance on how best to use affirmations as part of your treatment plan: a therapist or doctor are two good options here because they can help identify which techniques will work best for achieving your goals and provide advice on what steps need to be taken next (for example, if therapy isn’t helping with any underlying causes).
Check your progress frequently so you maintain your new habits.
Check your progress frequently so you maintain your new habits.
It’s important to check your progress regularly, as this will help keep you motivated and on track. It will also show the amount of work you’ve put in and how far along the road to success you are. If necessary, it can identify areas that need improvement and allow for adjustments to be made before they become bigger issues.
You can check in with yourself by doing a self-evaluation or having someone else assess your progress (such as a friend/family member).
Reward yourself for the small victories you get along the way.
For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, reward yourself with something that has nothing to do with food. Maybe it’s a new outfit or a night out on the town. You can also use affirmations for things beyond your appearance. Maybe you want to be more outgoing or learn how to speak another language. Whatever it is that you want from life, giving yourself rewards will help keep your mind focused on what’s important and encourage movement towards those goals in a healthy way rather than falling into old habits of self-sabotage.
Conclusion
So, there you have it—our tips for making affirmations work. As we said at the beginning of this post, affirmations are a powerful way to reprogram your brain, but they’re not magic and they won’t work if you don’t use them correctly and incorporate them into your life on a regular basis. Affirmations can help change your beliefs and actions for the better, but only if you remember that words are just words unless they come from within. It is important to understand why it works so we can take advantage of this technique in our daily lives!
