Affirmations take a lot of ridicule. Like many things, they are easy for people to poke fun at without first-hand experience. But they have been around for centuries in various forms, such as “warrior creeds”, which help to guide warriors in battle and in their daily lives. They’re not a cure-all, but I’ve used them enough to know what they’re good at.
As a safety net in troubling times
I see the most benefits when my mind can’t see a way out. I’ve built a habit of stating affirmations both out loud and silently. This allows me to easily reach for them in a dark place–it’s become second nature. I don’t necessarily feel better right away, but I have a little reminder that I’m in a temporary state.
As thought disruptors
If my mind is a train heading down the wrong track, I can at least slow it down a little with a positive affirmation. In this case, an affirmation is something I can inject into my thought stream and disrupt it slightly. Sometimes just a little shift back to positive thinking is all I need.
As vision anchors
Affirmations can also help to maintain our vision. Having a regular set of affirmations keeps us locked into the mental coordinates we’ve set. They can help keep us aligned with our guiding principles.
The 5 Affirmations I’ve Used For Years
- I am alright right now, all my needs are always met.
- I am filled with positivity.
- I am filled with creativity.
- I am filled with opportunity.
- I am better than no one and no one is better than me.
Start Your Own Affirmation Practice
If you’re interested in starting an affirmation practice, here are some tips:
- Keep your affirmations simple
- Use only a few, I recommend no more than 4-5.
- Don’t change them often.
- Repeat them at least once a day.
Take ownership of a few affirmations and stick with them. Saying 100 different affirmations to yourself or listening to an affirmation video on YouTube with a myriad of different affirmations isn’t as helpful as just having a few that you use regularly.
Finally, don’t over-complicate this, it shouldn’t take much effort.
