Affirmations

What are Affirmations?

An affirmation is a positive statement that is designed to be read or written with the intention of creating positive feeling or belief in oneself or one's ability.

Are affirmations only words?

Affirmations are usually words or phrases that are to be read or written. However an affirmation could be visual or kinaesthetic (an action). Putting your thumb up or nodding your head are both affirmations of 'good' or 'yes' but such actions can have different meanings in different cultures. A picture can also act as an affirmation. A picture of a person on top of a mountain can be seen as an affirmation of success.

Can words and images be combined in an affirmation.

Certainly, this is often a good way of presenting an affirmation so long as the image and the words do not contradict each other and they both convey the same meaning to the person receiving or using them. Equally, words and actions can be combined to act as an affirmation, this is similar to 'anchoring' in NLP.

What is the best affirmation?

This will very much depend upon the person using it. The best affirmation is the one that is most effective in creating positive feeling or change in the user. A well known affirmation is simply ' I'm alive' - say it to yourself a few times, it may seem silly after a while but do you notice how much better you feel? Another well known affirmation is 'Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better'