Positive affirmations are similar to personal mantras. They are short phrases or sentences that are used with the intention of creating positive thoughts and self-empowerment. 

It’s often easy to think negative thoughts about yourself, for example, “I can’t do that”, “I’m rubbish at my job” and “I am unhealthy and overweight” – however, by consciously creating a more positive sentence to actively think about and repeat, there is a chance that you can counter those negative thoughts and set a seed for improving your self-confidence and self-worth. 

If a positive affirmation is to work for you, then the key is finding the right one for you. There’s no point copying a phrase you heard from someone else or using one that you think might be easy to achieve. It has to be very personal to you and reflect something that you feel passionately about achieving or ‘being’. These phrases can serve as helpful reminders during a whole range of situations including moments of anxiety, moments of low self-worth, or simply when beginning or ending your day. Such affirmations could include “I believe in myself and my abilities” or “I am in control of my well-being and choose to be healthy.” 

Anyone can benefit from implementing positive affirmations – children, students, adults, athletes, public speakers, parents, and teachers – and in most cases, they can be a subtle reminder of an individual’s resilience and strength. Motivational positive affirmations can also help to boost confidence and activate certain areas of the brain associated with reward and success, which can be especially helpful just before an exam, competition, interview, or meeting that is important to the individual. Associated affirmations could be those such as “I am confident in my knowledge to answer each question correctly” or “ I have all the strength and training I need to win this race.” 

Writing out a positive affirmation can be a good visual aid to keep in your pocket and bring out when you need it. You could look at it a couple of times during the day to keep reminding yourself or even pin it close to your desk or bedside for a more permanent approach. Note that you might feel the need to update and modify your affirmations as time goes on and in different situations. If you’re writing your affirmation down, always write in the present tense, as if you have already achieved it. 

You can also visualise your affirmation, which can be especially powerful during a period of meditation or mindfulness. Try to take out a small chunk of time each day to simply sit and be quiet without distractions. Breathe slowly through your nose and repeat your affirmation to yourself a couple of times over again until you feel it starting to be felt within your heart space. When it comes to really positively reinforcing your affirmation and believing in it, then repetition is key, so aim to practice this at least one time a day. 

Remember that positive change takes time and that results are not likely to be immediate. With regular practice and intent you might start to feel small changes to the way you feel about yourself and also a shift in your mindset and how you act and speak. Over time you might find that positive affirmations help you to achieve a more positive outlook and attitude towards yourself and the world around you.