What Are Affirmations? A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started

Our minds are constantly bombarded by thoughts, many of which are negative or unhelpful. They can put a serious damper on your day and make it hard to get anything done. As a freelance writer, I often deal with my negative internal dialogue. But it’s easier said than done – how do we get rid of them? Affirmations can help! Maybe you’ve heard of affirmations but were hesitant to use them because you didn’t really know what they were. That’s about to change.

Affirmations are simply positive statements that you repeat to yourself. Read on to learn about the many benefits of using affirmations, how to create your own affirmations, and tips for incorporating affirmations into your day. Plus, I provide 20 positive thinking affirmations for beginners so that you can start your journey towards using affirmations to motivate yourself and change your thought processes.

What Are Affirmations?

Affirmations are positive statements that you repeat to yourself using an optimistic tone of voice to help change your thoughts and beliefs. They can be a powerful tool for changing negative thinking patterns into positive ones. They can also help us create the mindset and attitudes needed to achieve our goals.

But do they actually work? The science says yes.

The reason that affirmations can shift our mindset is due to a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. When you use affirmations, your brain makes new pathways that make you believe those statements are true.

In other words, when you repeat positive affirmations frequently, your brain creates a mental image of your desired outcome. Thinking of your desired outcome activates your brain as if your desired outcome has already happened, which increases your chances of meeting that goal. Pretty cool, right?

5 Benefits of Positive Affirmations

There are a whole host of benefits of using positive affirmations, but here are five situations in which affirmations can provide benefit.

Affirmations Improve Self-Confidence

A major benefit of using affirmations is that they can drastically increase self-confidence. This is because when you repeat positive affirmations to yourself, you begin to internalize those beliefs and see yourself in a more positive light. By repeating positive affirmations to yourself, you come to believe that those statements are true!

This effect has been shown in research. A study published in the Journal of Research in Personality that included 144 adolescents from low-income households found that using self-affirmations was associated with greater self-esteem four months after the affirmations were used.

The next time you feel yourself succumbing to low self-esteem, try repeating a simple affirmation such as “I am worthy” to help turn your mood around.

Affirmations Reduce Stress and Anxiety

One of the biggest benefits of using affirmations is that they can do wonders for reducing stress and anxiety. Why is this? Well, when you repeat positive statements to yourself, it shifts your focus away from the negative thoughts and emotions you may be experiencing, and instead gets you to focus on the positives.

In fact, research has shown that affirmations can be effective for reducing stress and anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder. The study, which was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, included 75 university students with social anxiety. It found that the students who participated in an affirmation exercise reported significantly less discomfort, anxiety, and distress in social situations compared to before they completed the affirmation exercise.

What does this mean for you? The next time you’re feeling stressed or anxious, try repeating a simple affirmation like “I am strong enough to get through this.”

Affirmations Enhance Performance

There is some evidence to suggest that affirmations can improve performance in certain situations.

One study investigating the effects of affirmations on academic performance found that students who repeated positive affirmations before taking a test performed better than students who did not use affirmations.

The study, which was published in Self and Identity, involved 93 undergraduate students. The students were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group repeated positive affirmations about their academic abilities. The second group repeated neutral statements. Finally, the third group did not engage in any self-affirmation exercises.

The researchers suggested that the affirmations may have improved performance by reducing anxiety and boosting confidence, thereby leading to better performance on the test.

Affirmations Can Help Improve Relationships

Another way that using affirmations can have a positive impact is through their effect on our relationships with others. This is because when you can cultivate a positive self-image and mindset, you’re more likely to interact with others in a positive way.

How exactly does that work? Well, if you believe you’re worthy of love and respect, you’ll be more likely to treat others the same way. This can lead to more positive interactions and deeper, more meaningful relationships.

Affirmations Help Create Healthy Habits

Affirmations can be powerful tools for helping us achieve our goals. When you repeat positive statements to yourself, you’re able to focus your mind on what you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to get there.

Research has shown that using affirmations can be especially effective for helping us achieve health and fitness goals. A meta-analysis published in Health Psychology found that self-affirmation was associated with greater acceptance of health messages, higher intention to make changes, and subsequent behavior.

Positive Thinking Affirmations for Beginners

If you’re just getting started, affirmations can feel somewhat silly or even overwhelming. Here are 20 positive thinking affirmations for beginners to help you get your feet wet!

1.     I am calm and relaxed in all situations.

2.     I am my own best friend.

3.     I am grateful to be the person I am.

4.     My tension is melting away.

5.     I am thankful for the good in my life.

6.     I deserve a peaceful life.

7.     I am letting go of all my worries.

8.     I deserve happiness and joy.

9.     I choose to focus on happy experiences.

10.  I am courageous and stand up for myself.

11.  I am in control of my life.

12.  I will succeed today.

13.  This situation will pass, so I choose to deal with it calmly.

14.  I’m allowed to take up space.

15.  I am enough.

16.  I trust my intuition and my ability to make wise decisions.

17.  I surround myself with peace and pleasant emotions.

18.  My thoughts are slowing down.

19.  I am surrounded my love and abundance.

20.  I am calm and at ease.

Try choosing one of these affirmations and repeating it out loud using a positive tone of voice. Allow the affirmation to wash over you and become part of your inner monologue. With time and practice, using affirmations may help you gain control over negative emotions or unhelpful thinking patterns.

Creating Your Own Positive Thinking Affirmation

While I’ve given you a list of affirmations for beginners to try, you might be interested in coming up with your own affirmation. Here’s a step-by-step process for creating an effective affirmation:

Put affirmations in the present tense

Saying “I am happy and confident” is much more powerful than saying “I hope I can be happy and confident.”

Always use positive statements

Saying “I am feeling calm and confident” has a much more positive feel to it compared to “I won’t feel stressed anymore.”

Use direct statements

Use commands instead of questions. Questions are wishy-washy and don’t have as much impact as a direct command does.

Leverage emotions

Your affirmations should mean something to you. Focus on the “why” of your affirmations. For example, instead of focusing on how you’re going to achieve a goal, focus on why you want to achieve that goal. How will it make you feel?

Make it believable

Saying “I am a millionaire” every day probably won’t do much for you. Try creating an affirmation that is realistic and achievable, such as “I am consistently working towards financial freedom.”

Align your affirmations with your core values

Come up with affirmations that matter to you. If your affirmations don’t align with your values, they won’t do anything for you.

Focus on one thing at a time

It’s all too easy to want to make affirmations about a variety of different things. However, I’d encourage you to pick one thing and really give yourself time to internalize the affirmation.

5 Ways to Use Positive Thinking Affirmations

Now that you know what an affirmation is and how to create one, it’s time to review different ways to use affirmations in your daily life.

Say your affirmations out loud

While it can feel a bit silly at first, saying your affirmations out loud can be an effective way to internalize the message your affirmation is trying to convey.

Start each affirmation with a phrase like “I can” or “I will” to increase its impact. Stick to simply affirmations so that you can easily remember them and call upon them at will.

Use your affirmations daily

If you don’t have affirmations as part of your morning routine, now is the time to start! Set aside a few minutes at the beginning of the day to write or speak your affirmations. This can help you ground yourself and get ready for the day.

But don’t stop at using your affirmations in the morning. You can use them at any point throughout the day. If you’re speaking your affirmations, try to coordinate your breathing with your affirmations to connect deeply with your body.

Write down your affirmations

If saying them out loud feels too silly, try writing your affirmations down. While this exercise is more time-consuming than simply speaking your affirmations, it gives your mind and body a chance to absorb the full meaning of your affirmation.

To make it an activity you look forward to doing, buy a cute notebook and pen and keep them with you during the day. When you have a break in your day, write down your affirmation. If you want to be reminded of your affirmation throughout the day, try writing them out on sticky notes and leaving them in places you pass by often.

Visualize your affirmations

If speaking and writing affirmations doesn’t work for you, try visualizing them instead. By actively imagining yourself living out your affirmations, you solidify the meaning of the powerful words. This helps you internalize your affirmation, which will help it show up in your life faster.

Use your affirmation when you have a negative thought

Positive thinking affirmations aren’t just for when you’re feeling happy. You can also use them in times of stress or sadness as a way to bring your attention back to positive feelings. That’s not to say that you should ignore or avoid difficult emotions (it’s important to feel and process our emotions). But repeating a positive affirmation when a negative thought pops up may help us get into a mindset that allows us to process that emotion safely and effectively.

Final Thoughts

Even if you’re a total beginner, using affirmations can be an effective way to relieve stress and anxiety, improve self-confidence and relationships, and give you a boost in achieving your goals.

If you haven’t already tried using affirmations, give the affirmations in the “affirmations for beginners” section a try. You might be surprised by just how effective they are! Struggling to get into the habit of using affirmations? Try to set aside five minutes per day to breathe deeply and repeat your affirmation to yourself. You’ll be amazed by the mental space this creates!

Interested in affirmations for self-care or body image? Check out my downloadable workbooks (Body Image Workbook and Self-Care Workbook) for affirmations, journaling prompts, and more!