How to do an affirmation

How to Use Affirmations: 5 Steps to Follow

To successfully practice positive daily affirmations, you need to find the right words and repeat them consistently.

If there’s something you’ve been determined to do, whether it’s establish a regular fitness routine or manage your own mental health, then affirmations can help.

You simply have to convince yourself that you’re capable of it!

How Do You Do an Affirmation?

If you’d like to know more about how to use affirmations then take a look at our step by step guide below:

1. Find the Right Words

Step 1: Find the right words

Before you can start reciting your mantras, you must find the right words.

There are lots of ideas to be found online, from bold and powerful general statements to more specific affirmations for conditions such as anxiety and even back pain.

Just remember, your chosen affirmation should be inspiring and challenging.

If you’re struggling to find one that sums up what you want to achieve, or you’re setting a very specific goal, then you can always write your own.

Affirmations are written in the present tense, so instead of saying “I will invest in my health and wellbeing” you would say “I am investing in my health and wellbeing”, as though your goal is already in action.

Use positive language, no negative thoughts or derogatory words about yourself.

You should also keep them short, less than five or six words ideally, so they’re easy to recall.

2. Ensure Your Goal is Achievable

Step 2: Ensure your goal is achievable

Though your goal should be challenging, it should also be something that is achievable.

Setting an impossible target will leave you feeling frustrated and you’ll likely abandon your daily affirmation pretty quickly.

If your mission feels too big right now, for example trying to run a marathon, then why not break it down into smaller goals?

You might say “I run 10k each week”. Once you’ve smashed that you can set goals for longer distances.

3. Say Your Affirmation Aloud

You need to say your affirmation aloud so you start believing it!

We know from research that affirmations are able to actually alter areas of your brain, particularly the parts responsible for emotional regulation and self-perception.

You shouldn’t be whispering your thoughts, you should recite your mantras with feeling, thinking about what the statement means and envisaging how you’re going to achieve it.

To reinforce the message, why not ask a loved one that you trust to read your affirmations back to you?

Hearing someone else read your goals can be encouraging but also creates accountability, an important aspect to many people achieving their goals.

4. Recite 5-10 Times Each Day

Recite 5-10 Times Each Day

If you’re serious about bringing your affirmation to life then have it in mind and repeat it throughout the day.

Start your day off with positive thoughts by saying it aloud as soon as you wake up in the morning.

There’s no perfect number of times you need to reach, however 5-10 times makes sure your goal is always front of mind.

Setting a certain time of day, such as when you get yourself a drink or when you go to the toilet, can help you establish a consistent routine.

As you head down to sleep recite your mantra again so you have the right mindset for the following day!

5. Leave Time to Reflect

Step 5: Leave time to reflect

Make time on an evening, or whenever works for you, to reflect on your affirmations.

Over time you may want to adapt them or make them even more challenging as you move closer to your orignal target.

Tracking your progress can be a good way to hold yourself accountable.

Writing in a journal has also been shown to keep you motivated. There are journals to improve your fitness, help you learn to live more mindfully, as well as those that encourage you to express gratitude.

Examples of Affirmations

Here are some examples of positive statements to inspire you:

  • I will rise to the challenge.
  • I radiate positivity.
  • I will spread kindness today.
  • I am open and ready to learn.
  • I feel healthy and strong.
  • I am smart and successful.
  • I’m doing the best I can and that’s enough.
  • I am making sleep a priority.
  • I am living in the moment.
  • Today will be a good day.

Here at The Good Body you’ll find plenty of affirmations to inspire you, including mantras for men, as well as empowering statements for kids.

Benefits of Using Affirmations

Practicing daily affirmations has many advantages for both your physical and emotional health.

They can make you more optimistic, relieve symptoms of anxiety and even sleep better!

One amazing advantage that might surprise you is that reciting a positive mantra can even make you more physically active.

Want to know more?

We’ve put together a list of 12 benefits of using affirmations so you can discover the many advantages.

Laura Smith

Author

Laura Smith

Associate Editorial Manager

Specialist health & wellbeing writer, passionate about discovering new technologies & sharing the latest research.