What is an Affirmation?

To start practicing affirmations you need to find the right phrase that states what you want to achieve, then repeat it consistently.

We’ve written a handy step-by-step guide on how to start practicing.

An affirmation is a powerful statement confirming something to be true. For example “I am brave and fearless”.

Written in the present tense, you announce the strong affirmation as though the goal is already being achieved.

Affirmations help to retrain your brain to think more positively and replace negative thoughts.

By repeating the phrase you begin to believe it and take action.

It’s easy to write your own affirmation, you simply need to decide on what you want to achieve.

Affirmations are written in the present tense, as though your goal is already being achieved.

So instead of saying “I will try to get seven hours of sleep tonight”, you would say “I get seven hours of sleep every night”.

Use positive language and keep them short, less than five or six words so they’re easy to recall.

Speaking your affirmations aloud helps you add feeling.

Focus on the words you’re saying and what they mean to you, leaving time afterwards to reflect on your goal.

There’s no ideal number of times you should repeat an affirmation, however 5-10 times each day ensures your goal is always front of mind.

Make sure to say it as you head to bed and as soon as you awake in the morning, to set your day off right!

There is evidence to show that affirmations can actually rewire your brain!

Research published in 2015 found that reciting self-affirming statements produced more activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC).

This is the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and self-perception.

Other studies have discovered how affirmations can relieve stress, ease symptoms of anxiety and even help you sleep better.

Yes, you can say your affirmations in your head, aloud or even write them down in a journal.

Saying them aloud, and with feeling, is thought to be the most effective approach!

There is a small amount of evidence to show that affirmations can be harmful to your confidence if you struggle with low self-esteem.

Researchers discovered that those with already high self-esteem responded to positive statements much better.

Yes, research shows affirmations could boost a child’s mental health and even help to improve their academic performance.

We’ve compiled a list of motivating affirmations for kids to inspire your little ones.

Yes, affirmations can help with the pathological worry associated with anxiety.

A 2016 study, published in the Behaviour Research and Therapy journal, asked anxious people to generate positive thoughts and repeat them for one week.

Results showed that the practice was in effective in reducing uncontrollable worry.

No, affirmations won’t work for everyone. Despite research around the practice being largely positive there are of course participants for who it doesn’t work.

The causes of mental health issues for example, can run much deeper than positive thinking can overcome.

It’s simply a technique to have in your wellbeing toolkit for when you need it.