Affirmation: What Does It Mean?
You may have heard affirmations being utilized as a common coping skill or mental health intervention. It’s not uncommon for the engagement in an affirmation routine to be met with skepticism. This skepticism stems from not fully understanding the meaning of and how to properly utilize an affirmation. In order to fully understand an affirmation, it’s important to know its definition, the benefits of an affirmation, and how to effectively implement and utilize an affirmation.
Affirmation Definition
From the Old Dominion University (2025), an affirmation has been defined as
“Positive statement that helps you deal with negative feelings, thoughts, and situations.”
These may also be defined as “statements that affirm something to be true".” (Radhakrishnan). An affirmation, or a series of affirmations, is utilized to help challenge and change unhelpful thought patterns (ones that can stem from anxiety or depression) that keep you stuck. An affirmation works because of something known as neuroplasticity within the brain. This is the brain’s ability to adapt to new situations and learn new information. Let’s cover a few other benefits of affirmations.
BENEFITS of Affirmations
As with many mental health strategies and interventions, there are a variety of benefits that come from a regular affirmation practice. The main benefit, however, is affirmations help you challenge and change unhelpful and negative thought patterns. This main benefit contributes to other benefits such as:
Improves self-image and worldview
Lowers stress levels
Decreases worry, fear, and anxiety
Improves quality of life
Why is it important to identify the benefits of an affirmation practice (or any new intervention you’re contemplating)? If you aren’t able to identify how engaging in the exercise/tool/strategy will benefit you, you are less likely to follow through with implementing the exercise. What benefits might come from a regular affirmation practice for you?
Elements of An Affirmation
In order for an affirmation to be effective, it needs to have these three elements:
Specific affirmation = an affirmation will feel more effective when you direct your energy and thoughts towards one thing.
Consistent affirmation = repetition is key! The more often you recite your affirmation, the more it will become automatic. When your affirmation has become automatic (this will take time so be patient!), you’ve achieved the goal of changing your thought patterns.
Realistic affirmation = this speaks to reciting an affirmation(s) that helps you move towards an end goal. When we break things down into smaller steps they feel more feasible and sustainable.
Building An Effective Affirmation
Now that you have the three elements needed within an affirmation, let’s actually talk about how we create the affirmation. Explore the following questions:
What do I want to improve? Again, specificity is important. Be specific on what you’re wanting to improve. Highlight one thing.
Begin creating an affirmation with an “I am”, “I can”, or “I choose” statement.
End with a specific thought, feeling or behavior - this specific thought, feeling, or behavior needs to be realistic and is one that will help move you towards your goal (refer back to what you want to improve if you’re stuck on this step)
Identify when you will use your affirmation - remember consistency is key. Establishing and maintaining consistency is more successful when we identify when we plan to recite our affirmation(s). For example, if you are more productive in the morning, you may find that you recite your affirmation as part of your morning routine.
Make your affirmation measurable - how will you know when your affirmation is working? Hint: if you notice your affirmation is becoming more automatic or you’re noticing a change in thoughts and emotions, your affirmation is working! If you determine it’s not working, how will you make changes to the affirmation to get you closer towards your identified goal? Some questions to consider when reworking the affirmation:
Was the original affirmation not specific enough?
Is there a more beneficial time for you to recite the affirmation?
Are you forgetting to recite the affirmation? If so, what can you implement to help you remember?
Take each of these components one at a time. If you need or would like further guidance on creating affirmation(s), I encourage you to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation below.
Here’s to living a better life as your best self.
Brittany Squillace, MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
