Affirmations…To Do or Not To Do

If you couldn’t tell by the title of this post, affirmations are being marketed as a cure to all problems from chronic illness to manifesting millions of dollars. Over the last few years, spirituality, self-help, and personal development topics have seen a rise in popularity. I guess we have the global pandemic to thank for that. This growing popularity is a double-edged sword because, on one hand, it is amazing that people have started to invest heavily in themselves, but this also gives rise to scammers and charlatans looking to make a quick buck. 

There are a lot of tools, methods, and hacks you can find in the intersection of these spaces, but the way affirmations are being popularized isn’t completely accurate to the way the mind operates. Not only that but the people that have the achievements, don’t mention sitting on their phone on TikTok saying affirmations to themselves as the key to their success. Let’s make this clear: affirmations are not going to bring you money, success, or a wealthy partner. If you believe that’s all it takes, then you don’t need the very things you’re asking for.

What are Affirmations?

Affirmations are positive statements often directed at encouraging happier states of being. There are different types of affirmations: “I am” statements, “Why” statements, and my favorite “How” statements. Affirmations are a great way to build the habit of conscious thought and prune your mental garden IF you know how to use them.

I am Affirmations

“I am” statements are the easiest to identify and can include any variation of some of these examples:

I am open to giving and receiving love and companionship. 

I am open to the abundance that is my birthright 

I am strong and wise. 

The downside to these affirmations is that you can create a sense of delusion if your brain has no evidence these statements are true. Your brain is going to make sure that you are always right, even if that means creating a false reality or perception to fit these affirmations. 

Why Affirmations

“Why” statements are like internal fact-finding questions. Instead of telling your mind what to believe, you are asking a question for your mind to answer. Try asking yourself some of the following questions and see how they differ from the affirmations listed in the previous example.

Why am I so open to giving and receiving love?

Why am I so abundant?

Why am I so strong and wise? 

Let your brain do the work of coming up with answers it knows to be true. Train your mind to see evidence of the life you are trying to create by asking the right questions. 

How Affirmations

“How” statements are by far the most effective and my favorite. With “I am” statements you run the risk of deluding yourself if your brain doesn’t have evidence to believe the affirmation. “Why” statements are better because it forces your brain to come up with a reason why the affirmation is true. “How” statements take “why” statements because it assumes an inherent belief and a desire to act in accordance with that belief. Examples may include:

How can I be more open to giving and receiving love?

How can I be more open to abundance 

How can I get stronger and wiser? 

With this phrasing, you are assuming you already have the desired result and you want to amplify its expression. The answers to these questions are the action steps you need to take to be in alignment with your desire. 

 “Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.” 

- Jim Rohn 

Affirmations, as a standalone, are largely ineffective due to the fact that it sells the idea that you can affirm your way to a better life. Affirmations are a powerful tool for mindset, but with every tool, there is a right way to use them and then there is an optimized way to use them. “I am” affirmation statements are the right start to affirming the life you want. “How” affirmations are the optimized way to use affirmations to achieve your desired results. 

Final Thoughts 

Affirmations should not be used by themselves as a critical tool for your self-development. While you should be comfortable with positive self-talk, positivity isn’t going to buy the house or land you the dream job. Affirmations are crap because on their own, they are empty statements you are trying to force yourself to believe. Affirmations work because together with inspired action or consistent execution you can actually embody the affirmation. 

An inspired action is the key to breathing life into your affirmations.