Positive Affirmations can be a super effective self-help technique, and it doesn’t have to be as cheesy as standing in front of a mirror repeating “I am valued,” in a droning voice. (Though if that works for you, go for it!)
Positive affirmations are a simple mental health tool that can help interrupt negative self-talk, reduce anxiety, and build a healthier mindset. Positive affirmations are great because they are easy to use anytime, anywhere, by anyone. But what does that really mean?
What Is An Affirmation?
Positive affirmations are thoughts or phrases that challenge negative self-talk and help develop a more positive mindset. It can look different for everyone, but research shows the benefits are universal – it can WORK for everyone.
I find that the main reason people feel opposed to affirmations is because it feels silly. And I don’t disagree. It is silly.
But as we know from play therapy, fun can facilitate A LOT of healing.
Don’t disregard affirmations as new-age hippy wellness until you really give them a shot. You might be surprised.
Proof That It Works: Self-Affirmation Theory
The benefits of positive affirmations for mental health and self-esteem are empirically supported with tons of research. The reason it works all boils down to training your brain to think a certain way.
Think “fake it till you make it,” but with scientific evidence.
First coined by Claude Steele, self-affirmation theory suggests that self-esteem exists to maintain a positive sense of self). When there are threats to that positive image, people naturally respond with an attempt to restore their self image.
There are three main ways in which people could respond: accommodating the threat as a basis for behavioral change, adapting the threat to feel less defeated, or affirming other self-resources that might help them adapt their behavior.
Put in a very simple example, imagine someone calls you a liar. You may respond by accommodating, thinking “I did lie a bit and I need to improve that,” or by adapting the threat, thinking “They didn’t mean that I’m a liar, they just misunderstood.”
Both of these responses are common and sort of automatic in your brain. But they don’t help your self-esteem in the long run or encourage positive behavior change.
The third method, affirming other aspects of yourself that might be incorporated to adapt your behavior, is what Claude calls self-affirmation theory. He proposed that when used successfully, a self-affirmation can neutralize the threat without the person resorting to defensive biases.
In the same example, it might look like someone calling you a name and you respond by saying to yourself “I am a kind person.”
That sends a calming signal to your brain, allowing you to then think rationally about the threat at hand. Now that you’ve had a second to think about the situation, you might conclude, “I know that I am not a liar, but I will be more clear with my words to prevent misunderstandings.”
Even using an affirmation completely unrelated to the threat at hand can help to rebalance your mind, allowing you to address the issue with a better perspective.
The defensive nature of your response isn’t really about the threat itself, it’s just your mind trying to protect you against a threat in general. So for the best outcome, you can calm your mind with an unrelated, but true, positive affirmation and then address the issue at hand.
Practice Makes Perfect
The most important thing to remember when using daily positive affirmations is that they are exponentially more effective the longer that you use them. The purpose of positive affirmations – the science behind why it works – is to rewire your brain. That doesn’t happen after just two encouraging encounters. It takes time.
It might also be difficult to implement a positive affirmation for the first time in a high-stress scenario, so it’s helpful to practice using them throughout your life in neutral situations. That way when it comes time to use one in a real conflict, it’s just muscle memory – for your brain.
How do I practice daily positive affirmations?
One benefit of affirmations daily is that you can tailor them to your life, incorporating them into your daily routine however it feels comfortable to do so.
If you prefer structure, try picking a time of day or activity as a cue to speak a few positive phrases to yourself. Maybe you say them in the morning while you’re getting out of bed or each time you go wash your hands.
If you prefer a more spontaneous approach, try printing quotes or hanging post-it notes around your house, work, and car. These can serve as an effortless reminder each time you look up at them.
Try one of these methods to implement positive affirmations in your life
- Post-it notes with positive sayings around your house, like your mirror and fridge
- An app on your smartphone or watch that sends you “pep talk” notifications
- Writing or journaling positive thoughts you want to carry with you throughout the day
- Speaking positive phrases to yourself as part of your morning routine
- Pairing the words with calming movements, like yoga or stretches
- Listening to a voice recording of yourself speaking positive sayings while you drive
- Using short, simple phrases that get to the point
Sherman, D. K., & Cohen, G. L. (2006). The Psychology of Self‐defense: Self‐affirmation theory. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 183–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2601(06)38004-5
Written by Katie Walling
Written By Jessica Kobrick, Intern
Jessica is an Undergraduate Intern at Counseling Simplified in West Lafayette. She is currently an undergraduate at Purdue, studying psychology, human sciences, and family development.