This post is a four-step guide on how to create affirmations that work.
August 30, 2021
SbL is supported by readers. If you purchase something I genuinely recommend via an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you (thank you).
Table of Contents
- Why Your Affirmations Aren’t Working
- Optimize Your Affirmation Statements
- Check For Blocks
- Take Action
- Strengthen the Affirmation
- Additional Support
GOT AFFIRMATION FATIGUE?
Were you really hoping that positive affirmations would work for you but LITERALLY NOTHING CHANGED?
It’s okay. I can help.
Several years ago I studied hypnotherapy and learned how to create effective hypnosis scripts. I had no idea back then that I’d be able to use this skill to enhance my affirmation practice.
Using positive affirmations may seem pretty simple, but you’re training your mind. And when working with your mind, there are things you must be aware of.
WHY YOUR AFFIRMATIONS AREN’T WORKING
There are lots of reasons why a positive affirmation may not work for you but here’s the most common:
- the affirmation isn’t written optimally
- you don’t believe the affirmation
- you’re resisting the affirmation due to an emotional block
- you’re not aware of the amazing secrets I’m about to share 😉
Here are four ways to supercharge your affirmations so you can free yourself from limiting beliefs and manifest incredible positive change.
1: OPTIMIZE YOUR AFFIRMATION STATEMENTS
Powerful affirmation statements are positive, emotive, vivid, and believable.
Focus on the Positive Result
Not all positive affirmations are actually positive.
What I mean is, the affirmation needs to focus on what you want — the future outcome — not the current behaviour or situation you’re trying to move out of.
And in order to be positive, the statement shouldn’t contain: “don’t,” “can’t,” “won’t,” “not,” etc.
For example:
Not-so-great affirmation
“I don’t eat junk food anymore. I am healthy.”
This affirmation focuses on the phrase “junk food” and that’s the last thing someone who’s trying to become healthier wants imprinted in their mind.
Great affirmation
“I nurture my body with wholesome, healthy food. I am healthy and energized.”
This affirmation is clear, direct, and zeros-in on the future goal.
Make the Affirmation Emotive
If you want your affirmation to manifest, you have to consider energy and the vibration you’re putting out.
The theory of the law of attraction is that you manifest something by aligning with its frequency or vibration. And you can adjust your vibe through emotions.
So, let’s say you’d like to manifest a successful business. You’ll first need to identify what emotions you feel are associated with it.
What would running a successful business feel like?
Engaging, fun, freeing, empowering?
Now, link your affirmation to that feeling by adding wording to the statement to trigger one or more of those emotions.
For example:
Not-so-great affirmation
“I own a successful business. I am financially abundant.”
Great affirmation
“I own a successful business. It’s financially freeing and so much fun! I love what I do.”
Can you feel the difference between the two statements?
I added three words that elicit emotion: “freeing,” “fun,” and “love.”
Make the Affirmation Vivid
Link the affirmation to a visualization.
While repeating the affirmation, visualize what your desired outcome would look and feel like.
For example:
“I love my body and allow it to fully relax, knowing that in every moment I am safe and supported by the universe.”
What would it look like if you were calm and relaxed?
For me, it could be laying in a bed of grass in a meadow on a spring day. The sunlight warms my body and glows orange through my eyelids.
You don’t need to visualize that whole picture every time. It could be as simple as envisioning the glowing sun over you as you say the affirmation.
Make the Affirmation Believable
There must be a sense of truth and authenticity behind each statement. To achieve that, it must be in alignment with your own values and beliefs.
Not-so-great affirmation
“I am the richest person in the world.”
Great affirmation
“It’s so freeing how money comes to me easily. I am wealthy beyond my wildest dreams.”
2: CHECK FOR BLOCKS
An affirmation practice should be part of a self-care routine that also consists of regularly checking in with your emotions, needs, and desires.
Is there an emotion or trauma buried within that’s causing your ego or inner child to resist the affirmation?
Say the affirmation to yourself now.
How did you feel when you said it?
Comfortable, light, powerful, uplifted?
Or uncomfortable tight, heavy, resistant?
If it was the latter, don’t worry. Knowing that there’s resistance to the affirmation is empowering. Because now you’ve uncovered a block that can be cleared.
For example, if you’re having trouble manifesting more money with an affirmation, perhaps there was a time in the past you experienced money causing a conflict between your loved ones.
Or maybe you were told that, “Money doesn’t grow on trees,” or that you, “Have to work hard to earn a penny” making it difficult to believe the affirmation.
These experiences and statements can stick with us, even if you don’t feel like they made much of an impact at the time.
Here are three ways to clear emotional blocks:
Journaling
Write it to release it!
Journaling is my go-to activity when I want to uncover and release emotion.
Below are some journaling prompts to get you started (replace “what I want” with your desire):
“Do I deserve what I want?”
“Is it really possible to get what I want?”
“Could getting what I want make me less safe?”
“Could getting what I want cause conflict with my loved ones?”
“Is this the right time to make a change?”
If you’ve uncovered a point of resistance, try writing out:
- why that belief or thought is incorrect
- why you want to change it
- and the amazing things that could happen when you do get what you want.
Tapping / EFT (emotional freedom technique)
This evidence-based psychological acupressure technique is used to release trapped emotion that can manifest as stress, limiting beliefs, and other dis-ease in the body, mind, and energy field.
It’s my favourite way to release heavy emotions because I feel empowered and in control when doing it.
It’s also super simple!
Here’s a post with all of the details and instructions.
Breath Work
Say the statement in your head while taking a big belly breath in and visualizing white light streaming in from above your head down into your belly.
Say the statement in your head again while breathing the white light out through your mouth and see it surrounding your whole body.
Do this several times until you feel the resistance fading.
3: TAKE ACTION
Declaring your desires and believing you can manifest them is one step, but taking action moves you to a whole other level.
For example, when I was nervous about finding part-time childcare for my daughter, I used the affirmation:
“I love my daughter’s incredible nanny. She’s warm, considerate, high-vibrational, and trustworthy.”
If I said that affirmation each day but didn’t put in the work to post a nanny position, how could I expect it to manifest quickly?
Open some doors, take action on what you want, and let the universe do the rest.
(And, if you’re wondering, I manifested the exact nanny I was looking for. So grateful.)
4: STRENGTHEN THE AFFIRMATION
There are three incredible ways to strengthen an affirmation: self-hypnosis, mirror work, and consistency.
Self-Hypnosis
This simple self-hypnosis practice, while you’re falling asleep at night, is an incredibly effective way to help imprint the affirmation in your subconscious mind.
When you’re lying in bed, close to falling asleep, repeat your affirmation ten times. Each time pressing down on one of your fingers so you will get through all ten before letting yourself drift off into sleep.
During that relaxed moment before you fall asleep, your brain waves are very similar to that of a hypnotic state. This allows your positive affirmation to reach your subconscious with ease.
It’s also a lovely way to fall asleep at night.
Mirror Work
There’s something so powerful about making a statement when you look yourself in the eyes.
Link this practice to an everyday action in front of the mirror. For example, look at yourself and say the affirmation after brushing your teeth, drying your hair, washing your face, etc.
The legendary Louise Hay felt so strongly about the power of mirror work that she wrote a whole book on it.
Consistency
An affirmation isn’t a magical spell that’ll transform your world by saying it once.
It’s a statement that becomes a belief and manifests because of repeated practice.
Set reminders in your calendar, put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror, car dashboard, and refrigerator, and do the self-hypnosis at night. Make it a consistent habit and you’ll see results.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Here are some awesome books to help you gain more insight into your affirmation and manifestation practices.
VIEW ON AMAZON
VIEW ON AMAZON
VIEW ON AMAZON
VIEW ON AMAZON
FINAL THOUGHTS
Positive affirmations take very little time out of your day, make you feel good when you say them, and truly can change your life.
So don’t give up. Instead, use these tips to optimize your affirmation practice and watch your life skyrocket to a whole other level.
Leave a Reply