Affirmations
How to Use Affirmations: Practical Tips and Techniques
Affirmations can genuinely reshape the way you think — but only when you phrase and practise them correctly. Here are ten practical rules for using affirmations effectively.
The practice of affirmations is a powerful technique — one that can genuinely change you and your life. But only if you phrase and practise them correctly.
Your conscious mind can hold just one thought at a time. Repeating affirmations every day gradually fills your subconscious with the thoughts you want and keeps them front of mind — so the negative chatter slowly gives way to something brighter.
Some people doubt that affirmations work at all — but usually that's simply because they've never learned to use them properly. A few clear rules make all the difference, and once you follow them, the results won't keep you waiting.
Top tips on how to use affirmations
- Repeat daily. Make affirmations a part of your daily routine. Choose a quiet, peaceful time and setting where you won't be disturbed. Say them out loud and clearly. Consistency is key.
- Push past inner resistance. Keep saying your affirmations with determination and confidence, even when part of you pushes back. Repeat the right words again and again. In time, your mind falls in line and the resistance fades.
- Make them personal. Don't let your affirmations feel generic or spoken into a void. Look for real, positive examples that back up what you're affirming.
- Include yourself. Make it personal by including yourself. You can start with "I am..." or "My life is full of…".
- Notice what changes. Pay attention to how your affirmations land over the course of the day. Do you feel any benefit? Is your view of things starting to shift? That shift is the whole point — it's what affirmations are for. If it isn't happening, your approach may need a tweak.
- Treat it seriously. Affirmations aren't a casual quick fix. They ask for steady, ongoing effort before they can truly shape your mindset and your life.
- Choose the present tense. Affirmations should be used in the present tense for maximum impact. Instead of saying "I will be successful," say "I am successful."
- Add energy and emotion. During your affirmation practice, project positive energy and emotion. This will help you connect to your affirmation on a deeper level and accelerate the manifestation.
- Visualization. Visualize the affirmation as if it has already come true. Believe in it and perceive the feelings associated with it.
- Write them down. Document your affirmations in a dedicated journal or an app, where you can see them regularly. The repeated visual cue can work wonders to instil these thoughts further into your subconscious.
Build your daily affirmations
Put together a personal set of affirmations and return to them every day — free on iPhone and iPad.
Make your affirmations stick
Remember, the practice of affirmations isn't a magical trick; it's a technique to change your thought patterns. Don't rush the process — allow the affirmations to steer your thoughts and behaviour gradually towards the positive.
If you're not sure where to start, it helps to see affirmations in context. Our guide to formulating your desires correctly walks through the wording, and this list of 180 unique affirmations for your vision board gives you ready-made phrases for every area of life.
Pairing affirmations with a vision board makes the practice even more powerful — the words describe the life you want while the images help you feel it. Start from one of our free vision board templates, add your favourite affirmations, and keep them somewhere you'll see them every day.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I repeat my affirmations?
Every day. Consistency is what fills your subconscious with new thoughts, so build affirmations into a quiet daily routine and say them out loud whenever you have a calm, undisturbed moment.
Should affirmations be written in the present or future tense?
Always the present tense. Say "I am successful" rather than "I will be successful" — affirmations work by describing the reality you want as if it is already true.
Why aren't my affirmations working?
Usually because of how they're applied, not the technique itself. Make them personal, say them with conviction and emotion, keep them in the present tense, and give the practice time — affirmations reshape your thinking gradually, not overnight.
