What Does Science Say About Affirmations?

Studies have suggested that self-affirmations can improve resilience and wellbeing. Another study showed how self-affirmations could improve mental performance—memory, focus and self-control. This was echoed in another study of students where self-affirmation helped enhance performance and self-worth.

But affirmations don't receive A*s across the board. One study assessed whether self-affirmation could help participants be more receptive to health messages. It found that affirmations helped those with higher self-esteem but were less effective for those with lower self-esteem. Those with lower levels showed more discomfort and resistance to the health advice following a self-affirmation exercise. 

Why might this be the case? It could be that those with higher self-esteem were more accepting of the affirmations and more confident about changing behaviours to improve their health. Those with lower self-esteem might be more sceptical towards the affirmations if they don't believe it to be true about themselves. So, instead of being inspired to act on the health information, they interpret the message as criticism about another area they fall short on.

How to Increase the Effectiveness of Affirmations

Those lacking in confidence or self-belief would stand to gain more from affirmations if they were effective, but they could be the least likely to buy into them. Is there a way around this, and how can you increase the chances of benefitting from affirmations?

Set the Affirmation in the Present

Start your affirmation with "I am" or "I have" rather than "I want" or "I will". You might not think there's much significance to this, but setting your affirmations in the present makes a massive difference. When you set an affirmation in the future, you're reminding your subconscious mind that you don't have this yet, and what you want can seem much harder to achieve. 

When you set the affirmation in the present, it suggests to the subconscious mind that it's already in your grasp. In doing that, there will be less resistance towards taking the steps that make it true. 

Take Action

So you've talked the talk, but now you need to walk the walk. Change won't happen by repeating affirmations and staying passive. 

Let's say you want to save for a deposit on a house. You might create an affirmation saying, " I am able to save for a house deposit".

You've set it in the present to reinforce the belief that you can save for a house deposit, but you still need to physically do it. You need to follow through with action, like creating a budget, setting up a monthly standing order into your savings account, or searching for a higher-paying job.

Once you act, the magic is you're providing yourself with proof to support your statement. Each of your actions makes it harder for a negative thought to override the affirmation when evidence supports its validity. 

Make it Relevant

Choose an affirmation that means something to you. One way to do this is to recognise your values—what's important to you and why. One study showed how self-affirmations can activate parts of the brain related to how we think about ourselves. Thinking about what matters to us most can motivate us to encourage positive behaviours in our lives. 

Here's an example: You want to improve your fitness and become more active, so how can you tie this into your values? You might reflect on how quality time with your kids matters most. You'd love to spend afternoons playing in the park with your children or going on long walks, but your fitness levels hold you back. For this scenario, you could set an affirmation: "I value my body and how it allows me an active life with my family".

Linking your affirmation to something aligning with your values gives you more reason to take the necessary action.

Intervention Affirmations

Remember those deep-set paths mentioned earlier? These long-held negative thoughts are the hardest to rewire, as you might not consciously be aware of how often the thought plays out. They're like a running background commentary you don't notice.

The first stage is identifying them. Is there a story you consistently tell yourself? Once you've recognised a negative thought, choose an affirmation to help you reframe it. Repeat the affirmation each time you're aware of the thought entering your head. 

What might this look like? If you often tell yourself you're not good enough, counteract it with an affirmation like "I am always learning and growing, and that is enough".

Make it Realistic

If you're going through a tough time, affirmations are not meant to deny or undermine what you're dealing with. It's like when you tell someone about a problem, and they tell you it's not that bad. They invalidate your feelings. Affirmations shouldn't invalidate your own feelings about a situation, either. 

Affirmations won't change an event that's outside of your control. But, you can frame an affirmation to build resilience whilst accepting the difficult nature of the situation. So, you might say something like, "I have the strength to get through this challenging time".

Start Small

Whenever you have a goal, taking small steps makes it easier to progress than attempting one giant and overwhelming leap. Set an affirmation that you can get on board with. If you have low self-esteem, this will help you to be more receptive to the affirmation. The more receptive you are to it, the more likely you will feel its benefits.

If you struggle with your body image, setting an affirmation like "I love how my body looks every day" will probably fall flat. Instead, you might say, "I am grateful for what my body does for me each day". If you can appreciate how much your body does for you rather than where you perceive it's lacking, you may start to have a more favourable view of it. This gives you a foundation to build on. 

Be Specific

If you have low self-worth, will repeating "I love myself" change that? It could, but it might not be enough to convince you to alter your opinion about yourself.

A more effective way to use affirmations in this situation is to choose something based on a positive trait you can recognise in yourself. Affirmations like "I am a kind person" or "I work hard at my job" help because they are specific and tap into something you believe to be true. This type of affirmation is more likely to encourage positive feelings about yourself rather than a blanket statement.

Try Visualisation

Visualising how you want to see yourself in a particular situation can help reinforce affirmations. Our imaginations can be so powerful that our brains sometimes struggle to identify what's real. One study showed that if a visualised image was strong enough, it could feel real, regardless of whether it was imagined. 

Combining visualisation with affirmations could be helpful when preparing for an event like a job interview or an important presentation. For the interview scenario, create a mental picture of you sitting calmly in the room, smiling and confidently answering questions. Incorporate the visualisation with an affirmation like "I am calm under pressure and able to think clearly". 

Be Consistent

Saying affirmations a couple of times won't be enough to make it effective. Build affirmations into a daily habit where you choose a time to do it. Five minutes is all you need. Repeat the affirmation to yourself at least three times, but go for more if you want. If you feel the need to do them again at another point of the day, then it's a bonus. 

Are Affirmations a Silver Bullet?

Not for everyone. Affirmations can be helpful for some people, and there are ways to increase their chances of being effective. The only way to see if they work for you is to try them yourself.

If affirmations don't work for you, don't beat yourself up. Affirmations are one of many tools. You may need to choose something different from the toolbox. 

If you are experiencing prolonged feelings of anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, a therapist can work with you to find the right tools for you. 

Link to mental health helplines and charities:

https://www.meandmymind.nhs.uk/getting-help/mental-health-websites/

Link to advice and support from Mind:

https://www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/using-this-tool/