Mastering the Art of Crafting Effective Affirmations

Where Do I Start?

Lately, my favorite way to choose a new affirmation is… dun dun dun… ChatGPT. I’m a nerd with lax internet privacy concerns okay! Essentially all you have to do is tell ChatGPT about the inner work you are doing. What aspects of yourself or your life do you want to shift? What kind of shadow work have you been focusing on? What are some of your fears that you want to work through? Then ask it to give you some affirmations that are aligned with your goals. BOOM. Done. Except not really because here is the tricky part…

They Didn’t Work For Me At First

Affirmations are a super easy way to create powerful shifts in your life. However, I’ve found that using affirmations is a bit of an art form. I used to pick out a mantra or affirmation but instead of helping me shift, it felt like it highlighted feelings of lack or inadequacy, so I stopped there.

But I Finally Got The Hang Of It

Later in life, once I had discovered the concept of shadow work, I returned to affirmations. I realized that those feelings of lack or misalignment were telling me something important. They weren’t brick walls, they were doorways I could choose to open if I was brave enough.

Now when I try a new affirmation, I notice the ways it doesn’t ring true for me. When my critical mind interjects or retaliates, what does it say? A lot of times I’ve noticed my critical mind needs evidence for an affirmation or needs it to be more believable.

How To Craft A Helpful Affirmation

Example 1)

For example, when I tried the following affirmation…

“I trust in my ability to make financially empowering decisions for my business.”

…my critical mind said, “Hmmm… but I don’t always trust myself! I make mistakes and I’m not perfect. I am learning to love myself and part of that means not expecting myself to be perfect all the time, especially when it comes to things that I’m new at.”

…so I changed it to:

“I trust in my ability to make financially empowering decisions for my business because I have a growth mindset and I am compassionate towards myself.”

Example 2)

Or when I said this one out loud…

“Today, I am open to receive abundance in all areas of my life.”

…my critical mind said, “Woah woah woah what if it’s overwhelming? What if abundance comes with some downside or strings attached?”

(I know this is pretty silly but it’s what came up for me, god bless me and my lil fearful ego!)

…so I changed it to:

“Today, I am open to receiving abundance in all areas of my life in a way that feels safe and supportive.”

It’s An Art Form

The trick is to adjust the affirmation just a tiny bit, that way your critical mind can hop on board, but not so much that you limit yourself and the benefits of the affirmation. This will help you expand your capacity to believe and receive good things.

There is a lot of power in words. Whether you’re a poet, a witch casting a spell, a coach speaking with a client, or something else, one tiny word can change everything.

If you try this and you still aren’t sure, check out Kelsey Aida’s book, #ActuallyICan for additional support and inspiration.

Once I Have An Affirmation, What Do I Do With It?

Start small. You’ll be surprised to find that just one affirmation worked into one new habit can make a difference. You don’t need a bunch of affirmations, actually the less the better I think.

Daily practice: Set aside a few minutes each day to repeat your affirmations. You can say them out loud in the car, in your mind during meditation, write them down, or even create visual representations like vision boards or sticky notes. Bonus points if you write them somewhere you will see often. An extra fun way is to write them on a piece of paper and then tape the paper to your water bottle so that the words are facing the water; that way the water picks up the energy of the affirmation… 😯

Positive self-talk: Use affirmations to replace any negative or self-defeating thoughts with uplifting and empowering ones. When you notice a negative affirmation come through your mind, offset it with a positive one. This can help shift your mindset and cultivate a more positive outlook.

Goal setting: Create affirmations that align with your goals and aspirations. By affirming what you want to achieve, you can reinforce your belief in yourself and your ability to make it happen. Affirmations are a tool I utilize often with my coaching clients.

Challenging situations: When faced with challenges or difficult situations, affirmations can provide a boost of confidence and remind you of your inner strength and resilience.

Visualization: Combine affirmations with visualization techniques. Imagine yourself already embodying the qualities or achievements you desire while repeating the affirmations. This can help create a more vivid and powerful mental image. Focus on the feelings associated with the affirmation and image for even more success.

You Got This!

And you’re on your way! Take it slow, with maybe just one new habit in your routine related to affirmations. Have a question or want to share your experience? Send me a message!

Until next time,

Marina 🔮