Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are structured, repetitive phrases to replace negative thoughts and feel more confident, motivated, and hopeful. They can help with anxiety or low self-esteem. Repeating I am… or I can… statements multiple times daily embeds desired beliefs or qualities. They work due to the brain’s neuroplasticity — new situations rewiring the brain. Self-affirmation theory notes we’re motivated to protect ourselves from threats by building self-integrity, which when repeated, becomes believable and real. And vice versa — repeated half-truths or lies can also become believable. A therapist guides us to say something aloud or in our head (I’m capable of learning and improving), write/post them where we can see them, and then practice (I’m confident. My feelings deserve names, deserve recognition, deserve to be felt ). Also see Positive Self Talk and Self-Schemas