Using self affirmations to change yourself

Last week, we’ve talked about how our paradigms shape our world: The way you see the world largely determines what you experience.

I mentioned one thing that I want to expand on a bit because it worked so well for me – the subject of self-affirmations.

I've only spent a total of an hour on this in the last 5 years combined, but the impact on my life has been tremendous.

One "aha" moment I had with affirmations was when I realized that a paradigm of mine had unconsciously shifted. It was like when, after a long period of being sick and then gradually recovering, you suddenly realize that you're not sick anymore. This feels like something.

One of the affirmations I wrote for myself was about my appearance, namely "I am beautiful.”

Although I didn't think I looked bad, I didn't feel "beautiful" either. But after a longer period of reading the affirmation every day, this changed with an "aha" moment similar to the example above.

At first, reading and saying an affirmation out loud is extremely strange. It feels a little like lying to yourself. But after some time, this feeling diminishes and eventually it becomes the normal way of seeing yourself.

Today, I would like to encourage you to try it out for yourself. This is more of a long-term project, but one that takes only a little effort.

As I said last week, seeing is being. To change your behavior, first change the way you see the world - one step at a time.

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Take 5 minutes to write down a set of self-affirmations for yourself.

Here are some examples for your inspiration. Also think of your own. Notice which affirmations make you feel uncomfortable but still reflect your values. Why do they feel that way? When you're done, post these self-affirmations in a place where you'll see them regularly.

When writing your own affirmations, use positive language ("I am beautiful" instead of "I am not ugly") and the present tense ("I am" instead of "I will be"). Then say them out loud to yourself a few times whenever you see them.

This is an excerpt of a post on Mental Garden, a regular newsletter designed to help you become a better human through guided introspections. Read the full post and sign up now.