What are affirmations?

What does affirmations mean?

The word ‘affirmations’ originally stems from the Latin word ‘affirmare’, which means ‘to confirm’ or ‘to empower’. If you look up the dictionary definitions you will find different meanings for the word ‘affirmations’. Affirmations meaning:

• a definite or public statement that something is true or that you strongly support something
• the action or process of affirming something
• emotional support or encouragement

So affirmations are a kind of statement and confirmation that something is true and they have something to do with emotional support or encouragement.

And that is exactly what affirmations are!

What exactly is an affirmation?

Affirmations are positive and powerful sentences, confirmed by repetition. The more you repeat them, the more you start to believe in them. Affirmations have three important traits, also called the 3 P’s of affirmations:

• Positive: an affirmation is always positive. Don’t use the word ‘not’ when formulating affirmations. You’re not focusing on what you don’t want, but on what you do want
  

• Present tense: affirmations are always used in the present tense (I am…), not in the future tense (I would like…) or the past tense (I was…). By doing so, you imply that the empowerment is already reality, making it that much more powerful.
  
• Personal: affirmations are always about yourself. You can’t change someone else, however you can change yourself, so (subconsciously) you can change the influence you have on others.

Affirmations meaning & how they work

What does affirmations mean? Affirmations aren’t just sentences you repeat out loud. If you use them correctly they will be a powerful tool for a happier life.

There are many studies on our thoughts and affirmations. It shows that we have between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts a day and the majority of these thoughts was exactly the same as the day before.

That means that if you have negative thoughts today, chances are you will have negative thoughts tomorrow as well. But if today your thoughts are positive and powerful, chances are that you will also have positive and powerful thoughts tomorrow.

The more you work with affirmations, the bigger the chance that at some point you really start to think like that. When you repeat affirmations over and over again, it feels like they become your reality and you start to change your way of thinking.

When you think differently, you also act differently. Your thoughts are the source of everything in your life. They determine how you feel (positive, negative, sad, happy) and determine how you act.

What is an example of an affirmation?

If you want to make affirmations part of your life, you need to decide why you want to do it. Fact is, affirmations can be used in every aspect of your life. What’s holding you back in life? What requires special attention?

Examples of affirmations:

• Affirmations for healing: “I am boosting my mental health each and every day”
• Affirmations for health: “My body is always doing its best to create perfect health”
• Affirmations for self-love: “I love what I see when I look in the mirror”
• Affirmations for love: “I am worthy of love”
• Affirmations for success: “Success is my birthright and I will achieve it”
• Affirmations for confidence: “I am enough”
• Affirmations for anxiety: “I choose to feel calm”
• Affirmations to manifest: “Every day I am moving towards my best life”
• Affirmations for gratitude: “I am grateful to be alive”

If you’re wondering ‘what does affirmations mean?’, the only way to find out is to experience them for yourself!

In the Meditation Moments app you can find affirmations for love, self-worth, letting go, creativity, friendship and friendliness. They are spoken affirmations accompanied by unique music that will touch your core.

What does it mean to say your affirmations?

Do you control your thoughts? Your thoughts determine how you feel, how you act and how your life turns out. If you control your thoughts, you control your life. You know what you want and you feel powerful, bright, happy and in control.

On the other hand, if you don’t control your thoughts, you don’t feel bright or in control. It feels as if life is happening to you. You experience more anxiety, stress, and self-doubt and your thoughts seem to be going in a hundred different directions.

According to Buddhist principles this is called monkey mind and everyone has it. There is the fear-monkey, the anger-monkey and the sadness-monkey and they keep asking for your attention. Everyone has these little monkeys in their head but you don't need to get rid of them.

It is, however, wise to learn to deal with them, so they don’t dominate the way your mind works. Affirmations can help you tame these so-called monkeys, so you don’t have to run after them but have control over your thoughts. And most of all, you can enjoy the positive effects this has on your life!