Many people don’t think much of them, but affirmations can drastically improve our mental wellbeing in areas of stress, anxiety, performance, self-esteem and more. The key to a happy life is our perception of our experiences in our environment. Practicing daily affirmations can shift our perception positively, therefore improving our outlook on life.

What is an Affirmation

To affirm is “to state firmly or publicly that something is true or that you support something strongly”¹. It is a short positive statement worded in the present tense that is repeated on a daily basis, as often as needed. They often, but not always, begin with the “I am” statement. Examples include:

• I am a money magnet
• I am enough
• I control my thoughts and actions
• My body is healthy and strong

The Science Behind Affirmations

We’ve all hear the saying “Practice makes perfect” – and this is the same when it comes to affirmations. When repeated daily, affirmations affect the neuroplasticity in the brain, which create new neural pathways. These neural pathways create new connections, specifically in the medial prefrontal cortex & posterior cingulate cortex (our key brain region for self processing) and in the ventral striatum & ventral medial prefrontal cortex (our brain’s reward circuitry – pleasure, motivation and self-valuation)^2.

Affirmations for change – Helpful Hints

Affirmations need repetition. Generally it takes the brain 14 to 21 days to create new connections, so practicing the same affirmations (or theme of affirmations) for this amount time is best.

Say them out loud. Our voice carries a certain vibration and when our ears hear our voice, our subconscious is more likely to take that statement as truth. Our subconscious does not know the difference between reality and make-believe, so even if the affirmation is new to you, in time it will become your truth.

Practice saying them in a mirror. There is power in looking at your self in the mirror. When stating affirmations out loud while looking at yourself in the mirror, you are amplifiying their power by creating a direct visual and auditory connection that engages more of the brain.

Affirmations during hypnosis can reinforce those neural connections. When in hypnosis, you are in an altered state of mind that is more open to receiving suggestions you identify with. Your subconscious is therefore more readily accepting of affirmations said while in trance.

Make your affirmations realistic, generic and attainable. If you are currently making a salary of $50K, don’t affirm to be a millionaire. That amount of money is too much for you to understand what to do with it. Keep your affirmation general such as “I am abundant and prosperous” or “Wealth constantly flows into my life”. Eventually you will begin to notice the money coming in in manageable amounts.

1. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Word. In Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Retrieved October 25, 2025, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/affirm
2. Christopher N. Cascio, Matthew Brook O’Donnell, Francis J. Tinney, Matthew D. Lieberman, Shelley E. Taylor, Victor J. Strecher, Emily B. Falk, Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Volume 11, Issue 4, April 2016, Pages 621–629, https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsv136