Do Affirmations Really Work?

"It shifts what we experience as reality."

Do Affirmations Really Work?
Credit: iStock/swissmediavision

You’ve probably heard the word “affirmation” tossed around a lot in the wellness world. While it’s easy to dismiss it as something “woo woo” or just another tactic of positive thinking, Jona Genova, founder of Samadhi for Peace & Reiki Collective, tells Organic Authority that an affirmation is actually something way more powerful and life-changing. 

“Affirmation is the process of restating something as fact, usually something that we want to be our reality but we don’t yet experience it as such,” she says. “By restating something as fact, we are bringing our vibration into alignment with the thing that we desire to be our reality.”

So if you’re ready to shift your reality — whether it’s improving your financial status, relationship status or overall well-being — here’s what you need to know about affirmations and how they help change your current life circumstances. 

Which Affirmation Should You Choose?

Look at your present reality. Which aspect of it would you like to change? If you’re thinking that you would like to change more than one thing (the partner, the house, the money), Genova says it’s really up to you. You could focus on one or maybe include one that encompasses them all. 

“First comes tuning into what you want. Write it down. Step back and read what you have written. Is it framed positively?”

For example, ‘I am deeply well’ is better than ‘I’m not sick.’

“The second phrase is focusing on the thing you don’t want. The universe will hear the word of focus. Make sure it’s what you want.”

Once you have a positive affirmation, read it. Pause and feel it throughout every cell in your body as if it were a reality right now. 

“How would you feel if this were your current circumstances. Be with that feeling and make it detailed, who is around you? What do you do day-to-day with this new reality? The feeling is very important because the universe responds to our dominant vibration. Connect with your affirmation often but remember to back off when you feel any stress around it.”

Keep it Present and Positive 

According to Genova, affirmations that are stated in the positive are best. Need some suggestions? Here are a few that Genova recommends:

“I am financially stable. I have plenty of extra income to do whatever I’d like. It feels amazing.”

“My phone is ringing off the hook with new leads! The best part is, nearly everyone is closing!”

“I just love the way my body moves and looks these days. I feel strong, sexy and really good in my own skin.”

Above all, says Genova, affirmations that leave you excited work the best. Because the more excited you feel about what you’re affirming, the more you’re aligned with its vibrational frequency. Like attracts like. 

When Will You See the Results?

So you’ve got your affirmation(s) in place. So how long do you need to say it to yourself before you manifest it?

“The thing is, you can’t fool energy so for the big stuff, it might take time and consistency to shift your vibration to the reality vibration of the thing you want,” says Genova. “Saying and feeling the affirmation as often as possible is best but make sure you don’t take it to the point of being angry or resentful. When you feel a hint of that, back off and recalibrate your energy.”

But Do They Really Work?

While everyone will have a different experience with their affirmations becoming reality, for the doubters, Genova offers up her own experience. 

“For years, I said a prayer-like affirmation, the same thing every morning and throughout the day,” she says. “It held several affirmations that are all now my reality. It’s probably time for me to make a new affirmation prayer!”

 As to what she would say to the naysayers who write off affirmations as “woo woo,” Genova says, “What harm is there in trying?”

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Brianne Hogan is a Canadian writer, currently based in Prince Edward Island. A self-proclaimed "wellness freak," she has a... More about Brianne Hogan

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