Affirmations

Embracing Self-Love and the Power of Affirmations

Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. For years, I couldn’t see beauty in myself—not until recently. I often felt like I was living in the shadows of my peers: the ones who seemed prettier, cooler, smarter, richer, skinnier, and happier than I was.

When I tried being myself, no one seemed to like me. When I pretended to be someone else, people used me—and I used myself. When I felt dead inside, no one understood me. And when I began to take my first breaths back into life, people said I was “too much.”

But now? I don’t even care what people think. You know why? Because now, I like me. I give and take with myself. I understand and love myself. And I’m encouraging myself to be bigger and more than anything I ever limited myself to in the past.

Building a New Relationship with Myself

I’ll admit—this new relationship with myself is still a work in progress. I slip up. I fight against myself in fear. Some days, I feel unsure. But that’s where affirmations come in.

Loving myself has meant learning to hype myself up like my own best friend. It’s looking in the mirror and saying, “Damn, you’re cute!”—and believing it. It’s giving myself space to grow, learn, and make mistakes without constant criticism.

I realized I needed to treat myself the way I treat my closest friends. I would never speak to them the way I used to speak to myself. That needed to change.

The Role of Affirmations

Affirmations have become one of the most powerful tools in my self-love journey. Therapists often recommend them for a reason. If you look in the dictionary, the first meaning of “affirmation” is “a statement or sign that something is true.”

For me, affirmations are simple, intentional phrases I repeat to shift my mindset. They don’t magically make my thoughts come true, but they help me think in ways that feel better and more manageable.

When you use affirmations daily—even just one or two—you might be surprised at how much they can boost your mood, confidence, and outlook. It’s such a small practice, but it can make a huge difference. Why not give it a try? Here are some to get you started. Keeping coming back though as there will definitely be more!