Affirmations: Woo-Woo or a Real Power for Change?

Is It Woo-Woo, or Does It Really Work?(Spoiler: you might want to try it and see for yourself)

Affirmations get a bit of a bad rep sometimes, don’t they? They’re often written off as fluffy, woo-woo nonsense - something people stick on a Pinterest board and forget about. But what if I told you that repeating a few simple, positive sentences each day could actually change your mindset, boost your confidence, and maybe even shift your whole life?

Sounds wild, I know. But hear me out.

The idea behind affirmations is pretty simple: by repeating positive statements, you’re training your brain to focus more on what you want rather than what you don’t. It’s like reprogramming your mental sat nav. You stop rerouting yourself through self-doubt and start heading in the direction of belief, possibility, and intention.

Still skeptical? Cool, because now we get to talk about one of my fave underrated superpowers: the placebo effect.

Yep, that thing doctors use in studies where someone feels better after taking a fake treatment - like a sugar pill, just because they believed it would help. But here’s what blows my mind: we’ve been trained to feel embarrassed about that. Like, “Oh, it was just the placebo effect,” as if that makes it less real.

But hang on a sec… If your brain can help your body heal—or at least feel better—just because you believed something would work, isn’t that actually incredible? Placebo treatments like sugar pills, saline injections, or even fake surgeries have led to real results in people. Not because of the treatment itself, but because the mind believed it was getting support.

And affirmations? They tap into that same magic. No, they’re not spells. They’re reminders. Nudges. A way to gently steer your thoughts toward something kinder, more grounded, and more intentional. Say something enough, and eventually, your brain starts to believe it. Your choices start to reflect it. Your energy shifts. And over time, so does your life.

So instead of rolling our eyes and calling it “woo,” why not just… try it? Be curious. Be playful. Treat affirmations like an experiment. You don’t have to believe in them straight away, just try them on, like a new outfit. See how they feel. See what changes, even if it's subtle.

And seriously, let’s stop acting like the placebo effect is something to be embarrassed about. If a sugar pill can help someone heal, what could your own beliefs do when you consciously choose to empower them?

A Few Beginner Affirmations to Try

If you’re new to all this, here are a few simple affirmations to start with. You don’t need to say them all, just pick one or two that speak to you, say them out loud or in your head each day, and just notice what happens.

• I am worthy of love and respect.

• I am capable of achieving my goals.

• Every day, I am getting stronger and more confident.

• I believe in my abilities and trust myself.

• I am open to new possibilities and growth.

• I choose peace over stress.

• I am enough, just as I am.

• I attract positivity and abundance into my life.

• I trust the journey of my life.

• I am deserving of success and happiness.

  
  

Repeat them in the morning, before bed, or whenever you need a little mindset reset. And tweak them if you need to, make them feel like you. The more personal, the more powerful.

Try it for a week. No pressure, no perfection, just curiosity. You might be surprised at what starts to shift.

Lisa Jo