Affirmations, Quotes, Mantras: The Differences and Similarities
Noah St. John, PhD
Leadership Development | Talent Optimization Specialist| HR Consultant. I help corporations elevate their internal talent and drive growth. Subscribe to my Leadership Edge newsletter!
Affirmations, quotes, and inspiration are usually seen in a single sentence because most people think they are interchangeable and can be used positively. However, people don't realize that even though they seem to have the same meaning, they are still different. Others also confuse these words with mantras. It is important to understand the subtle differences between these three words because that will change the way you see them in your life.
Knowing affirmations and quotes can be very helpful. Knowing the proper application will help you conquer each day, bringing the right weapons to the battles. Affirmations have a lot of power compared to quotes. Depending on when you use this, it will usher in more happiness and success into your life every day, making you feel like Oprah in a sea of Ellens.
This article will tell you the differences between affirmations, quotes, and mantras. You will also learn how positive affirmations work and how you can create the best affirmation for every situation. Remember that everyone -- students, workers, families, and friends -- will benefit from it when used properly daily.
Affirmations vs. Quotes
Even though they seem to have the same meaning, affirmations, quotes, and other positive words are different from each other in a way. Affirmations are positive words, phrases, and sentences aimed towards different aspects of your life that need improvement, such as your love life, family matters, body issues, and so on. People use affirmations to condition their subconscious into thinking that these sentences are orders. They must do everything to align their body, mind, and spirit to achieve these goals.
Positive affirmations also alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression in many people. It provides healing to those who need it the most, and it shakes fear away from your system. An affirmation can contribute to a beautiful day ahead. It also reminds you to always think positive thoughts to weaken the pessimistic energies inside your head that can take hold of your brain.
On the other hand, quotes are memorable phrases and sentences uttered by famous people such as celebrities, politicians, and other historical figures. These sentences are meant to inspire people who can read them. For example, a woman might take phrases uttered by Michelle Obama as powerful ones, inspiring her to start living her life as a different person. These quotes do not have to be positive or negative: as long as they can spark emotions inside a person, they will work both ways.
As you can see clearly from the explanations above, affirmations are only positive. At the same time, quotes can be positive or negative depending on the mood of the person who said them. Affirmations are meant to condition and prepare your mind for what the future holds for them. At the same time, quotes merely inspire people to be the best versions of themselves, whether in a positive or negative light.
Affirmations vs. Mantras
Now that we have settled the differences together, let's talk about how affirmations and mantras are different.
While they also sound like they have the same purpose, they work differently. An affirmation is meant to talk to your subconscious, allowing you to focus on your goals and makes you capable of achieving them through positivity. On the other hand, a mantra has more than positivity in it. These words have deep spiritual connections to them, and they are meant to celebrate your faith with the deities above. The religious aspect gives mantras a stronger character. Still, affirmations do not require you to be affiliated in a specific faith for these to work.
We need affirmations because an affirmation serves as a reminder that we are powerful, that we can do it, reach our goals and dreams, and live life to the fullest, without making anything along the way difficult to reach. The moment you open your eyes in the morning, you should be thoughtful enough to think that your breath makes you alive, and you still have control over your life to change your narrative into something worth admiring.
Why We Need Affirmations
Our mind listens to us, and the universe always has to listen to a stubborn heart. Therefore, you must repeat those affirmations and walk with them every day, with a heart that accepts the truth and deserves gratitude. An affirmation can give you oozing amounts of confidence that will allow you to take each step with a calm demeanor, making it easy for you to love the skin you're in.
Lastly, affirmations can make us happy. We are full of wisdom when affirmations are at work, and it feels like the steps we take are much lighter than ever. Overflowing amounts of positive energy fuel us to be the best versions of ourselves, filled with the esteem that helps us accomplish our human goals and give love to our friends and family.
How to Write A Good Affirmation
We usually think about writing a good affirmation because we have to care about many aspects of our lives. While that is not a lie, focusing on one aspect saves us a lot of energy and effort, then casts affirmations on everything we can think of. It can drain us mentally and physically, but it can also be a bad experience with affirmations. Here are some of the things you should remember in writing the best positive affirmations.
You must set aside some time to create your affirmations. Your affirmations do not deserve the last few minutes of the day. They must be done at a time when your mind is ready to achieve inner peace, and these affirmations would speak to them about you. The best times to do that are when you wake up in the morning and before you sleep at night.
Why? Waking up each morning with positive affirmations at the top of your priority list gives the positive energy some sort of permission to enter your body, giving attention to the aspects that you have affirmed to be improved at the end of the day. Again, words can shape your days, so make good use of them.
Doing affirmations in the evening is also okay since the affirmations tend to remind you that you have done a good job in achieving the end products of your affirmations. It is also a good choice to do the affirmations in the evening since everyone is preparing to rest and recharge, giving us unlimited strength. At the same time, we sleep after we write our affirmations for the next day.
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You do not need to be a seasoned writer or a published poet when you write your own affirmations. Affirmations lose their beauty when the words are too vague and when you feel that reading your affirmations bore you for some reason. Affirmations are meant to stimulate your mind and give it a mindset fueled with positivity, so do your part and be specific on what you want to happen.
For example, if you want to improve your personal relationship, write something about loving yourself. If you have bought many books yet you still do not have the energy to read, write something like, "I am reading one book today and aim to finish this in a week."?
This affirmation is specific and short, and therefore this helps you manifest this even better. Remember that what you wrote has power, and you need to pour your belief into it to make sense.
It is already a given that repeating these affirmations aloud will complete the equation. After writing the affirmations in your journal, say them loudly several times a day, but not too loud, especially if you have people living in your house.?
You do not want to have an issue with them about being loud, especially in the morning. Repeating these affirmations aloud attracts the energy you need towards prosperity, abundance, wealth, improved relationships, and so on.
By repeating these affirmations several times a day, we are feeling the energy pouring within us slowly, making us feel worthy and loved, erasing the lies that other people have left on us along the way, and providing the much-needed support to make us trust people more and be brave within our confines.
It goes without saying that affirmations need to have visuals in them. This makes the affirmations extraordinary, and our subconscious can finally follow a story aside from the conditioning we do to them through an affirmation or two. You do not need to have an artistic career to do that. Start by clearing your mind and preparing your mental space for your painting session.?
Once you have done that, take charge of the brush and paint that picture in your head. Suppose you want to improve your professional life. In that case, you can visualize yourself going to work on time, leaving the office on time, and enjoying a cup of coffee with your colleagues every now and then.
The moment you finish painting that lovely picture, immerse in every color you can see and embrace it. Then, utter your affirmations. "I want to be more professional starting this week." Or you can also say, "I am going to work on time as I want to be a changed person this week."
Visualization is the secret to completely realizing your affirmations, and choosing the right visuals also works. You cannot clutter your mind with many pictures. We do not need a montage here. We need a simple mural that tells us the journey we want to take. Clear images help with affirmations, so always do that and remember that.
Some Affirmations You Can Use as Quotes
Here are some of the affirmations you can use as quotes, to begin with. Feel free to use them often, and seize the opportunities. Of course, you are free to write your own based on your own targets, irrespective of your goals.
You can compose affirmations related to your physical health, your dedication towards your passions and hobbies, and many more. The point here is that you should always find joy in writing the best affirmations for yourself.
Final Thoughts
Affirmations, quotes, and mantras are different, though they have a common denominator -- positivity. Using these to your advantage will make you more confident towards your actions and words, making you feel secure about your abilities as a wonderful human being.
Affirmations vs. AFFORMATIONS
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