The word affirmation means the action or process of affirming something through emotional support or encouragement. It offers an almost onomatopoeic sense of calm, for in merely repeating the delicately plosive noun, those with innately spiritual sensibilities tend to feel supported by the mood-boosting terminology.
The act of reciting written affirmations is often aided by the presence of affirmation cards. Sometimes these cards are adorned with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations, other times they contain simply and beautifully written statements with zero embellishments. Whichever the user’s preference may be, the goal remains the same: to harness the power of positive thinking.
Those on first-time self-care journeys might find the prospect of reciting daily affirmations intimidating and slightly cringe-inducing. But, when self-worth is at an all-time low, chanting positive statements about ourselves, the power of our mind and the beauty of our body can make us feel more like a fraud than a divinely empowered individual.
However, affirmations are a very real practice with hugely beneficial implications for our day-to-day lives when used regularly – it’s merely essential to get past those intrinsic feelings of self-doubt before you can find yourself on the other side of doom and gloom.
Some scholars suggest that the first recorded affirmation was written by the 17th-century philosopher Descartes, “I think, therefore I am”. Others trace the mantric repetition of positive words or phrases to ancient Asiatic religions. The increased popularity of affirmations in the New Thought and New Age eras (19th and 20th centuries), however, is often credited to Religious Science practitioner Louise Hay and the author of Law of Attraction Esther Hicks.
The New Thought and New Age figureheads, respectively, promote slightly different ways of using affirmations. Hay suggests that affirmations can be used to reprogram a negative mindset, while Hicks promotes the use of affirmations only when one is already in a state of happiness and peace.
Whichever way you’d like to engage in reciting affirmations, be sure to keep positivity and self-love at the heart of your practice. We’ve curated a selection of the best affirmation cards containing mantras to help bring positive change into action.
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Asana Creatives Affirmation Cards
This lovely 40-card deck features a series of beautifully illustrated affirmations by Asana Creatives. We’re big fans of this high-quality pack because the front of each card contains a simple, mantric affirmation while the back features a more detailed, didactic explanation of the positive statement. This not only helps individuals understand the importance of certain mantras but gives them the tools to put them into action.
For those who aren’t yet convinced, the deck also includes succinct bullet points on the benefits of affirmations and a short summary of how to practice positive thinking.
Buy now £32.20, Etsy
Nap Ministry's Rest Deck: 50 Practices to Resist Grind Culture Cards
Tricia Herse is the celebrated founder of the Nap Ministry, which advocates the importance of rest as a racial and social justice issue. This fantastic 50-card deck features illustrations by Paula Champagne and teaches us how to reclaim rest in everyday life. Far more than just taking naps, rest is all about lifting ourselves up and out of the toxic effects of modern grind culture.
Buy now £15.03, Amazon
Intelligent Change Mindful Affirmation Cards for Health and Wellbeing
Intelligent Change is home to a variety of themed affirmation card sets to promote positivity, from options which focus on love and relationships to financial abundance. Our personal favourite just so happens to be the health and wellbeing collection. This sage green set prioritises a holistic approach to affirmations which seeks to foster harmony between the body, mind and spirit.
Buy now £29.00, Amazon
A Box Of Pep Talks Stationery Set
A slightly different take on affirmations, this Box of Pep stationery set requires users to write their own. It contains a variety of envelopes with different prompts such as, ‘Read me when a big change is on the horizon,’ ‘Read me when you feel like an imposter,’ and ‘Read me when a little tough love might help’. The delightfully designed piece of kit offers users the ability to write highly specific notes to their future selves which are sure to hit home.
Buy now £11.00, Urban Outfitters
Sunshine in a Jar
A jar filled to the brim with gleaming rays of positivity, this set of 100 affirmations has been crafted to elevate your spirits and imbue each day with glorious positivity no matter the weather. Each affirmation card measures approximately two inches, making them perfect for popping in your pocket and reaching for throughout the day. We love the clean, minimal font choice and small, smile-boosting illustrations which accompany each affirmation.
Buy now £22.99, Etsy
Power Thought Cards: 64 Positive Affirmation Cards for Self-Love, Motivation, and Healing
The original positive affirmation deck by none other than the best-selling author of You Can Heal Your Life, Louisa May, these lovely colourful cards help to encourage positive thought patterns for creating health, abundance, joy and peace. Housed in a highly gift-worthy box, the entire collection of 64 cards contains a whopping 128 unique artworks by five different artists.
Buy now £17.99, Waterstones
The Little Frog's Guide to Self-Care
California-based artist and illustrator Maybell Eequay is well-known for her adorable heeled, toadstool-clad frog character. This gorgeous book features over 40 of her hand-drawn illustrations of ‘the little frog’ accompanied by gentle, helpful tips on how to make positive changes when you’re feeling stuck in the mud.
Buy now £7.59, Amazon
Emotional First Aid Kit
This Emotional First Aid Kit is void of plasters and antiseptic, instead containing a series of positive affirmations and practical tools for overcoming mental health obstacles with the help of colourful illustrations. From separating the facts of happiness from the fiction we’ve learned from social media to understanding how to cope with uncertainty – this set of cards is like having a personal psychologist hidden in your back pocket.
Buy now £13.80, Amazon
Paper Stars in a Jar with Positive Affirmations
For those who value a more tactile approach to affirmations, look no further than these adorable origami lucky stars. Whenever you’re having a particularly low day, simply reach for one of these delicate affirmations, repeat the positive message to yourself, and thank your lucky stars for the handmade delights.
Buy now £21.31, Etsy
Love Yourself You Stupid B*tch - Set of 20 sweary affirmation cards
Tough love can be a powerful tool when used correctly. These comedic and brightly illustrated affirmation cards contain a variety of colourful mantras with even more colourful language.
Buy now £15.95, Etsy
