The Power of Affirmation

photo by: Hope House Press

Affirmation is powerful.  Take any individual, and ask if he or she has a desire to be appreciated, thanked, or encouraged in some area of life.  It is an almost guarantee that he or she will have one or more areas to share with you. We ultimately want to be recognized for existence, our actions, and our worth.


I recently did a study on the topic of affirmations. I challenged myself to consider how I thought about those within my personal circle.  I asked myself, “Where have I missed the mark in affirming others?”  As a child, I was taught to show gratitude, and have always been a firm believer in thanking people for their service. However, I was prompted to truly dig deeper, and came to a realization.  Although I express gratitude, it does not come naturally for me to affirm someone for who they are, looking at the true aspects of their character.  Also, it is often much easier to affirm those we really like to spend time with, versus others that we are not as close to.

So, I made a list of those people that I desired to have a closer relationship with. I pondered the following:

“What are at least three qualities of value in this person?” 
“What are some traits that I have overlooked, or not considered when I view this person?”

After answering those questions, I wrote the person a simple card, including statements regarding the qualities of value and traits I discovered about them.  Now, I will admit that it took me a few days to finish this task. However, without taking the time to process how affirming others could look differently, I would never have shifted my perspective.   I would continue to view this person only through the lens of my previous perspective, never creating a new focal point to view them from. Having met the challenge to create a better space for affirming that person allowed me to explore qualities of value.

This is indeed a better way to close the space within any relationship.  Just by simply taking the time to fill that space with a fresh awareness of positive regard...and qualities of value.