An affirmation is usually a sentence or phrase that you repeat regularly to make a formal declaration to yourself and the universe of your intention for it to be the truth. Affirmations refer primarily to the practice of positive thinking and self-empowerment—fostering a belief that "a positive mental attitude”, supported by affirmations, will achieve success in anything. Careful how you frame your affirmations, they need to be present tense, positive, personal and specific.
So what makes up an effective affirmation? First, determine what kind of transformation you want to bring about in yourself—a goal or intention. Or determine what quality, attitude, value, or characteristic you want to remind yourself of or develop in yourself. Second, if it fits, add an emotion to the mix or a word that qualifies the statement.
Some say it takes 21 days of repetition for an affirmation make its mark on your psyche, so aim to keep your affirmation going for at least a month. In the beginning you will have to consciously choose to repeat your affirmations. If you repeat them at every opportunity they will begin to replace the negative mind banter that takes over when we are not monitoring our thoughts. See if you can make that dynamic tension go away by making your words and reality match.
Here are a few positive affirmations you could start your practice with:
~ I am peaceful in my body, mind and soul.
~ I am authentic and present
~ I see the best in everyone and they in me.