Why You Need "Iffirmations"

Have you ever tried to raise your vibrations through the use and practice of positive affirmations, only to find that these golden nuggets of wisdom that do wonders for the rest of the world just don’t seem to work on you?

Maybe it’s time to try practicing iffirmations, a new concept we’re going to talk about here today that allows your mind to explore all of the beautiful, wondrous possibilities that life has to offer with none of the guilt.

When we’re feeling negative or down in the dumps, positive affirmations may seem to have the opposite of the intended effect, leaving you with more questions than answers. If you aren’t feeling abundant, trying to convince yourself that you are abundant can feel pretty hard just by repeating a few positive phrases.

It may be time to move onto a more progressive practice – one that leaves room for questions, concerns, and even (very natural) fears.

Why Aren’t Positive Affirmations Working for Me?

Don’t get us wrong – we love positive affirmations here at Daily Life, and many people seem to benefit greatly from consciously infusing them into their lives. But if they aren’t working for you, you’re not alone, and there may be a simple explanation for that.

One theory claims that many positive affirmations may not be effective because they’re specifically targeting your conscious rather than the subconscious mind. If your subconscious mind inherently believes something other than what your positive affirmations are claiming or stating, it can make it nearly impossible for them to have a positive effect on the body, mind, and emotions.

If your conscious mind is trying to affirm something that doesn’t ring true in your subconscious mind, it can create cognitive dissonance within – as though you’re trying to convince yourself of something that you feel you know to be untrue deep down.

And when you experience a feeling of cognitive dissonance while trying to practice positive affirmations, that feeling may actually do more harm than good.

Use Iffirmations to Trigger the Subconscious Mind

One reason why iffirmations may work out a bit better than traditional positive affirmations is because they trigger the subconscious mind and ask it to probe itself further for the truth. For instance, an affirmation like “I am abundant” may feel phony or wrong to the subconscious mind, which could hold its own beliefs that are harder to access.

However, rather than phrasing it as a statement, try asking, “What if?”

• “What if I am abundant?”
• “What if everything works out the way it should?”
• “What if everything falls into place?”
• “What if all of my dreams come true?”

Not only do these iffirmations urge you to seek the answers to these questions from a deeper place in your spirit, but they prompt the mind to imagine these iffirmations as being true.

Further, by starting with these iffirmations, you’re priming your mind to find the truth in these questions, meaning that positive affirmations may be more efficient in the future.

By connecting to the subconscious mind and asking it to explore questions such as these, you can actually begin to shift your conscious mind into a more positive state of being.

Read next: Strategies for Self-Validation

Iffirmations You Can Use Immediately

These iffirmations are perfect to begin your practice – and you don’t have to do anything to prepare yourself mentally or emotionally. Just dive right in! Why not try a few of these iffirmations on for size and see how they make you feel?

• What if I am abundant?
• What if I have everything I need?
• What if everything works out wonderfully?
• What if I love my body?
• What if I appreciate myself for who I am?
• What if I am brilliant enough to accomplish anything?
• What if I can handle any challenges that life may bring my way?
• What if I can get through this?
• What if life is inherently beautiful?

Iffirmation Variations

If, for any reason, this form of iffirmations doesn’t quite resonate with you, there are other variations you can play with until you find a style that makes you feel comfortable and at peace.

Instead of “What if” statements, try imagining your statements:

• I imagine that the Universe will take care of me.
• I imagine that things will work out just as I had hoped.
• I imagine that I am loved and cared for.
• I imagine that I am protected by the universe.

Less Pressure, Better Results

The beautiful thing about practicing iffirmations is that you don’t feel quite as much pressure as positive affirmations might cause. Rather than feeling like you’re trying to force a certain thought or feeling into your spirit, you get to ask yourself, to inquire, to wonder what might be.

Iffirmations give you the opportunity to play a bit with the world around you – to let that inner child step out and wonder at the beauty of the Universe and all the possibilities in this life.

By giving yourself the permission to wonder, rather than trying to force a sense of unbridled positivity, you can let your mind soar.

Use An Iffirmation Journal

If this practice feels unnatural at first, it may help to create your very own iffirmation journal. This is like a journal of positive affirmations but rather filled with positing musings and interesting thoughts to ponder.

What if iffirmations brighten my future?

You can start by writing a few a day and repeating them to yourself, letting the questions sink in and penetrate your mind. You might also try writing out the possible answers to these questions. What if everything worked out wonderfully?

What would that look like?

Iffirmations Are the New Affirmations

While positive affirmations work wonders for some, you don’t need to feel bad if they just aren’t cutting it for you. Iffirmations are here to take the pressure off and help us lighten up a bit – and they’re here to stay.

What iffirmations are you excited to infuse into your life?

Related article: A 20 Minute Guided Gratitude Meditation