Have you ever wondered why ‘I choose’ is more powerful than ‘I am’ for lasting change? If you’ve ever stood in the mirror trying to convince yourself “I am abundant” or “I am confident,” only to feel worse, you’re not alone. This common practice of positive affirmations can actually backfire, reinforcing the very feelings of lack you’re trying to overcome. Let’s explore the psychology behind this phenomenon and discover a more effective approach that stops the inner conflict.
Prefer to watch? I’ve put my video below or if you’re a reader simply continue reading the post.
The Positive Affirmation Trap: When ‘I Am’ Feels Like a Lie
You’ve likely tried it before. You stand in front of a mirror and repeat affirmations like, “I am loved,” “I am whole,” or “I am confident.” While you are saying these words, however, every cell in your body might be screaming, “Liar!” The affirmation feels fake and inauthentic because it directly contradicts your current reality.
This dissonance doesn’t just feel bad; it can actually reinforce the very lack you’re trying to move past. But why does this happen?
When you make a statement that is in direct opposition to your current experienced reality, you create a massive internal conflict.
Starting an Inner Civil War
Imagine there’s a part of you that has been experiencing lack, fear, or another negative state. When you declare a positive affirmation that ignores this experience, that part of you feels completely invalidated. It feels unseen and unheard. In response, what does it do? It screams louder.
This part of your consciousness will bring up even more evidence to prove why your positive affirmation isn’t true, simply to fight for its own existence. You essentially start a civil war inside your own mind. It’s time to stop the war. You don’t have to create conflict; instead, you can create alignment.
Why ‘I Choose’ is More Powerful Than ‘I Am’ for Lasting Change
The solution is to drop the “I am” affirmations and, instead, start adopting choices. A choice is fundamentally different from an affirmation. It is not a statement of what currently is. It’s not a lie.
A choice is not a statement of what is; a choice is a declaration of where your energy will go from now on and forward.
By shifting to “I choose,” you honor where you are right now while simultaneously taking command of your creative power and steering it in a new direction. You can simply take all the affirmations you love and rephrase them as choices.
Transforming Affirmations into Choices
- Instead of “I am confident,” you might declare, “I choose to embody confidence.”
- Instead of “I am wealthy,” you might say, “I choose to align my energy with wealth.”
Can you feel the difference? You are no longer lying to yourself. You are making a powerful declaration about your future.
How ‘I Choose’ Creates Alignment and Lasting Change
This simple shift gets all the neurons in your brain asking a new question, “How do we create that choice? How do we make it happen?” Suddenly, that dissenting voice in your mind starts to get on board with what you’re creating. Why? Because every part of you genuinely wants you to have that abundance and joy. It wants to get there, but it can’t join you if it feels invalidated.
Most of our energy is often caught up in these negative patterns. When you invalidate the part of yourself that is controlling most of your energy, you start a war you cannot win. If you recognize these repeating cycles in your own life and want to learn how to shift them, you might be interested in our “Break Free From Self Sabotage” training. Because these are scheduled events, you can check the registration page for the next available class.
This is why positive “I am” affirmations might make you feel better for a moment, but they rarely create lasting change. So, shift from the “I am” into the “I choose.” Redirect your energy and watch as things begin to unfold for you.
