Why positive affirmations can backfire 😳

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]Research shows us that if you struggle with self-acceptance and self-esteem, using positive affirmations backfires and makes you feel worse. Why? Because it contradicts how you see yourself. And there's a part of your brain, your mind, that goes, "Nah-uh, you're faking it."

[00:00:14]And you can become even more self-critical.

[00:00:17]Wow. Wow. So, what do we do instead?

[00:00:19]That's not to say that positive affirmations >> cuz if you hate the way you look in the mirror and you're like, "I look beautiful. I'm enough. I'm this. I'm that." And you don't believe any of it.