How to Use Affirmation Cards (With Recommendations)

Looking to discover some powerful ways to use affirmation cards? Below, discover 7 practices for using affirmation cards that will serve and support your mind, body, and spirit as you walk forward in your self-love journey. And be sure to check out my top recommendations for beautiful and empowering affirmation card decks that you can purchase today!

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Getting Started With Affirmation Cards

Do you have a brand new deck of empowering affirmation cards that you’re antsy to crack open and start using as part of your daily routine?

Whether or not you’ve used affirmation cards before, starting a new affirmation card routine is super easy, and there are tons of simple practices you can do each day to empower your mindset.

But first: what exactly is an affirmation?

An affirmation is, quite simply, a statement you make about yourself that you affirm to be true.

An affirmation can actually be positive or negative, because we can also affirm negative statements about ourselves to be true, whether we do this consciously or not.

For the purposes of this post, whenever I use the word affirmation, know that I’m talking about the positive kind. A positive affirmation is a present-tense affirming statement that’s designed to boost your self-belief and support your overall well-being: mind, body, and soul.

And one of the best ways to use affirmations is through the use of affirmation cards.

Affirmation cards come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors, and they often have anywhere between 40 to 60 cards in a deck.

You can start out with just one affirmation card deck or alternate between decks every week or every month. If you don’t mind a little organized chaos, you can even mix decks together to incorporate them all into your daily routine.

Below are seven powerful practices for using affirmation cards in your daily routine. And be sure to keep scrolling toward the bottom, because I link to my top picks for affirmation card decks that will uplift, empower, and inspire you to affirm your undeniable worthiness. (And bonus: they’re all absolutely gorgeous.)

How To Use Affirmation Cards

Morning Routine

Morning is my favorite time to use affirmation cards because it always sets me up for a positive mindset as I start my day.

One of the most popular ways to use affirmation cards is to pick one card from the deck at random as your chosen affirmation of the day.

As you read the positive affirmation on the card, allow yourself to truly feel the uplifting words within every cell of your being. And furthermore, allow yourself to truly believe the words. Trust that this affirmation came to you today for a reason.

Here are a few more things you can do with your chosen affirmation card:

Spend time reflecting. What do the words mean to you? How can you embody the feelings within the words throughout your day? How can this positive affirmation support you today? If you want, you can even spend some time journaling your thoughts about this affirmation.

Carry the card with you. Slide the card into your purse or bag, and set the intention to look at it and feel the positive words within you throughout the day. (You can even set phone reminders to help you remember.) If you work at a desk, you can also choose to set the affirmation next to your computer monitor so you can be reminded of it during your day.

Pull it back out before bed. Keep the affirmation out where it’s easy to access, and then in the evening, take one final look at it. Once again, let the positivity of the words radiate through you. If you want, you can spend some time reflecting on all the ways you embodied this affirmation during the day. Just remember: no judgment. If the card said, “I am calm, patient, and peaceful,” and you lost your cool at some point during the day, that’s okay! Have compassion for yourself. That doesn’t mean you’re not calm, patient, and peaceful. It just means you’re a human being who had a human experience; embrace this truth with love and understanding.

Empowering Affirmations for You

Create Affirmation Art

Many affirmation card decks are so beautiful, you could consider them art. So why not treat them like art and display them in a place where you can see them throughout the day?

There are tons of ways you can do this. One of the easiest ways is to use a whiteboard with magnets or a bulletin board with pushpins, though I’d be careful to use the pins around the edges of the cards as opposed to sticking them through the cards. A bonus of using one of these boards is it’s easy to change the affirmations as often as you’d like.

Another fun and creative way to hang your affirmation cards is with some twine (or some kind of rope/string) and clothespins. You can hang the twine/rope across a wall, a shelf, or even in rows across an old, empty picture frame, and use the clothespins to hold up your chosen affirmations. Again, this method makes it super easy to change out the cards whenever you feel like mixing it up.

However you choose to display your art, make sure to place it somewhere accessible so you see it throughout the day. Set the intention to spend a couple minutes each day reading the positive affirmations and affirming the words into your being.

Journal Your Affirmation(s)

I mentioned this under the “Morning Routine” section, but there are tons of ways to take your journaling practice even further.

While it’s common for many to journal in the morning, you can do these practices any time of day.

Pick 3 to 5 affirmation cards. Set them in front of you as you pull out your journal to write. Write each affirmation five times, making sure to truly feel the affirmation within as you write down the words. You can stop here, or you can take it one step further and reflect on what each affirmation means to you and/or how you’re going to embody this affirmation throughout your day.

Choose one affirmation card. Write all the ways in which you encompass the positive words on this card. For instance, let’s say you choose the affirmation, “I accept all of myself.” What are some examples in your life of times when you bravely accepted all of yourself? In what ways do you show yourself acceptance every day? You could list all the inner and outer parts of you and how you love and accept each and every part. You could also write about how you accept your past history. Write about all the ways in which you and this positive affirmation are aligned.

Reflect upon what your chosen affirmation means to you. Again, let’s use the example “I accept all of myself.” What does it mean to you to accept all of yourself? In what ways does accepting all of yourself equate to loving all of yourself? What practices can you incorporate in your life that would promote more self-acceptance? Why is it important to accept all of yourself?

Depending on how much time you have, you could also combine the practices above to dig deeper into each affirmation.

Gift Individual Cards To Loved Ones

If, like me, giving gifts is your love language, then you’ll love this thoughtful and inexpensive way to show the people in your life your love and appreciation.

Choose a card in your deck that reminds you of your chosen recipient. Most of the decks have somewhere between 40 – 60 cards in them, so you’ll have plenty of cards to choose from.

It can also be fun to write a little note to go with the card, telling the recipient why you picked it for them.

If the person’s a coworker, you could leave it on their desk for them to find in the morning.

If they are a friend, you could secretly put it in their purse for them to discover.

You can also give the recipient their gift in person and tell them why you chose this particular card for them.

The Dessie Inspirational Cards I discuss in more detail below are perfect for this, as they already come with envelopes and stickers to give as gifts.

Hide Cards To Find Later

Gift giving isn’t just about giving to others; it’s also about giving to yourself from time to time.

And you absolutely deserve to gift yourself some empowering affirmation cards, too.

A fun way to do this is to hide cards in spots where you don’t look very often, such as a filing cabinet, a desk drawer, a bookshelf, or elsewhere. If you want, you can put the card in an envelope first with a loving handwritten note to yourself included.

When you find the card later, open it up and be reminded of how worthy, incredible, and loved you are.

Trade Cards With A Friend

Do you have a close friend in your life who you don’t get to see nearly enough? This is a great practice to stay in touch while uplifting and supporting one another.

You and your friend can both purchase one or more affirmation card decks. At an agreed upon time (i.e. once a week or once a month), choose an affirmation for that friend and write them a sweet note detailing why your friend embodies the beautiful words on the card.

Then, slip it into the mail.

In a couple days, both of you will be getting some positive, empowering words in your mailbox. You can slide this new card into your current deck(s) or hang it somewhere you’ll see until the next one comes in.

While I love the idea of trading physical cards and getting mail, you can also snap a pic of the card and exchange texts with your friend on a weekly basis. Heart-shaped emojis completely encouraged!

Pull A Card Before Bed

Are you someone who spends a lot of time at night replaying events of the day or worrying about tomorrow? Embracing positive affirmations is a powerful way to shift your mindset at night.

Before bed, pull a card and read the words to yourself, making sure to inhale all the positive vibes of the affirmation.

If you want, you can spend some time journaling or reflecting upon the chosen affirmation.

Then, when you go to bed, commit to repeating the affirmation to yourself when you close your eyes. If you catch your brain shifting back into worry-mode, simply pause, release your thoughts, and return to your chosen affirmation. Do this as much as you need until you fall asleep.

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Recommended Affirmation Card Decks For You

Lamare Affirmation Cards

These Lamare Affirmation Cards come in a stunning 40-piece set. Both the graphics and the words on each card are vibrant and beautiful, inspiring your highest and most authentic self while helping you to cultivate deep, unconditional self love.

Affirmators!

Affirmators! 50 Affirmation Cards to Help Yourself – Without the Self-Helpy-Ness! is everything the title promises and more. These uplifting cards somehow find the perfect balance between not taking themselves too seriously while delivering seriously powerful affirmations that will leave you feeling like a self-love superhero. I love the imaginative words and playful illustrations. And to make it even better, they also come in decks for Family, Creativity, Love, and Work.

Less Anxiety Affirmation Cards

These beautifully illustrated Less Anxiety Affirmation Cards come in a 45-card deck and offer the perfect opportunity to slow down, breathe, and allow peace and tranquility into your being. Even when things feel overwhelming and chaotic, the gentle and loving affirmations on this card will remind you of your ability to remain calm and centered. These are the perfect cards to pull in the morning to help you start the day with strength and ease.

How To Love Yourself Cards

Louise Hay was the queen of positive affirmations during her lifetime, and her legacy still lives on through her words. Her How to Love Yourself Affirmation Cards are some of the best-quality ones you can find, and that includes the high quality of the card stock, the simple yet elegant designs, and the beautiful words designed to uplift, empower, and affirm your undeniable worthiness. This deck comes in a deck of 64 affirmations that will serve and support your highest good for years to come.

Gabrielle Bernstein Card Decks

Gabrielle Bernstein is a powerful voice in the world of manifestation and spirituality, and both her books and affirmation card decks are truly some of the best tools you can find in supporting your total self-love journey. Use The Universe Has Your Back Affirmation Cards for spiritual guidance and to cultivate inner peace. Use the Super Attractor Affirmation Card Set to manifest your dreams into reality. And use the Spirit Junkie Affirmation Cards to guide and uplift you in your journey to creating an inspired life.

Affirmation Cards For Women

This 62-card Affirmation Cards for Women deck is gorgeously illustrated and makes the perfect gift for the women in your life. (Just don’t forget to buy one for yourself, too!) In addition to the inspiring affirmations, what I love most about these cards is that they’re true works of art: timeless, beautiful, and able to stir positive emotions deep within.

Dessie Inspirational Cards

These Dessie Inspirational Cards are a little bit different than the others on the list, as they’re specifically designed to gift the individual cards to the people in your life. This deck comes with 60 inspirational cards, 60 colorful envelopes, and 60 gold “You’re awesome” seals. When you want to brighten someone’s day or show them how much they mean to you, find the perfect card in the deck, slide it into an envelope, and give it as a thoughtful gift. The words on the cards are immensely powerful affirmations, so don’t hesitate gifting a few to yourself, too.

Daily Positive Affirmations for Kids

Last but definitely not least, positive affirmations are powerful for anyone at any age, including kids. This 54-card Daily Positive Affirmations for Kids deck is bright, colorful, and filled with uplifting affirmations to bring positivity to the kids in your life. I love the idea of building this into a morning routine where each kid can pick a positive affirmation that will support them throughout the day. And the words are universal, so you’ll get the added benefit of lifting your own mindset, too.

And there you have it! Seven powerful practices for using affirmation cards, plus links to some of my all-time favorite decks. How do you use your affirmation cards? And in what ways have affirmation cards improved your mindset and helped you to cultivate total self-love? Leave a note in the comment box below!

And be sure to connect with me on Instagram, where I post daily affirmation stories every single morning. Plus, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest where I’m pinning positive affirmations and empowering quotes every day!

How to Use Affirmation Cards (With Recommendations)

Getting Started With Affirmation Cards

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