Affirmation means saying YES to something, kind of like giving it your stamp of approval. Often it’s a person that is being affirmed. Affirmation says YES to who we are, where we are, that we are worthy and doing our best. It’s the words and looks and touches people give us that say “you are okay”.

Everyone needs affirmation. Even the most successful, talented people long to be told or shown they are okay – some of them spend millions of dollars surrounding themselves with people to do this for them. Just as kids may need a pat on the head when they draw a picture, there is nothing wrong with needing affirmation from others. But that can’t be the ONLY way to feel alright. We need to find ways of feeling valuable when no one is affirming us, ways to tell ourselves privately, “Yeah, you’re still okay…”

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