I have always been a big believer in the power of affirmations as part of my self-affirming practices. My office space has at least two boards full of affirmations that I update and rearrange on a weekly basis. In addition, I have a board where I keep track of all my successes. No matter how small, every success gets put up on the success board. I have another board that displays the awards I won while attending my doctoral program.
No matter where I look in my office, I find sources of encouragement, inspiration, and motivation. I am surrounded by proof that I am smart, capable, and accomplished. It is impossible for me to sit in my office and feel sorry for myself or doubt my ability to succeed because I am surrounded by things that prove, if I set my mind to it, I achieve it.
Self-affirmation is a powerful tool in the context of equity, healing, and narrative agency. Self-affirmation is what happens when you affirm your own value and worthiness in order to increase your confidence or raise your self-esteem (Merriam-Webster, n.d.) Self-affirmation is particularly helpful for marginalized groups and can be a buffer against negative societal messages. The practice I described above, surrounding myself with affirmations, accomplishments, and successes is a form of self-affirmation. Narrative agency is the ability to tell, shape, and reclaim one’s own story. When one exercises narratives, they challenge dominant narratives. This is a way for historically marginalized voices to challenge dominant narratives and battle negative stereotypes with one’s own life experiences. Later in this article we will discuss how journaling and community check-ins can help with self-affirmation. Educators are invited to reflect on their own self-affirmation rituals.
The Power of Self-Affirming Practices
Self-affirmation is related to equity work, imposter syndrome, and sense of belonging. When educators use self-affirmation and model it for students and colleagues, they are engaged in equity-centered work. Self-affirmation helps one battle imposter syndrome. After all, the more time you spend building yourself up and celebrating y our accomplishments, the weaker the hold of imposter syndrome on your life. When you spend time in self-affirmation, you are creating a place where you belong. The combination of the ability to do equity work, winning against imposter syndrome, and achieving a sense of belonging make self-affirming practices a must do for all educators.
One thing people must understand is that sometimes, you have to pat your own self on the back. It is not possible to adapt deficit narratives if you are engaged in self-affirming practices. Think about it, if you are a young Black doc student who is constantly being told subtly and not so subtly that people like you don’t belon in academia and you hear nothing else, you may believe those untruthful words. But, if while you hear those lies, you are reciting Maya Angelou’s words, “I’m a woman, phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” Those two versions of the world cannot co-exist. Find your own power words, words that make you feel successful, strong, and capable. Whenever someone, even if that someone is you, tries to make you feel lesser, lower, and lacking, repeat your power words. It is impossible to feel like anything other than amazing while repeating the words, “I’m a woman, phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”
Journaling: A Self-Affirming Ritual
So many people started journals when they were young children. Those precious volumes full of words, dreams, hopes, and plans. There was something in the mind of those young journalists that made them feel as if getting their precious words and thoughts on paper was good in some way, perhaps therapeutic, even if they didn’t quite use those words out loud. They treated their journals and the time they spent writing with them as precious and necessary.
When engaging in journaling as part of a self-affirming tool, educators should adopt a similar mindset. Journaling should be treated with the same respect one gives to medication – see it as important and worthy of the time it takes. Do not get bogged down with the tools. Whether the journaling is done on single sheets of paper, a spiral notebook, or a beautiful leather bound volume does not matter. Journaling can be done electronically also – using a phone, computer program, or a word processing program. There is no one size fits all journaling medium. One should simply use whatever method suits their personal desires.
Likewise, there are many types of journaling one could practice. For example, one could journal by stream-of-consciousness. This would involve sitting done with one’s chosen journal and just writing whatever comes to mind at the moment. This freestyle, journaling method may be both relaxing and nerve wracking. It may be relaxing because there is no pressure, no demands about what is to be produced. At the same time, it can be nerve wracking if a person sits down to journal and has no words to write or becomes the victim of writer’s block.
One could also use structured prompts such as:
What truth do I need to hear today?
What did I do well this week?
How am I honoring my values in this season
What behavior am I exhibiting that is #goals for someone else?
These prompts are not all-inclusive of course. Journaling as part of a self-affirming ritual can use any prompts. One can use one prompt every day or work through a list of prompts using a new one each day. It is journalist’s choice.
It is important to understand that there is no one way to do journaling right. The important thing is so simply start journaling. In order for journaling to be a ritual, one as to prepare for the journaling experience. This means figuring out the 5 Ws and an H:
- Who (that is easy – you are the who that will be journaling)
- When to journal
- Where to journal
- What to journal with
- Why to journal
- How to journal
The journaling for self-affirmation will become a ritual. Educators must realize that ritual is a set way of doing something. At the same time, educators must give themselves grace around the ritual. It is okay to skip a day, journal in a new location, or in a different journal. Part of the journaling practice being self-affirming is the fact that journaling should make one feel good, not burdened.
Community Check-Ins for Self-Affirming
Self-affirming practices do not have to be solo activities. One can use one’s community as part of one’s self-affirming practice. This community to help with accountability, reflection, and shared growth. It is important to realize that accountability partners do not have to be in your field or area of expertise. This is important because new educators for example, may not have a trusted group of fellow educators with whom to form a self-affirming community. One can start with a friend or family member and then branch out from there. This community can help with self-affirming practice via weekly text threads, virtual coffee chats, or affirmation circles. Using text messaging is a good practice because it is low stakes. Members can set a day and time for weekly check-ins. Texting for check-ins is good because community members do not have to spend time traveling to and from meetings. Members can also be present and part of the group from anywhere in the world. They are able to check-in with the group at convenient times and places.
Virtual coffee chats, where group members meet virtually via any of the many virtual meeting platforms in another great way to have community support for self-affirming work. Virtual meetings allow participants to participate from their own convenient locations. Similar to text messaging, virtual meetings allow for participants from all over the country. Virtual meeting are good because they allow participants to see and report each other in real time. It also allows them to be able to see each other’s reactions and here tone of voice. All of these things help people feel connected to and invested in one another. This sense of connection may help people stay in the community for longer periods of time.
No matter how one uses their community for self-affirming rituals members can ask each other questions like:
- What is one win you want to celebrate this week
- How can the group support you this week
- Tell us something you are proud of that you have not shared elsewhere
Affirmation circles where members of a group meet in person to share affirmations are another way of using community support for self-affirming rituals. These groups meet in person on a regular basis to support and encourage each member in their self-affirming work.
Community check-ins for self-affirming work are important. A self-affirming community can start with as few as two friends who make a pact to help each other. New members can be added as the group sees fit. To be most effective, groups should not be too large. If a group is too large, there may not be enough time for each member to get the attention they want and need during meeting times. It may also become burdensome for members to meet the obligation to offer support when the group becomes too large. Members of the community must work to make sure the community has a sustaining check-in culture. To do this members can be sure to be show up for community members at the times and via the methods the group has set for itself. Members should be respectful of one another. Additionally, members should keep their word to themselves and to each other.
Designing Your Self-Affirming Ecosystem
Journaling and community check-ins do not have to be separate self-affirming practices. They can be done in conjunction with one another. Journal entries and prompts can be part of the discussions in community check-ins. Journaling allows one to get their feelings out of their brains and onto paper or screen. Those feelings can then be shared with community members during community check-ins. If discussions of journaling activities are part of community check-ins, it becomes part of the accountability process.
When designing one’s own affirmation ecosystem, one should begin by creating a rhythm for the ritual. This can start with a weekly planner. Set aside time each week for journaling for self-affirmation purposes. If you are part of a community check-in group, schedule time for that work and those meetings in your calendar. Once those things are in place on the calendar, treat those appointments as sacred. In other words, do those activities at the time you set aside for them on your calendar. It is similar to a doctor’s appointment. For most people, when they make doctor’s appointments, those appointments are kept, no matter what. Nothing takes the place of a doctor’s appointment. Treat self-affirming practices the same way.
No matter if you journal on paper or electronically, digital tools can be powerful companions to your self-affirming rituals. Tools like OneNote, Trello, or Microsoft Loop can be used to track and reflect self-affirming work. These tools can also be used to remind you to do your self-affirming work. They can also be used to store journal prompts, affirmations, and articles that can help you or your self-affirming community in your self-affirming work. OneNote is similar to a looseleaf binder. It can be used to keep track of journal entries, prompts, articles, and prompts to share with one’s community check-in group. Trello is similar to an electronic bulletin board that can link to other digital resources. Microsoft Loop is a nice collaboration tool that community check-in groups may find particularly helpful and visually appealing.
One of the most important things to realize about self-affirming rituals, both individual and community rituals is that they should be personalized to fit your needs and the needs of the community check-in group. This is a time and place to be creative and to personalize.
Click here to download our “Self Affirming Practices Worksheet.”
Conclusion
It is important for educators to understand the power of self-affirming rituals. Self-affirming rituals are powerful. They can counter negative dialogues one hears about oneself, help beat imposter syndrome, help in emotional healing and promote, and narrative agency. Self-affirming rituals can be found in journaling as well as in community check-in practices. While these practices are easy to start, their benefits are tremendous.We invite you to select one of the journal prompts listed above and create a community check-in group. Once you do, come back and share how things worked out for you. Always remember that your story is worthy and your voice is valid.
Click here to download a copy of our “Self-Affirming Practices Worksheet.”
References
EBSCO. (2021). Self-affirmation theory. EBSCO Research Starters. Retrieved October 27, 2025, from https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/self-affirmation-theory
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Self-affirmation. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved October 27, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-affirmation
Further Reading
The Best Educators Strive to Create Equity-Centered Classrooms
Unlock Your Doctoral Success: Coaching & Resources That Work
Unleash the Fire Within: Maya Angelou’s Lifegiving Wisdom for Educators
About the Author
Dr. Janeane Davis is Founder and Principal Consultant at Janeane Davis and Associates: Educational Consultants. Most of her writing begins at a well-lit desk where strategy meets storytelling and systems take shape around real lives. Her consulting work centers families, scholars, and institutions committed to equity—and she writes to bring clarity to complex questions, especially those often left unasked.
Desk light on. Pages open. Always listening.