We at GenTwenty know how important affirmations can be. Over the years we’ve shared affirmations on a plethora of topics like confidence, friendship, career, and more. That’s why I was super excited when I found out about the book Affirmations for Self-Love: 100 Lessons for Learning to Love Yourself Through the Beautiful Days, the Hard Days, and Everything In Between.
I was even more ecstatic when I was able to interview the author Zanna Keithley. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on the book and the interview with Zanna.
My Thoughts On The Book
I was able to get an advanced copy of Affirmations for Self-Love. I found that it is much more than a list of affirmations. With each affirmation author Zanna Keithley provides commentary that feels like a warm hug from an encouraging friend. She helps you really start to believe those statements with your whole being.
In this book you’ll see affirmations for trusting your intuition and starting over. They’ll help you with being and loving your authentic self, and of course self-love as a whole. After reading this book my spark for self care and self love returned stronger than ever. I hope the same happens for you as you read it.
My Favorite Affirmations & Quotes From Affirmations for Self-Love
- I am worthy right now-just as I am-even as I continue to grow, transform, and evolve.
- “ You are so beyond worthy. You are meant for so much more than a life lived in survival mode.”
- It’s okay if all I do today is just breathe. I am worthy, regardless of what I do or don’t achieve.
- “Know that what’s meant for you will arrive at the exact right time. And it isn’t your responsibility to determine when or how.”
- I am my beautiful, authentic self, and there’s nobody else I’d rather be.
- “Keep following the bread crumbs that lead you back to you.”
- I know that healing is not a linear journey, and I accept my good days and bad days as they come.
An Interview With Author Zanna Keithley
I had the pleasure of interviewing the author of Affirmations for Self-Love. We talked about the importance of affirmations, what she hopes readers will take away from the book, and more. Check out this interview with Zanna Keithley below.
What made you want to write a book about affirmations?
“Affirmations have been essential for my own self-love journey, and they’ve also been at the core of my writing since I began blogging and sharing my words on social media. Writing a book of affirmations felt like a natural next step and something I’ve always wanted to do.
They’ve helped me so much in my own life, and I wanted to be able to give back and share the affirmations that have helped me with as many people as possible. I really love the idea that a person might be browsing at the bookstore, unsure of what they’re looking for, and they might see this book and feel drawn to it, and it might give them a spark of hope when they need it the most.”
When did you start saying affirmations for self-love?
“I knew of affirmations when I was younger, but at the time, they just felt like words on a page. I didn’t fully grasp their power until about ten years ago when I started doing guided meditations.
I would hear different affirmations in the meditations and be prompted to not just say the affirmation but to truly feel it. And that’s when something clicked. I realized that affirmations aren’t just words on a page but a feeling that you can carry within you—and that affirmations allow you to take your power back and consciously direct your thoughts and feelings to a more truthful, aligned place.”
What has your journey with self love and affirmations been like?
“Like a lot of people, I’ve struggled with self-love all my life. I always wanted to be able to fully love myself but didn’t know how.
When I discovered how powerful affirmations can be, I began reciting them constantly. When I was getting ready in the morning, I’d recite affirmations. When I was out jogging, I’d repeat them in my head to help me keep going. When I was stuck at a stoplight while driving home from work, instead of getting annoyed, I’d recite some grounding affirmations.
This changed my mindset entirely. It showed me how to speak to myself with kindness in the privacy of my own mind, and it also helped me to remain calm and grounded no matter what was happening in my outer world. I found that in time, the feeling of those affirmations became embedded within me. Words like I am strong and I am worthy became my truth that no one could ever take away from me.”
What was the process of choosing the affirmations like?
“I wanted to choose a variety of affirmations for different seasons in a person’s life. Some are more joyful and uplifting. Others are a little quieter and gentler. Some are meant to evoke different feelings, such as peace or love or abundance.
I tried to choose the affirmations that have made the biggest impact on my own self-love journey as well as the ones that always receive a lot of positive responses from my readers.”
What’s your favorite affirmation for self-love in the book?
“I really love the affirmation, “With every decision I make and every step I take, I focus my energy on doing the bravest, most loving thing in each moment.” This is really the mantra I’ve tried to use to guide my own life journey—what is the bravest, most loving thing I can do right now?
All of the affirmations in the book have accompanying messages for the readers that can be used as meditations or reflections to help the reader align with the feeling of the affirmation. With that affirmation, I really tried to emphasize in the message that the bravest, most loving thing you can do in each moment will change day by day, sometimes minute by minute.
I find that when you aren’t sure what the next step is, asking yourself what the bravest, most loving step you can take is a really powerful way to move forward on your path. And I think when you look back on your life, if you can see that you continually took brave and loving steps forward each day, you’ll be really proud of your entire journey and the path you’ve traveled.”
What would you say to those that are skeptical that affirmations can truly work?
“Affirmations aren’t simply words to make a person feel good. They’re a really powerful mindfulness tool. They help you to become aware of your own thoughts so you can consciously direct your thoughts to a truer, more aligned place. They also have more functions than most people realize. I think they’re really helpful in building mental toughness and resilience.
If you’re someone who feels overwhelmed under pressure, you can use affirmations to help your body remain calm and relaxed during stressful situations. I say this in the book, and I’ve found it to be so true in my own life—using affirmations daily doesn’t just shift your mindset; it truly transforms every aspect of your life in a really profound and positive way.”
What should readers do after finishing this book if they want to start their self love affirmations journey?
“My intention when I was writing this book was to create something that the reader will continually pick up and come back to as a companion in their self-love journey. It’s not like a lot of books where you read it one time and then put it on the shelf.
Even after you finish it, you can keep coming back to the affirmations and passages in the book to help guide, ground, and support your self-love journey–whether you want to bookmark the affirmations that resonate most and come back to them in moments of need or simply pick up the book when you feel called to it, ask the Universe for guidance, and flip to a random page to see what message shows up for you. This book is meant to support your journey throughout your life.
Beyond that, when readers finish this book, I definitely hope they will feel so inspired by the affirmations that they begin to create their own. I would love to see everyone writing down their own affirmations and keeping them with the book so they always have this safe space to come back to in their moments of need.”
What tips would you give someone that’s having a hard time creating a habit of saying self love affirmations?
“Write them down! You can write affirmations on sticky notes and keep them somewhere visible, like on your refrigerator or on your desk at work. You can create phone notifications that pop up with your chosen affirmation of the day—I love doing that because the words will often show up exactly when I need them. You can also carry this book with you and keep it nearby so you can continually open it and re-read the affirmations and messages you need that day.
What I love about affirmations is how easily they can be incorporated into your every day routine. So if you’re having a hard time remembering to say them, you can keep a visual reminder of them nearby, and then recite your affirmations as you’re getting ready for the day or winding down for the night. It’s a very simple but powerful practice to support your self-love journey.”
What do you hope readers take away from your book Affirmations for Self-Love?
“More than anything, I hope the readers feel a deeper sense of self-love when they finish the book. I hope the words in this book help readers see how beautiful, valuable, worthy, and important they are. I hope it allows them to feel more trusting and at peace with their own journeys.
I hope they feel deep within themselves that what’s meant for them won’t miss them, and they are exactly where they need to be in this moment. And I hope that the words in this book empower readers to stay true to themselves—to know that all they need to be in this world is everything they already are. That who they are is enough, always.”
Aside from affirmations, how can readers improve their self love?
“Talk to yourself like you’re talking to somebody you love. That’s really the purpose of these affirmations—to help you speak to yourself like you’re someone you love. It’s important to become mindful of your thoughts and recognize that not all your thoughts are true.
For instance, if you’re really overwhelmed at work and feel like you can’t keep up, and you call yourself a failure—just because you have the thought doesn’t make it true. So step back for a moment, and ask yourself, would you call your best friend a failure? Or if you were looking your younger self in the eyes, would you tell them they’re a failure? Absolutely not.
So know that you’re not deserving of that criticism either. I think that’s one of the most powerful things you can do to improve your self-love: be mindful of your own thoughts and choose to speak to yourself like you’re someone you truly love and care for.”
What other areas of life are affirmations essential for?
“I think affirmations are essential for when you’re working toward goals and trying to achieve something meaningful to you. For instance, just the simple words, “I can and I will” can help you push past so many self-perceived barriers or outside obstacles that could potentially stop you from achieving what you want. (I know that from experience because I repeated that mantra to myself over and over again when I was marathon training.)
They can also be really helpful for navigating relationships. If you know you’re about to enter a difficult conversation, you can first affirm that you have the strength to speak your truth. And you can also affirm that you will be an empathetic and understanding listener. It may sound silly, but I find this to be a really profound way to control your own energy rather than just being responsive to someone else’s energy.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“My intention when writing this book was to create something that could be a lifelong companion on a person’s self-love journey. Because that journey is never linear.
We all have beautiful days and hard days. We all have triumphs and struggles. We all laugh and cry and experience the fullness of life, in all of its beauty and messiness. So I hope the words in these pages can give the readers the words and messages they need throughout every season of their lives.”
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed this interview with Zanna. Be sure to pick up your copy of Affirmations for Self-Love: 100 Lessons for Learning to Love Yourself Through the Beautiful Days, the Hard Days, and Everything In Between wherever you buy books when it releases on September 16.
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com