Affirmation Vs Validation
Affirmation and validation are similar in meaning. While affirmation is used to make someone feel good about themselves, validation is a way to show that a person is worth acknowledging. In this way, we can improve our self-esteem. Both types of affirmations are highly effective in enhancing self-confidence and helping people cope with difficult life situations. Affirmation is a self-repeated phrase or statement that expresses our own positive feelings. Similarly, validation is a process in which we acknowledge our own feelings about ourselves and others.
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The word “affirm” comes from the Latin word affirmare, which means “to confirm” or “to make steady.” In contrast, the word ‘validate’ comes from the Latin word validus, which means strong, powerful, and active. As such, the word ‘validate’ doesn’t carry the same “to-confirm” meaning as ‘affirm’. So, a woman affirming her wife’s belief is affirming her wife’s statement that she is a good mother.
As we all know, self-affirmation is not enough. To build self-worth, you must also encourage yourself. If you only focus on affirmation and validation, you will become complacent and not achieve your goals. Resting on your good fortune can lead to stagnant growth, which makes it difficult to retrieve positive memories. Rather than being satisfied with the way things are, you need to invest in your future and nurture your self-esteem.
The difference between affirmation and validation is significant. The former is a positive response to the negative. It will help you to release your judgement about your feelings and help you feel better about yourself. The latter, however, can be hard to practice and requires conscious effort, but it can be extremely beneficial when you are feeling low. And it’s an excellent technique for improving your self-esteem. There is no better time to start practicing the art of validating yourself than now.
Often, we seek external validation for ourselves. While this is healthy, it can cause us to rely on our own judgment instead of putting our efforts into our goals. Without good self-esteem, we may seek external affirmation as a way to feel better about ourselves. And it’s not just about the words we speak. It is also about the way we think about our actions. If we are unable to feel good about ourselves, we will seek out validation.
The first step towards developing a strong self-image is to acknowledge your achievements. Your past achievements are stepping stones to your current goals, so you should be proud of them. During times when you’re doubtful, look back on the past and give yourself credit for getting to where you are. You may be surprised at how much you’ve achieved. Once you have reached this point, continue to use self-validation to build self-esteem.
