Hi Everyone, Chris Miles here! This is the second part of my 2-part series on Affirmations! If you missed last month, check it out here.
Remember that Affirmations are statements that we give to clients that focus on their strengths, abilities, skills, or beliefs/values.
How we compose these statements can make a difference in how they are received.
I encourage you to use “You” statements instead of “I” statements.
What do I mean by this?? Here are some examples:
Instead of saying, “I think you have good communication skills,” change it to, “You have good communication skills.”
Instead of, “I notice how you stay calm during stressful times,” swap the pronoun to, “You’re someone who remains calm during stressful times.”
Instead of, “I can see that you really care about people,” turn it to,”You are someone who really cares about people.”
Now, you may think, “What’s the big deal? This is getting a bit picky!”
That’s what one of my training participants thought until she tried it out, and came back to a MI session excited to share what had happened with her client when she intentionally made the shift to a “You” statement.
She said… “I could see the shift in my client visually. He stood up taller. His face lit up. There was a clear change in his body language and facial expressions. I could see him internalizing the message that I was sending to him.”
I love this!! This is exactly what we want to happen!!
When we focus on “You” statements, it’s about the client. It helps the client to take more ownership of the affirmation. They can feel it and see themselves the way that you are seeing them. This can be really powerful!
Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: When forming affirmations, try using “You” statements instead of “I’ statements, and notice that shift in how your client receives them.
