How Writing Affirmations Turned into a CFO Career, debt freedom, and meeting my husband.
Here's proof that writing and raising standards can change everything!
Most of us have a running list of goals in our heads. Lose weight, pay off debt, buy the house, find The One… But here’s what no one admits. Writing down your wish list feels silly. You’ve tried before and maybe even dabbled in affirmations, but after a few weeks, your notebook ends up collecting dust.
Deep down, you wonder if this manifesting thing actually works and if you’ll ever get “there”.
Back in 2018, I was in that same place. School debt still hanging over me, no home of my own, and not sure if I’d ever get married. But I was also desperate for change. That’s when I started writing affirmations. Every day, I scribbled down the life I wanted as if it already existed.
I am a homeowner and own... I am debt-free because... I am a CFO of... I am loved by...
At first, I had no expectation. Just me and my journal before rushing to work, repeating words that didn’t match my reality. Some days it felt empowering. Other days I thought, What the hell am I doing?
But years later when I flipped back through those pages, I realized something incredible: 12 out of 21 had come true!
I bought a home surrounded by nature. I paid off that lingering debt. I became CFO of a small business. And yes! I met my husband.
It wasn’t a coincidence. It was the practice of writing that forced me to raise my standards.
Here’s what I learned: goals live in the future. Standards live in the present.
The power wasn’t in writing “someday goals.” It was writing as if they were already in existence! That’s the difference between goals and standards.
A goal says: I want to save $20k.
A standard says: I don’t carry credit card debt, and I invest automatically every month.
A goal says: I want to lose 20 pounds.
A standard says: I lift three times a week, prioritize protein, and get seven hours of sleep.
When I wrote affirmations, I unknowingly set standards. They shaped my identity before the outcomes showed up. That’s why more than half of them became reality.
A few key lessons along the way:
Write every day. Morning was my favorite. It set the tone for the day before work, but the point is consistency. If I missed my morning writing, I’d catch up in the evening.
Use “I am” statements with detail. Lisa Nichols, in Abundance Now, explains that affirmations should be short, specific, and written with intention. “I am a homeowner of a 3B2B home surrounded by trees and nature” has energy, and you can visualize it. “I want to buy a house” does not.
Don’t stress the “how.” This one was tough for me. As a planner, I wanted the step-by-step guidance, but the home I bought in 2019 was a surprise! I had almost given up when my agent showed me “one last place”. The second I walked up, I knew it was mine. I figured out the rest after that.
Live like it’s already true. Energy attracts energy. When you write, imagine how it will feel to live that life. That practice rewired my brain and helped me show up differently. Thoughts become things…
Trust the process. Early on, my brain resisted. But once the first affirmations started coming true, momentum built. I began to trust that the timing would always work itself out.
A popular study done by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University of California, shows that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.
So, if you’re tired of chasing and failing, try this instead:
Write down three affirmations as standards. Use “I am” or “I don’t” statements.
Keep them rooted in daily behaviors, not distant outcomes.
Read and rewrite them every day to train your brain before “life” happens.
Live as though they’re already true. The energy you put out is the energy that flows back.
If I could manifest a home, a career, debt freedom, and my husband, it’s not because I’m lucky. It’s because I stopped treating goals like a finish line and started living by higher standards.
Wealth, health, and relationships all rise when your standards do.
So don’t overthink it. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You don’t need more motivation. You just need to decide what’s non-negotiable in your life. Because when your standards rise, everything else does too.
So, start with three.
Write them down. Live them out. And remember Napoleon Hill’s words:
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve, regardless of how many times you may have failed in the past or how lofty your aims and hopes may be.”
Ready to elevate your life? Your health and wealth transformation starts with tomorrow's sunrise. What will your first affirmation be? And if you found value in this newsletter, forward it to someone who could use a reminder that they're worth the investment, too. Until next time, keep elevating.
I resonated with so many parts of this post. I also thought affirmations and the like felt silly. But recently, I started realizing the power of reminding myself of my goals. I love the way you suggested to write them down as if they're already true.
Also a planner, so not stressing the how has been incredibly difficult for me as well. But that's what I'm doing with this Substack now. I don't have a clear idea of how this will turn into something that replaces my salary one day, but I'm just focusing on consistency right now. Thank you for sharing!