The Surprising History of Affirmations: From Émile Coué to Modern Mind-Body Healing
Words have power. Not just emotional power — but biological influence. Affirmations and intentional self-talk have become more common in recent decades, but the roots of this practice go much deeper than most people realize.
Long before neuroscience confirmed concepts like neuroplasticity, belief conditioning, and subconscious programming, there were early pioneers who recognized that the way we speak to ourselves can shape health, choices, and outcomes.
Émile Coué: The First Voice of Intentional Self-Suggestion
One of the earliest and most influential voices in this movement was Émile Coué, a French psychologist and pharmacist living in the early 1900s. Coué observed something remarkable: Patients who spoke positively about their health often recovered faster than those who reinforced fear, doubt, or negativity.
From this observation came his now-famous affirmation:
“Day by day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.”
Coué taught people to repeat this phrase daily with intention, rhythm, and gentle expectation. He believed — and demonstrated — that the subconscious mind responds to repeated suggestion and that belief can influence physiology. In many ways, he planted the very first seeds of the mind-body healing movement.
Shad Helmstetter: The Science-Based Evolution
Fast-forward several decades to the 1970s and 1980s, when author and researcher Shad Helmstetter expanded this work with a more scientific approach.
His bestselling book, What to Say When You Talk to Your Self, introduced millions to the concept that: “The brain simply believes what you tell it most.”
He explained affirmations through the lens of neurology and behavior conditioning — describing them as mental programs that shape identity, performance, and decision-making.
For many people (myself included), his work provided structure and validation during a time when affirmations and mindset practices were still considered unusual.
John DeMartini: Turning Affirmations Into Applied Purpose
Later, teachers like Dr. John DeMartini helped bridge the emotional and spiritual dimensions of affirmations with personal purpose and behavioral alignment.
His well-known affirmation:
“I do what I love, I love what I do.”
reminds us that the highest form of mindset work isn’t just repeating words — it’s living them.
DeMartini’s approach helped many recognize that affirmations are most powerful when they are paired with meaning, alignment, and action.
And Today… We Continue the Work
Now, affirmations are part of personal development, trauma healing, athletic training, leadership coaching, and holistic wellness — not because they are trendy, but because they work.
We now know:
-Words influence nervous system tone
-Thoughts affect hormones
-Belief affects healing
-Repetition creates neural pathways
-Inner dialogue shapes identity
This is practical miracle work — rooted in biology, but expressed through the heart.
A Living Legacy
As I reflect on the mentors and influences that shaped my own healing philosophy, I can clearly see the lineage of wisdom behind the affirmations I teach and practice today.
From Émile Coué →
To Shad Helmstetter →
To John DeMartini →
To the present moment —
The thread is the same:
We become what we repeatedly tell ourselves.
And just as those before us passed down these tools, I now pass them forward — through practice, through lived experience, and through the Words of Power we continue to share.
Try This Today:
Say Coué’s original affirmation aloud, slowly, with breath and warmth:
“Day by day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.”
Say it until your body softens.
Say it until your beliefs shift.
Say it until truth replaces doubt.
Because healing isn’t only physical.
It’s mental.
Emotional.
Spiritual.
And beautifully human.