To affirm is to make firm. An affirmation is a statement of truth you make firm in a person’s heart when you utter it. As a result, it cultivates conviction. For example, when you compliment a person’s attitude, you reinforce it and make it more consistent. Because you notice it in a positive way, he will be more likely to demonstrate that same attitude again. Likewise, when you affirm people’s dreams, you help their dreams become more real than their doubts. Like the repetition of a weight-lifting regimen, routine compliments build up people’s qualities and strengthen their personalities.
