I came across a video called How to actually stop caring what people think. It sounded interesting. I started watching it, but it was quite long – an hour – so I skimmed it.

I stopped at the 8th minute when the speaker talked about affirmations. He said that these techniques of telling yourself positive affirmations only work for people who don’t need them, those who already feel good about themselves. If you feel bad about yourself, standing in front of the mirror would show you how pathetic you are. That you are pathetic to the extent that you need to say affirmations to feel a little better about yourself.

I laughed out when I heard that but suddenly, I stopped. I frowned that what he said could have some truth in it. That would be devastating. Some people don’t feel good about themselves and can’t help themselves. Saying or hearing some positive words could alleviate a little bit of how crap they feel about themselves. They can’t afford to have therapies, and they don’t have enough emotional resilience to sustain themselves.

Most of the people who talk about "theories" like these know nothing about the kind of life other people have in other parts of the world. Most of them are White, Western and they reach these conclusions from their own positions, and their perspectives that, in most cases, are totally different from how life is lived in other places, how people sustain themselves.

It doesn’t mean what they say is wrong. It might work for some people like them.

However, people who live through different hardships, wars, conflicts, famines, and lack freedom need a different piece of advice, a different strategy to keep themselves going without collapsing.

Imagine telling someone in Gaza, Iran or Sudan; "You're going to be okay". Or "Everything is working out for your highest good" while they hide from bombs and missiles.

Affirmations might be part of this advice but it's not the solution.

Those people's lives won't change saying only affirmations but they need help from others, others who are willing to speak out loud on injustices and take actions to make a little bit change.