Hey Joe,
Affirmations; Is something as a NLP Prac and Hypnotherapist (blah biography blah blah) that I have been interested in for a number of years.
I would not recommend building up affirmations of yourself when you aren't fully experiencing the thing you want to experience to be anchored to the affirmation.
What I do recommend is to do things that allow you to enjoy life in the most intense way possible and during those 'life changing' experiences you say powerful affirmations that really 'fit' with the circumstance.
I hope this inspires you Joe, Its been shown that people who reflect as oppose to do are more likely to be depressed, have low self esteem. And that people who do activities that are outside their comfort zone become more happy and successful in all aspects of their lives.
I don't know your background, what i'm saying is.. Don't trust an NLP pattern over living life!
Vince Lynch