I have a lack of affirmations for myself but not for others, that's why it's my first love language. But I always react with awkwardness to receiving them, because I am anxious and therefore have a tendency towards self-deprecation. I need acts of service before I can trust words of affirmation.
What this amounts to is that I don't need affirmations once I do acts of service for myself. There are 5 love languages after all.