In this post, we talk about the science that lies behind the use of affirmations as a powerful agent of positive change. After all, it is quite intriguing how simple and to-the-point phrases can dramatically improve the quality of our lives in such a short span of time.

But before we begin explaining the working principle behind affirmations along with the significance of nurturing positive thoughts, let us first discuss the damaging effects of harboring negative ones.

“I’m not good enough.”

“Nothing ever works out for me.”

“I will never be able to succeed in life.”

Thoughts like these butcher our self-esteem, and shred our sense of self-worth into tiny pieces. And the worst part is that it all happens in such a subtle manner that we don’t even realize it. Most of us are accustomed to thinking negative thought all day long, so much so that thinking positive ones seems like a task that requires conscious effort and practice. What we fail to understand is that negative thoughts demotivate us to the core. And because of this, we end up losing rare opportunities to great wealth, health, and success.

The truth is, our thought patterns have a much deeper origin than we can imagine. Since childhood, we are continuously chastised, criticized, and even punished for making mistakes. And this experience is repeated many times over in different forms, at different times, in different situations. Eventually, we get used to this distorted action-reaction relationship, and tend to continue with this tradition even when there’s no-one around.

Think about it. Think about the last time you made a mistake. What did you tell yourself? What was the nature of your conversation with yourself? Were you kind and forgiving, or critical and resentful? If you cannot remember, try paying attention to your train of thoughts the next time you make a mistake. You will realize how deep our habitual negative self-talks are rooted.

This is an extremely unhelpful way to handle such situations. In addition, it damages our confidence, our relationships with those we hold dear, our performance at work, etc. All these factors make combating negative self-defeating thoughts a priority if we really wish to lead happy and successful lives.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations are positive phrases that we tell ourselves with the intention of materializing that which we desire. From good values like compassion, empathy, patience, hope, etc., to traits like better focus, higher concentration, faster learning abilities, inner peace, etc., to skills like singing, dancing, painting, etc., affirmations can be used to attain them all. 

That being said, it is imperative to understand that affirmations aren’t magical mantras and cannot bring you overnight success. They require consistent effort and practice to work their charm. If you think you’ll be able to turn copper to gold using affirmations, then you’ll be greatly disappointed by the outcome you’ll achieve. 

Moving on, certain types of affirmations when recited in certain situations can in fact provide you with immediate results. For ex. Practicing affirmations for boosting confidence and keeping calm can help you perform better in stressful circumstances. When you practice affirmations in this manner, their potency tends to increase with each attempt. Why is that? It’s because every time you devote conscious effort towards affirming positive thoughts and subsequently witness desirable results, you automatically develop faith in this exercise on a subconscious level. This further helps you create a strong mindset which is easy to calibrate using simple and to-the-point phrases for an extraordinary performance.

How do affirmations work?

The working principle behind affirmations is that they act as gentle but firm reminders for our brains in regards to the values, traits, and skills that we wish to develop. Prolonged exposure to negative habits makes us accustomed to following a self-defeating lifestyle. It then becomes almost impossible to break free from such propensities. 

Affirmations form the first step towards changing our life for good. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to achieve unprecedented success. Further, affirmations make way for positive action. They help improve the way we feel about ourselves as well as about others. When we take the initiative to change the way we think, it sets into motion a chain of events that unravels a whole new world of opportunities for us. It becomes easier for us to actually execute our plans, and quite remarkably so. One thing leads to the other, and soon enough, prosperity and abundance find their way into our lives.

The reason why affirmations can take a while to produce noticeable results is that we are used to having negative thoughts all day long, 7 days a week. The moment things go south, we immediately turn our critical voices on and begin badmouthing ourselves as though we are supposed to be perfect.  For ex. Let’s say you are unable to meet a project deadline which leads to you receiving a bitter scolding from your superiors. You instantly start condemning yourself at the back of your mind. Some of your thoughts may sound like this:

“I’m nothing but a loser.”

“I will never be able to succeed in life.”

“I should just quit already.”

“I’m not cut out for this job.”

Obviously, none of these statements are actually true. These are nothing more than limiting beliefs that inhibit your capabilities and can be eliminated with conscious consistent practice. The problem is, when such thought patterns occur repeatedly, they tend to have a severely negative impact on our self-esteem. There’s a reason you’ve been finding it impossible to make time for that side hustle you’ve been wanting to work on since forever. There’s a reason you’ve been lacking the motivation to get up in the morning for a quick exercise session even though you know your health has been deteriorating lately. There’s a reason all your relationships have become so difficult to manage and everywhere you turn, you run into a different kind of conflict. Your negative self-talk has been messing with your mind. The only way to nullify its harmful effects is to replace your critical thought patterns with positive ones. This is precisely what affirmations are all about.

As explained earlier, once you overcome your habit of negative self-talk using affirmations, it becomes easier to take productive actions that pave way for the success you deserve and desire. How, you ask? In layman’s terms, persistent recitation of the right words creates an imprint on our subconscious mind, and brings about a massive shift in our perspective. Not only this, but also the Universe gets to know what you truly desire and starts sending great opportunities your way so that you may achieve your goals as soon as possible.

Now this is an important concept to understand. Many of us tend to believe that simply reciting empowering phrases without putting in any physical effort can make our dreams come true. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. You’re going to have to put in the necessary effort. But the good thing is that it’ll all come naturally once you get past your mental barriers. So in actuality, putting in the required labor is going to be the easier part. Gathering the motivation to start with the same is the real game. And affirmations are the most convenient way to accomplish that.

How to use affirmations for best results?

As a matter of fact, there is no perfect time to practice affirmations. The more you practice, the closer you get to fulfilling your dreams. You can use existing affirmations which have been created by others on the topic of your choice, or you may construct your own phrases. Everything works. But there are a few dos and don’ts that you should know before you start.

Make sure your affirmations have been setup in the present tense. For ex. “I am a confident person”, or “I am filled with love and compassion”, or “I accept all of the Universe’s blessing”, or “I have a good relationship with all my colleagues”, etc. This is because the mind is incapable of differentiating between reality and fiction. Everything we feed it, it consumes, processes, and acts upon. When we behave as though we already possess the values and traits we want, our mind and body tend to react accordingly. Not to mention, the Universe too conspires to materialize our wishes in the best way possible.

Conversely, avoid using wishful sentences as affirmations. Using phrases like “I wish”, or “I will”, or “I can”, etc. can send a wrong message to your subconscious mind. When we start a sentence with “I wish”, it indicates the lack of an entity that we wish to possess. This is the exact opposite of our previous suggestion of using statements set in the present tense. Instead of saying “I wish”, you could use the term “thank you” to express your gratitude for receiving that which you desire. This brings us to our third point.

Gratitude is a powerful tool. As Louis Hay once said: “the Universe loves grateful people”. Using phrases like “thank you”, “I’m grateful“, etc. in your affirmations indicates that you’ve already received that which you so desire. Why? Because you cannot be grateful for something you don’t have. As simple as that. Further, when you thank the Universe or the Supreme Being for your blessings, it makes you worthy of receiving more. Expressing gratitude by means of positive affirmations can very well prove to be a life-changing experience. If you do not feel like incorporating any other of our suggestions, we strongly urge you to follow this one practice with devotion and faith.

Avoid using negative sentences as affirmations. This is a big no. Instead, frame your statements in a positive tone, as if you were moving towards something. For ex. Instead of saying “I am no longer overweight”, try saying “I am blessed with a good physique and a healthy body”. Similarly, instead of saying “I am not an irritable person”, consider saying “I am a patient human being”. This gives your subconscious mind clean directions as to where you wish to be in your life. Using negative statements sends the signal that you’re running away from something, and it could be in any direction possible.

Do not indulge in affirmations that seem a little woo-woo for yourself. Be realistic when choosing affirmations. For ex. Using the phrase “I am an amazing dancer” without putting any effort in the actual learning process will always remain a far fetched dream for you. On the contrary, if you’re an aspiring pianist, and have already started learning the instrument with devotion, then affirming “Every time I play the piano, I take a leap towards becoming a master pianist” can work wonders for you.

Lastly, when reciting affirmations, do so with unshakable faith and belief. In short, say it like you mean it. If you yourself are going to doubt your capabilities, how can you expect the Universe to think otherwise? Having said that, it pays off to use strategic statements that tend to be much more believable than the rest of them. One of the most popular affirmations is this: “Everyday and in every way, I’m getting better and better”. It was created by Emile Coue. This is a highly believable statement since it is true in every sense of the phrase. Everyday, we learn something new or the other. This automatically suggests that we become a more knowledgeable person than we were the day before. The subtle truth behind this affirmation is what makes it so remarkably powerful and efficient. 

How to construct effective affirmations?

When creating your own personalized affirmations, following a few important rules can alter the entire game for you. First thing’s first, keep in mind the above mentioned dos and don’ts since they will greatly impact how effective your affirmations actually turn out to be. Just to reiterate:

1. Use present tense.
2. Do not use wishful sentences.
3. Express gratitude through affirmations.
4. Avoid using negative statements. 
5. Be realistic.

Apart from these general guidelines, always try to keep your affirmations short, simple and easy to remember. Use active voice as much as you can. This way, you’ll be able to recite your power-phrases on the go, especially while performing menial chores.  Also, make sure you incorporate relevant information regarding the time, place, or any other quantifiable factor that may be required to make the affirmations more realistic and meaningful. 

Consider all areas of improvement that exist in your life. Categorize and prioritize them in terms of urgency and importance. Next, pick the top most in the list and start by framing a single line affirmation for achieving the same. For ex. If you wish to get a salary hike in your next appraisal cycle, you could construct a statement that goes like this: “I am grateful for receiving an appreciable increment in my salary next year”. This is all you’re going to need to witness the potency of affirmations. Also, be welcoming to all the motivation and inspiration you receive from the Universe. The Universe works in mysterious ways, and there is always some hidden opportunity that it sends your way even when you feel like nothing is really working out for you.

Conclusion 

Affirmations can grant you great success, provided you know how to play by the rules. Being patient and having faith in the Universe can prove to be imperative virtues when it comes to bringing unprecedented prosperity and abundance in your life. Affirmations can bring about a massive positive shift in how you feel about yourself as well as others. They can also change the way you perceive and handle challenges and everyday obstacles. The possibilities and the potential to gain all that you desire using these empowering phrases is virtually limitless. All you’ve got to do is stay consistent and be realistic. Eventually, good things will follow. Share this article if you think there’s someone in your circle of impact who can benefit from reading this.

Resources

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