What Are Affirmations?
You probably hear the slogans all the time, “Think positive,” “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference,” and so many more. Thinking positively has its merits. In fact, according to a study discussed in a popular online magazine article, positive thinking leads people to believe that there are more possibilities in their live. Positive thinking is a great way to build self-confidence and other self-beliefs that can translate to positive action, which in turn can change your life for the better. One way to cultivate positive thinking is through something called affirmations.
Affirmations are the actions of affirming something or providing emotional support of encouragement. Affirmations can come from a myriad of sources. From our parents, to friends, to something we read or watch, or even from ourselves, affirmations can have a positive effect on our psyche. In fact, according to an article in Psychology Today, studies show that a brief affirmation at the start of a school semester helped improve underperforming students’ test scores at the end of that semester. In addition, the studies show that people with chronic stress when it came to problem solving were able to reduce the stress and problems solve better when using affirmations. Affirmations do work, and they are worth exploring further.
Affirmations have many benefits besides improving grades and problem solving ability. They motivate, keep the mind focused on a goal, influence the subconscious mind by activating its powers, and change the way we think and behave, which can bring us into contact with new people. They also make us feel positive, energetic, and active, which can translate into actions that change our lives. They have many benefits, especially when done right.
The most popular form of affirmation is self-affirmation. This is when you repeat a few words or phrases to your self-daily. In order to do this, you will choose an area of your life you want to improve. This could be your health, for example. Each day you will devote some special time during the day to repeat the affirmation. You will then repeat the affirmation wherever you are at the dedicated time. This could be in the bathroom mirror in the morning, on a lunch break at work, or even on a walk to the car. It is important to not let doubt get in the way of the affirmation. The more you believe what you are saying is true, the more likely it will work. Persevere and keep to the practice. There is no set time frame on when you will notice changes, but generally, self-affirmations done consistently yield more positive thinking sooner than you might imagine.
If you are stuck on what words to choose for your affirmation, don’t worry. There are plenty of affirmations already available you can use, some separated by category. Some examples include the following:
• I love myself right now.
• My body is infused with energy and health.
• Plenty of money is flowing into my life.
• Happiness always seeks me.
These are just a few of many possibilities. Be creative and come up with your own or change an existing one to meet your needs. But, just saying the affirmation alone will not change circumstances. It is the positive belief the affirmation causes and the consequential action you take based on that belief that ultimately causes change in your life.