How to Effectively Use Affirmations
Updated: Aug 7, 2023
Did you know that our brains process about 70,000 thoughts per day, with 80% of them being negative and 90-95% of them being repetitive? These thoughts can really make or break our well-being, emotional health, and reality. Therefore, it is very beneficial to learn techniques to fight against the amount of negative self-talk/thoughts that the human brain tends to focus on excessively. It is important to consistently keep up with these techniques, so they can become patterns that positively impact your overall behavior and mindset. This is definitely easier said than done, but aim for consistency, not perfection! Affirmations are positive statements that you repeat to yourself regularly to reinforce a positive mindset and beliefs. They can be powerful tools to boost self-confidence, overcome negative thinking, and achieve personal goals. Choose affirmations that resonate with you: Select affirmations that align with your goals, values, and areas of personal growth. Use statements that feel authentic and meaningful to you.
Here are some tips on how to effectively use affirmations:
Be specific and positive: Frame your affirmations in a positive manner and be specific about what you want to achieve or change. For example, instead of saying, "I am not stressed," say, "I am calm and composed in challenging situations."
Use present tense: Phrase your affirmations as if you have already achieved what you desire. This helps your mind to visualize and believe in the statement more effectively. For example, "I am confident in my abilities" instead of "I will be confident."
Believe in what you say: While reciting affirmations, truly believe in the words you are saying. Engage your emotions and visualize the positive outcome. The more you believe in the affirmation, the more powerful its impact will be on your subconscious mind.
Consistency is key: Repeat your affirmations daily, ideally several times a day. Consistency helps reinforce the positive messages and allows them to sink deeper into your subconscious mind.
Combine with visualization: Pair your affirmations with visualization. As you repeat the affirmations, imagine yourself in the situation you desire or achieving your goals. This combination strengthens the impact on your mind and enhances motivation.
Use them at the right times: Incorporate affirmations into your daily routine, such as during meditation, before starting the day, or just before going to bed. Find moments when you are relaxed and can focus on the affirmations without distractions.
Write them down: Write your affirmations in a journal or on sticky notes and place them in prominent locations, like on your bathroom mirror, desk, or computer screen. This way, you'll be reminded of them throughout the day.
Stay patient and persistent: Changing beliefs and thought patterns takes time. Don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate results. Continue practicing your affirmations with patience and persistence.
Align with your goals: Ensure your affirmations are aligned with your overall goals and values. This way, they can serve as a motivational tool to keep you focused on your aspirations.
Stay open to change: As your circumstances and goals evolve, be willing to adapt your affirmations accordingly. Personal growth and development require flexibility in your affirmations.
A personalized method that has proven to be effective is: writing your regular negative thoughts and then creating positive affirmations to counteract them. It is important that the counterargument/positive affirmation is genuine, something that you can truly believe in – draw from something actually positive: attributes you like about yourself, a reasonable assessment of a situation you may be stressing about, etc. Over time, these accurate perceptions can naturally start to become your actual thoughts that occupy your mind more frequently, thanks to neuroplasticity. Repetition of affirmations can help form new neural pathways in the brain, reinforcing positive thoughts and beliefs. Over time, these new pathways can become stronger, making positive thinking more automatic.
When Affirmations Still Aren’t Working:
Be patient and persistent: Change takes time, and the effects of affirmations may not be immediate. Stay committed and persistent in practicing affirmations, even if you don't see immediate results. Over time, they can influence your thoughts and beliefs. Usually, affirmations are effective, but they may not be the cure-all for your consistent mental strife. Many people experience deep-rooted patterns of negative thinking that need further assistance to fight against. Also, upon further evaluation, you may unlock mental health concerns/disorders that may require more treatment that is especially relevant to your case. A therapist can definitely help you to dig deeper, along with maintaining your practice of various strategies such as positive affirmations. A good place to start is with Mental Map to Wellness, where you can schedule a free consultation!
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