POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: THE WHAT, WHY, AND HOW

Okay, be true to yourself.

How often do you indulge in negative self-talk when things don’t pan out the way you want them to??

“This is impossible. I am never going to succeed.”

“I always screw up. I shouldn’t have even tried.”

Statements like these– are they common in your daily vocabulary??

If they are, then you should immediately mend your ways.

Negative self-talk is not uncommon.?

It is easy to lose sight of your beliefs and values when you are having a bad day.?

But when negative self-talk becomes a habit, your self-esteem gets badly affected.?

You become more of an insecure person who finds it convenient to resort to the “I can’t”, rather than the "I can" mindset.?

If you are someone who has fallen prey to this, then using positive affirmations can be your way of finding light at the end of the tunnel.?

Read on to better understand what positive affirmations are, why they are important, and how to create your own affirmations.

What are positive affirmations?

Positive affirmations, also known as self-affirmations, are a tactic for self-help.

They are short statements or phrases that you repeat to motivate yourself and boost your confidence.?

Positive affirmations shift your focus from your seeming insufficiencies, train your brain to concentrate on your strengths, and help you achieve your goals.

You can write them down, listen to them, or you can repeat them in your head, choose any way that works best for you.?

If practiced daily, positive affirmations have a deep impact on a person's mind and way of thinking.

Why are positive affirmations important?

Various studies have shown that positive affirmations help in:

• buffering the negative impacts of stress that can otherwise cause your whole system to spiral into the abyss
• overcoming obstacles in one’s performance
• improving overall health by promoting physical activity
• psychological well-being
• overcome depression and boost self-esteem

Positive affirmations help your brain replace negative thinking with positive self-talk, and when you get into the habit of repeating these positive phrases, you reshape the way you think and feel about yourself.?

When used in the right way, positive affirmations can be the one true guide that can help you pull through difficult times.?

How to create positive affirmations?

Now that we know what exactly a positive affirmation is, then comes the question of how you come up with one to use in your life.?

Since every human being comes from different walks of life, there truly is not a particular “right way” to come up with a positive affirmation that works for all.

You need to acknowledge the difficulties that you are facing and create the affirmations that suit you to overcome those difficulties.

Following are some tips and guidelines for creating positive affirmations to get you started:

Use positive words in your affirmations

Refrain from using negative words while creating affirmations.?

Your focus should entirely be on “what you want” and steer clear of “what you don’t".

For instance, if you are to write an affirmation about being healthy, instead of “I hate being unhealthy”, tweak it with “I am a healthy person.”

See how the change in the words makes the affirmation more powerful.

Use the power of “I am” in your affirmations

Your affirmation will have more effect if you begin it with the words "I am."?

It makes use of language that makes your mind interpret the phrase "I am" as an order with a strong creative impact.

Keep your affirmations in the “now”

The statements and phrases that you use for your positive affirmations should preferably be in the present tense.

The affirmation needs to send a signal to your brain that you are accomplishing your goal right now, and this helps you believe that it is true.

“I value my self-worth”, is a more helpful affirmation than “I will value my self-worth.”?

Even if it is something that you desire to attain in the future, try to come up with a way to use it in the present.?

Your affirmations should be believable

Affirmations are certainly no magical mumbo-jumbo. They are tools to improve your mindset.?

The key is to keep your affirmations as realistic as possible for them to be super effective.

If the affirmations are not pragmatic, you will lack belief in them, and only when you believe in your affirmations, will they work positively for you.?

For example, if you are not happy with your current income in your company, you can use affirmations to boost your confidence to confront your employer for a raise.

But if you end up using an affirmation about doubling your current pay, then it is truly impractical and will have zero impact.??

Your affirmations should be focused

If you need help with a certain aspect of your life, you need to identify it before creating your affirmations.

They can be related to your relationship, mental health, workplace, etc. But be clear in your mind about how you want the affirmations to work for you.

Now, if you want to be better at your relationship with your spouse, you won’t be using affirmations to be a better employee at your workplace, would you?

Keep your affirmations short and simple

Always try to keep your affirmations short so that you can remember them and repeat them whenever you want. Try to keep them concise, direct, and aligned with what you want to achieve.

Using too many words or too long statements for affirmations will make them unproductive.

Put your feelings into your affirmations

Use more words like grateful, happy, relaxed, excited, etc, that help describe your feelings regarding your affirmation.

This way, your affirmation will resonate with you deeply and be more meaningful to you.?

When you really feel your affirmation, it becomes more powerful.

Some simple ways to practice positive affirmations daily:

• First of all, pick a dedicated time to practice your positive affirmations. In the morning, after you wake up, and at night, before you go to bed, are the best times to start.
• Be consistent in your efforts and practice your affirmations daily for at least a few minutes.
• Repeat the affirmations as much as possible. The more you repeat them, the more you start believing in them.
• Be patient in your approach. There is a saying, “Good things take time.” You might not see immediate results, but eventually, you will get there.

Conclusion

To sum up, positive affirmations can be your guiding star on your self-improvement journey.?

By practicing them daily, you will never fail to encourage yourself, and you will always be your greatest cheerleader for life.?

Author Jennifer Milius, says, “Your mind believes what you tell it, so tell it positive things.”

Positive affirmations are truly what your mind needs to hear.?

So go ahead and make your list today!

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