Practising affirmations regularly is a wonderful way to help to reduce your stress levels and set yourself up for success. Positive affirmations don’t need to be anything complicated, they are simply phrases that you repeat regularly to help internalise and emphasise your ideas.
The Power Of Positive Thinking - What are Positive Affirmations?
You may choose to use positive affirmations to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life, reduce overthinking before bed or boost your self-esteem. If you frequently find yourself getting caught up in negative self-talk, positive affirmations can be used to combat these often subconscious patterns.
What are the benefits of Affirmations?
When you have a goal that you want to achieve and you actively are working towards, an affirmation strengthens your confidence by reminding you of what you can do. Repeating affirmations helps to boost motivation and improve mental health, but try to think of them as a first step towards change, not the change itself.
When we are able to deal with negative messages and replace them with positive statements, we can construct more adaptive, hopeful narratives about who we are and what we can accomplish. Regular practice and consistency can change the way you see yourself and your anxiety in the longer term. It is a very minimal effort practice with powerful benefits.
A study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (1) used MRI to reveal that practising self-affirmation activates the reward centres in your brain. Simply say to yourself “I will earn that promotion” and it’ll light up the same reward centres that respond to other pleasurable experiences, such as eating great food. or winning a prize. It fires up your neural pathways and makes changes to those areas of the brain that makes you happy and positive.
When should you practice Positive Affirmations?
Affirmations are most effective when they are tailored towards you. If you find you have more time before bed, then create a safe place - maybe light a candle or spray your favourite room mist in your room to help to relax your mind. You may find it helpful reading these in front of a mirror or maybe you find writing these down a better fit. Other’s may find that during your morning routine, whilst getting ready, is the best time to do this. Whichever works best for you is what matters. There is no rule book to follow.
