Have you ever heard of affirmations? I first read about affirmations in a self-help article. At that time, I was thinking what can it possibly mean? Since that time, I’ve learned a lot about affirmations and would like to share what I found with you.
Affirmation is the action or process of affirming something to be true. It can be oral or written. Affirming a child is smart or affirming I will succeed today are examples.
A positive affirmation is a positive statement that can help you change current negative thoughts or limiting beliefs. When repeated often, a positive affirmation can re-enforce positive beliefs, making things turn positive. Negative Affirmation sows seeds to self-doubt and limiting belief. Things like “money grow on trees” or “money is filthy and dirty” are examples of negative affirmations. You say these things without knowing you saying it. It rolls out of your tongue.
Why is Positive Affirmation Important?
In life, we see a lot of different people around us. For me, I sometimes wonder why some of these people succeed and what some others don’t. If you’re living in the developed world, there are a lot of opportunities that our parents or grandparents don’t have. There are a lot of successful self-made entrepreneurs from India to the United States. So what is the difference? It starts with the mind. We limit ourselves by the boundaries we set ourselves. A lot of people do not reach their full potential because of negative self-talk or limiting belief. This may be due to their upbring or people they grew up with instilling limiting belief in them through their childhood. I am not saying this is intentional. Its simple words like “be realistic” or “don’t dream about it.
If we don’t think something can be done, how do you think we can achieve it. If already think it’s not achievable, will we even try to put a plan together? On the flip side. Look at Elon Musk. He wants to take humankind to Mars. Its an extremely ambitious vision but look at him. He put together Space X, people, resources and a plan to get us there. Every step he takes we are getting one step closer.
Now back to positive affirmations. My point is we need to believe we can do something. We need to remind ourselves constantly about what we want to do. If I spend 2 minutes every morning saying I am going to be fit and healthy. What do I think I will do after the affirmation. Is there a higher chance I will have a healthy breakfast or do you think I will have something not healthy? I will also be more likely to work out that day than not work out or at least do some exercise.
”Pay attention to your thoughts, because they become words. Pay attention to your words, because they become actions. Pay attention to your actions, because they become habits. Pay attention to your habits, because they become your character. Pay attention to your character, because it is your fate” – From the Talmud
By taking the first step and make a consistent effort to making things happen, we will get one step closer to our goals.
To achieve our goals and reach our full potential we need to remove the limiting belief and negative self-talk. By having regular or daily affirmations for success, we can send a positive message to our subconscious mind. At this moment, I am thinking, is this article good enough? is it going be deliver my message and better than others? I shouldn’t be thinking about it in that way. These are limiting beliefs. I need to change and think that I am writing this to share the information with others who are interested and will benefit from it. This article will be read by others and will make an impact on others. By firstly affirming to myself this will be an impactful article (and by my definition, successful), I will take action and put the effort into the article by spending time researching and writing it. If I do not believe it will succeed then why write it the first place?
By starting your morning with positive affirmations, it re-wires your brain to look at things more positively, I will be more self-conscious and more motivated.
Just remember, a good set of positive affirmations for success can help invite wealth, good health and upgraded status in your life. A book I recommend you read is Think Rich, Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Throughout the book, the author uses examples of positive affirmations to drive home the message of a positive mental attitude and how positive affirmation works. One of the key takeaways I got from the book is whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
Success comes to those who become success conscious. Failure comes to those who indifferently allow themselves to become failure conscious.
– Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich
Does Affirmation Work?
As the saying goes “you speak your future”. In Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki talks about how words can change your future, “If you want to change your life, begin by changing your words. Start speaking the words of your dreams, of who you want to become, not the words of fear or failure”.
Napoleon Hil uses the method of “autosuggestion” to use the conscious mind to influence and condition the subconscious mind. To creating beliefs you need to constantly repeat positive thoughts.
My interpretation of this as daily positive affirmations
There have been studies behind positive affirmations. One of the psychological theories called the self-affirmation theory (Steel, 1988). The theory is based on the idea that we can maintain our sense of self-integrity by telling ourselves what we believe in positive ways. This theory leads to neuroscientific research to study how the region of the brain that responds to positive affirmations. In short, it was found that the region of the brain becomes more active when practicing self-affirmations.
How can I use this information I’ve just learned.
Now we understand what affirmation, in particularly positive affirmation means and what it does, how can I apply this?
Like all things, practice and consistency is the key. Why not incorporate daily positive affirmations as part of your daily morning routine. There is no harm in putting thinking positive thought into affirmations. Say them out loud or writing them down daily. If you do not want to say it out loud, you can always start a daily journal and write down your affirmations. Alternatively, you can look in the mirror in the morning when you wake up to practice daily affirmations. This is not a magic trick and just hoping you win a million dollars won’t get you a million dollars. Even the lotto winner still needs to go out and buy a ticket. The key takeaway is the affirmation is a trigger for you to your plans to action. By saying you will do something or become someone you will have a higher chance of taking the steps to get you there.
There is another school of thought where if you think of positive thoughts all the time, these thoughts are broadcasted out into the world. The more you have these thoughts, the more these thoughts will be sent out. Think of a radio station broadcasting the news. I this case it’s your thoughts that are broadcasted out. I just wanted to mention this as another perspective of how this works.
What are the Benefits of Daily Affirmations
You become more conscious of your thoughts and words
By having daily positive affirmations, your brain starts with positive thoughts. One positive thought leads to the next. There is a compound effect when you do something right in the morning. Have you ever been in a situation where you were late for the bus, miss the bus, the next bus is late, then other negative things happen? Or you start the day nice and early, you go for a walk, have a healthy breakfast and other things work out for the rest of the day. By being more conscious of your thoughts, you are able to re-wire your brain with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations reduce negative thoughts and limiting beliefs.
Positive Affirmations Keep Things in Perspective
In this busy world, we can get lost and lose track of things. We are constantly in the rat race jumping from one task to the next. There is almost no time to take a step back and think about life and look at things in perspectives. We may gloss through the fact that we have an abundance of food and wealth compare to someone a few decades ago. When we are healthy we may forget and appreciate our health. We have a loving partner or family we do not take time to fully appreciate it. A simple morning affirmation to remind us of our health, wealth and relationship can go along way. By appreciating what we have, we can take the time to focus on the important things in life.
Another example is you wake up and look out the window and its raining. You may say… what a crappy day. We’ll imagine you go to the bathroom in the morning and practice a daily affirmation. Your affirmation can be: “I am happy to be healthy and alive. I am going to make the most of my day and succeed in life.” Now you go out and see the rain. You choose how you react to things in life. You can react to the rain as something miserable or something that is wonderful.
Daily affirmations Can Keep us in a Constant State of Gratitude
Daily affirmation keeps us in a constant state of gratitude. Each morning when I look in the mirror and say:
- I feel joy and contentment at this moment right now. “
- I awaken in the morning feeling happy and enthusiastic about life.
- I find joy and pleasure in the most simple things in life.
When saying these statements and believing them, it keeps me present and focus on how fortunate I am living in the 21st Century. How happy I am to wake up to a wonderful day. It much I look forward to life. A constant reminder to be grateful keeps us happy and positive. Gratitude can reduce toxic emotions from resentment, frustration, and regret. Gratitude increases happiness and reduces depressions
Positive Affirmations Makes Us More Optimistic and Healthier
Next time you look at someone you know who is optimistic, look at their facial expression compare to someone who is a pessimist. Do you rather someone who always happy smiles or someone who is grumpy? I don’t know about you but I will rather be happier. Studies have shown positive and optimistic people have healthier hearts.
Positive Affirmations can Rub off on Others
As your life changes for the better after practicing daily affirmations. People around start to notice you. I remember a while ago when I first started writing my 5-minute journal and filling in the “Daily Affirmations. I am…” my life started to change. I had better job opportunities and also my personality changed for the better. I was waking up early and feel more energized. I shared what I did with a few close friends and some of them followed. As you continue this practice, others take note and you begin to help those around you without even trying. This, in turn, helps keep you focused.
Self-affirmations Helps Decrease Health-deteriorating Stress
Stress occurs when your body is in a flight, fight or freeze mode. By practicing daily positive affirmations, you will have more positive thoughts in your mind, look at things in perspective and have a positive outlook in life. All these things will help keep you calm and reduces anxiety. It essential to decrease health – deteriorating stress.
They Help Build Stronger, More Intimate Relationships.
Simply being more grateful, positive and present will reduce anxiety and stress. Being more grateful translates to being more appreciative. Image you being a very appreciative, grateful, attentive person to your partner. You are less stressed and less anxious. You are more patient and will take the time to listen to him or her. I am not saying Daily Affirmations is the magic bullet that will get you there. We consistent practice, the daily positive affirmation will have both a ripple and compound effects on your life and the people around you.
Final Thoughts…
So how can I use this information I’ve learned.
For a start, there is no harm in thinking positive thoughts and actually saying them out loud or writing them down. You can start with it as apart of a journal entry or looking in the mirror in the morning when you wake up to practice daily affirmations.
A few simple ways to start is to:
1. Use a confident standing position – Stand tall, relax your shoulders and stand with good posture.
2. Say your list of affirmations like you mean it. Go down the list one by one slowly, be present and focus with a confident voice
3. Speak slowly and be confident when you speak. Saying it in front of the mirror after you are dress up for work is a good start. You are groom and ready to win the day
Good list of positive affirmations you can start today
- I am highly driven and motivated to succeed
- I am fully dedicated to growing my wealth
- I have unbreakable confidence in myself
- I am on the path to abundance
- I believe deeply that I am a successful person
What tools can I use?
I found some interesting things I would like to share with you here.
5 Minute Journal
I personally use the 5-minute journal on my phone. Every day, I will get an inspiring quote and 3 questions I fill out in the morning and evening. There is also an affirmation question I fill out.
Gratitude and Affirmation Journal
You can buy one from Amazon or just create one yourself. It a good practice to write down your affirmations and gratitude regularly
Affirmation Vision Board
You can make an Affirmation Vision Board and put your favorite Affirmation Quotes and inspiring images there.