We all have collectively been through a lot. 2020 was a year that none of us will forget. The Global pandemic put billions of lives at a standstill. 2021 has faired better but that doesn’t mean that we are in the clear. While many states in the United States are fully opened up, other countries like India are still in the thick of the pandemic.
With so much negativity going on in the world, it is hard for us to think positively. People are still picking up the pieces of last year (2020) trying to get back to some sort of normalcy.
The thing is that in order for us to make it out of this pandemic with our sanity, we need to think positively every day regardless of what is going on around us. I know, easier said than done.
But what if there was a way to program our subconscious mind to think positively even when there is so much negativity going on around us?
The way we do this is with positive self-talk.
Positive self-talk is a form of inner dialogue that can allow you to reach new heights as a person, overcoming all that stands in your way.
Understanding Positive Self Talk
Positive self-talk is the practice of responding to those negative thoughts that creep into your mind throughout the day. You know the thoughts: the ones that have you thinking, “you can’t” instead of “you can,” or “it’s too hard” instead of “you can do it.”
When you replace such negativity with positive thoughts, you can bring about incredible changes in your life and the way you feel about yourself.
Let’s say that you are thinking about quitting your job to pursue something you love doing (think passion turned business). In your mind, you might say “I shouldn’t quit my job and do what I love. There is no way this (insert dream) will make money and I won’t be able to take care of my family.”
When you practice positive self-talk, you can stop this dialogue in its tracks.
The thing is that negative thoughts are the main reason many people do not pursue what they love to do. They listen to the negative self-talk that stops them from taking action.
Instead of letting your mind go on and on, envisioning how people will judge you if you leave your job or thinking your dreams will never make you money, you can respond with positive thoughts. These positive thoughts can also be called positive affirmations.
Positive Affirmations and You
Trying to lose weight and get healthy, starting a new career, pursuing what you love, are all hard to do when you have that little voice in your head telling you that you can’t do it. You know, that voice that is like a Negative Nancy, putting thoughts in your head that probably aren’t true.
Making the change from negative self-talk to positive self-talk can be difficult and takes practice. You might not even remember a time when this negative dialogue wasn’t playing in the background of your life.
The good news is that the effort required to make the change from negative self-talk to positive self-talk can be an easy one by using positive affirmations.
Positive affirmations allow you to replace your negativity, one thought at a time!
You might be wondering if it’s as easy as I say to change your life with affirmations. I want you to consider this question: How have those negative thoughts running through my mind contributed to where I am in my life presently?
Think about all the projects you’ve wanted to start but was too scared because of what you told yourself daily. Think about all the dreams you haven’t pursued because you feel that you wouldn’t be the best parent if you put your dreams first.
If negative thoughts got you where you are now, can you imagine where you could be if the negativity was replaced by confident, positive thoughts?
If you want to lead a positive and fulfilling life you must have a positive mindset. In order to think positively, you must replace the negative thought processes that are already running through your mind.
BUT, If you still aren’t convinced that you can change your negative thoughts to positive, I want you to consider the benefits of affirmations.
Related Post: How to Set Powerful Monthly Intentions
Benefits of Affirmations:
A recent study confirmed the effectiveness of affirmations. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that people under high stress did about 50% worse on a problem-solving test. However, when they used a brief self-affirmation first, they did just as well as the other participants.
Below is a list of additional benefits:
1. Improve your performance.
In addition to overcoming stress, affirmations can also help you learn from your mistakes. They promote flexible thinking that makes it easier to spot your errors and form new habits.
2. Feel better.
This is the medicine that tastes good. Skillful self-talk cheers you up instantly. It’s like giving yourself a hug.
3. Enjoy better relationships.
It’s easy to slip into defensiveness when you feel tense. Affirmations give you a more constructive method for dealing with difficult issues so you can remain open to what others have to say.
4. Protect your physical health.
Chronic stress triggers inflammation and interferes with your metabolism. Simply relaxing reduces your risk for many serious health conditions, including obesity.
5. Draw on your strengths.
Maybe you excel as a parent but struggle with public speaking. Affirmations remind you of your most important strengths and help build your confidence in weaker areas.
6. Take your affirmations everywhere.
Your boss may look at you funny if you interrupt a staff meeting to get a massage. On the other hand, you can recite uplifting messages out loud or silently wherever you go.
7. Discover more meaning.
Most importantly, affirmations welcome more meaning into your life. You’ll be more mindful of your choices and how your actions contribute to fulfilling your purpose.
Positive thoughts really can change your life!
Since positive affirmations activate your mind to replace negative thought processes with a positive mindset, they simply make the most sense! Plus, they’re so easy. Once you become used to using affirmations on a daily basis, you’ll wish you’d started with them sooner.
But you might be wondering where to start. Do you write your affirmations yourself or find a resource to help you? Do you order a journal from Amazon? Do you search on Instagram for pages that post positive affirmations daily? So many questions right?
Well don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
Free Resource
You can utilize a website called Free Affirmations that provides positive affirmations for everything from weight loss to loving yourself.
You can go on this site, find the positive affirmations that speak to your soul, and write it down on a piece of paper or a notebook that you have lying around in your house. And if you’re like me who loves to write things down, I am sure you have one lying around the house.
Paid Resources
My favorite resource that I use that helps me to write my positive affirmations daily is the Commanding Life Daily Inspiration and Journal. The journal isn’t dated so if you miss a day or two, it’s okay. It has an inspirational quote at the top of each page that often has me writing exclamation marks or a “yassss” next to it because it spoke to me.
The journal allows you to set an intention for the day and practice gratitude. It also has space for you to write your positive affirmation. It’s a great way to get my morning started and I’m sure you would love it too! It costs $24.97 without tax and shipping.
*Disclaimer: I am NOT an affiliate of this company. I just love this journal!
How to Write Your Own Affirmations
If you prefer to write your own affirmations without a guide, I’ve got you covered too. This is probably the most personal way to write your affirmations.
Before I tell you how to write your own affirmations, there are a few rules I want you to keep in mind:
1. Time it right.
Prepare yourself for challenging tasks. Perform an affirmation before you give a presentation or depart on a long flight.
2. Clarify your values.
You can apply affirmations to any area of your life, from baking a cake to dealing with your co-workers. Affirmations have the greatest impact when you tie them to your top priorities, whether that’s your family and friends or world peace.
3. Take supporting actions.
We all know the saying, “your actions speak louder than your words.” Your behavior must match your words. If it’s important for you to bring in your 35th birthday 30 pounds lighter, you must work out and eat healthily. If you want to grow your YouTube channel to support your business, you must be consistent with putting out content with good quality and even invest in a mentor to help you grow your channel.
4. Use a combination of resources.
Blend your affirmations in with other sources of assistance and encouragement. Devote time to spiritual practices or talk with a friend about a conflict to get their perspective.
5. Develop a strong intention.
Forceful wishes create mighty affirmations. Reflect on your motivation and give your full attention to what you’re saying. Engage all your senses to produce a vivid experience. If you’re trying to grow your own vegetables, imagine how they’ll look and taste.
6. Be sincere.
Analyze your affirmations to be sure they feel authentic for you. Go ahead and proclaim you’re a top seller of e-courses on how to start your own podcast if you really believe it.
Now that you know the rules of affirmations, let’s learn how to write them:
1. Make your affirmation personal.
When you write affirmations, remember to use “I” in them. This makes the statements personal to YOU.
* Good Example: “I am a money magnet!”
2. Use the present tense.
Affirmations are built in order to change our feelings now, which is why you want to stay positive and strong in this moment. When you use the past tense, you get sentimental and start reminiscing about the past. When you use the future tense, you get hopeful and start to think about what is to come. The present tense helps you feel the difference in the present moment.
* Good Example: “I am highly motivated.”
3. Use your own style.
It is important that you be down to earth, writing your affirmations the way you would write them and not how you see it in the resources you Google. You want to capture your own voice and not make them too formal or lengthy.
* Bad Example: “Presently I am operating from a place of peace .”
* Good Example: “I am at peace.”
4. Be short.
Affirmations are meant to be short and simple. They are not meant to be wordy and written in paragraph form.
Pro-Tip: Make your affirmation a one-liner with a maximum of 10 words. You want to remember them and if they are too lengthy, you will forget about it as soon as you write it. If it is too wordy, you can break them down into a few affirmations.
* Bad Example: “ I live a life of confidence and feel like I can achieve anything.”
* Good Example: “I am confident.” and “I can achieve anything.”
5. Make your affirmation positive.
Affirmations are positive statements, so avoid negative words like “not.” You’re using affirmations to make a life improvement and positive statements motivate you to make this improvement.
* Good Example: “I am at peace with my mind.”
6. Make your affirmation believable.
You don’t want your affirmation to sound like something out of this world. If it’s not believable, you won’t take it seriously and your subconscious will just dismiss it.
* Good Example: “I am choosing to be happy today.”
Believe in the Power of Affirmations
This is important. When you say your affirmations, believe them to be true.
It’s more than just stating words, you are working to program your subconscious mind to believe whatever you are saying. You must believe what you’re telling yourself.
First, set your eyes on your goal and then write your affirmations to get yourself there.
Write Your Affirmations Down
This is just as important as your belief in what you are telling yourself.
I know that we live in a digital world but no, you can not write them in your notes app on your cellphone. Why? Because writing down your affirmations is like activating what it is you are saying. Writing it down helps you to remember the affirmation, programs your subconscious mind to believe what you are saying, and makes them feel more concrete.
Spend time daily writing your affirmations down. If you are not sure where to start, spend the first 5 minutes just jotting down your thoughts. Focus on your core values and let them guide you.
While writing your affirmations, make sure they follow the list above. Once they do, start using them on a consistent basis. Say them to yourself daily. You can also meditate on them if you choose to.
Keep them in a place where you can see them daily. You can keep them in your wallet, purse, in a notebook you use daily, on your bathroom mirror, or wherever you know you’ll see them each day.
The point is to be consistent and not just write them down and never look at them again.
Also if need be, tweak your affirmations. They aren’t set in stone and can be changed based on what is going on in your life.
Now hopefully you see why using positive affirmations can change your life. It definitely has helped me to activate my mind and keep a positive mindset, instead of letting my negative thoughts take over.
Take Action:
Utilizing my tips above, try working positive affirmations into your life. Take it one step at a time, doing it 5 minutes a day. You can eventually build on it and spend as much time on it as you’d like. You can also download my Write your own affirmations worksheet here.
Let me know in the comments below if this article was helpful. Let me know if you’ve tried positive affirmations and how it has changed your life for the better!
See you in my next post
Peace,
