THE POWER OF POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: AND HOW TO HARNESS THEM FOR A HAPPIER LIFE
I love me an affirmation. Truly, I adore them. I’ve mentioned here (and to many people in, in many places) how they were one of the first things that I used when I was at my lowest to turn things around. I would cling to Gabby Bernstein’s words and direction, I would chant out my affirmations like my life depended on it at times and they worked. They gave me something to hold onto, to slow down my racing heart and mind as I repeated them. They helped me to create a little space in my mind that I desperately needed. I LOVE affirmations and want to share some of my learnings with you.
You know, down here in the Antipodes, we are are a relatively happy group of people - we report to be some of the happiest people in the world! But even with all this happiness floating around, a significant number of us said that they struggle with stress and anxiety. In fact, according to the Australian Psychological Society's Stress and Wellbeing in Australia survey 2020, 1 in 3 Australians reported experiencing high or very high levels of stress in the previous 12 months. Similarly, in New Zealand, the Mental Health Foundation found that 1 in 5 people reported feeling anxious or stressed every day.
So, what can you do to boost happiness levels and improve your wellbeing? Perhaps affirmations hold the answer.
WHAT ARE AFFIRMATIONS?
Affirmations are positive statements that you repeat to yourself regularly. They can help you to change your mindset and create a more positive outlook on life. You could scour the internet to find ones that sing out to you or you could sit down and start to create your very own affirmations. They don’t need to be complicated and in all honesty, the simpler they are, in words that you use every day are going to be the most impactful. They can be quite short, 3 words or so, or they can be longer. They can be specific to something that you want to achieve or more about how you want to feel.
SOME SCIENCE
Did you know that science has shown the power of affirmations to improve mood and achieve goals? Studies have found that affirmations can activate the brain's reward centers and boost the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This can lead to increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
One study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University found that using affirmations helped participants to manage stress and perform better under pressure. Another study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that using affirmations helped participants to achieve their goals more effectively.
BRINGING AFFIRMATIONS TO LIFE
Step 1: Choose your affirmations
The first step to harnessing the power of affirmations is to choose the right ones. Your affirmations should be positive, present tense, and personal. Positive affirmations help you to focus on the good things in your life and the positive changes you want to make. Present tense affirmations help you to stay in the moment and focus on what you can do right now. Personal affirmations help you to connect with your true self and stay true to your values.
Science has shown that if you choose affirmations that are meaningful to you, you are more likely to believe in them and experience positive changes in your life. When you believe in your affirmations, your brain is more likely to activate the neural pathways that support positive thinking and behavior.
Step 2: Repeat them regularly
Once you have chosen your affirmations, it's important to repeat them regularly. This helps to reinforce the neural pathways in your brain and make the positive changes more automatic. You can do this by saying your affirmations out loud or writing them down. You can also create visual reminders of your affirmations, such as posters or screensavers - I use post-it notes frequently.
Science has shown that repetition is key to making affirmations work. By repeating your affirmations regularly, you are training your brain to think and behave in more positive ways. Over time, this can lead to real and lasting changes in your life.
Step 3: Believe in them
The key to making affirmations work is to believe in them. If you don't believe that you are confident and capable, repeating that affirmation will have little effect. You need to truly believe in your affirmations and the power they have to change your life.
Science has shown that when you believe in your affirmations, you are more likely to activate the brain's reward centers and boost the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This can lead to increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
Step 4: See the positive changes
As you repeat your affirmations, you will begin to see positive changes in your life. You may find that you feel more confident and capable, or that you are attracting more positive people and experiences into your life.
Science has shown that when you focus on the positive changes that are happening in your life, you are more likely to activate the brain's reward centers and boost the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This can reinforce the positive changes and make them more automatic.
Step 5: Keep going
The power of affirmations is not something that happens overnight. It takes time and commitment to make lasting changes in your life. But if you keep going, and continue to repeat your affirmations regularly, you will begin to see real and lasting results.
Science has shown that when you persist with your affirmations, you are more likely to activate the brain's reward centers and boost the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This can lead to long-term changes in your life that can help you to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
By choosing positive affirmations that are meaningful to you, repeating them regularly, believing in them, seeing the positive changes, and keeping going, you can make lasting changes in your life.
The science behind affirmations has shown that they can activate the brain's reward centers, boost the production of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, and help you to achieve your goals more effectively. So why not give affirmations a try today? Choose your affirmations, repeat them regularly, and believe in the positive changes they can bring to your life. You might just be surprised at the results.
SO WHO REALLY USES AFFIRMATIONS?
Well I am glad that you asked. I did a little research and found out that there are many familiar names that have and still use affirmations.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: The actor and former Governor of California has spoken about how he used affirmations to help him achieve his goals and overcome obstacles throughout his career. He has even created a "vision board" with pictures and affirmations to help him stay focused on his goals.
Steve Jobs: The late co-founder and CEO of Apple was known for his intense focus and drive, which he credited in part to his use of affirmations. He would often repeat to himself the phrase "I am the luckiest man alive" to help him maintain a positive mindset.
Tony Hawk: The professional skateboarder and entrepreneur has spoken about how he uses affirmations to help him stay focused and motivated. He has even shared some of his favorite affirmations on social media, including "I am capable" and "I am worthy."
Michael Phelps: The Olympic swimmer and record-holder has spoken about how he uses affirmations and visualization to help him stay focused and motivated during competitions. He even created a custom playlist of affirmations and motivational messages to listen to before races.
Elon Musk: The tech entrepreneur and founder of Tesla and SpaceX (you may have heard of him!) has spoken about how he uses affirmations to help him maintain a positive mindset and stay focused on his goals, even in the face of challenges and setbacks.
Jack Canfield: The motivational speaker and author, best known for his "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, has long advocated the use of affirmations as a powerful tool for personal growth and success. He even developed a system for creating and using affirmations, which he calls "afformations," that focuses on asking empowering questions rather than making declarative statements.
Michelle Obama: The former First Lady of the United States has shared that she uses affirmations to help her overcome self-doubt and stay focused on her goals. She has also written about the power of affirmations in her book, "Becoming."
Jay-Z: has spoken about how he uses affirmations to maintain a positive mindset and stay motivated. He has even incorporated affirmations into his song lyrics, with lines like "I'm a living testimony that you can accomplish anything" in his song "F.U.T.W."
Ellen DeGeneres: has spoken about how she uses affirmations to cultivate gratitude and positivity in her life. She has even created a daily affirmation segment on her show, where she shares positive messages with her audience.
Jennifer Aniston: has talked about how she uses affirmations to boost her confidence and stay positive.
Serena Williams: has spoken about how she uses affirmations and positive self-talk to help her overcome obstacles and stay focused on her goals.
Tony Robbins: The motivational speaker and self-help guru has long advocated the use of affirmations as a powerful tool for personal growth and success. He has even developed his own unique approach to affirmations, which he calls "incantations," that involves embodying the affirmations through movement and physicality.
Oprah Winfrey: has spoken about how affirmations have played a key role in her success, helping her to stay focused and motivated.
Will Smith: has said that he uses positive affirmations to help him overcome self-doubt and negative thoughts.
Beyoncé: has credited affirmations with helping her to stay grounded and focused, particularly during high-stress periods.
Jim Carrey: has spoken about how affirmations helped him to achieve his goals and overcome his fears early in his career.
Conor McGregor: The mixed martial artist and former UFC champion has been vocal about how affirmations and positive visualization helped him to become one of the best fighters in the world.
So, what do you think about affirmations? Do you think that you are ready to give them a spin?