Allow me to be honest with you all. I used to think that positive affirmations were just some kind of mumbo-jumbo—a placebo that would make you feel good for a while, but then you would return to the mediocre life that you were trying to break free from using the affirmations.

Yet, how wrong I was. It took a major emotional toll and the ensuing struggle for me to realize that positive affirmations can change your thinking and perception about yourself and life.

In this article, I will take you through what positive affirmations are and how they rewire your brain in a way that enhances your self-view and outlook on life.

What are positive affirmations?

As the name implies, these are statements that are charged with positivity. This allows them to combat the negative thoughts that have been ingrained into their mind.

There are many reasons why people use positive affirmations. It could be for self-motivation, to make a positive change in their life, as a tool to manifest a goal or dream, or as a means of boosting self-perception.

How self-perception shapes reality

Take a moment and do some introspection. Consider how your current thinking and general state of mind are influencing your self-view. Now, contemplate how this filters the way you see others and the world around you.

When I did this type of exercise, I perceived people as threats because I grew up being bullied which negatively affected my self-view. My thinking was that if people didn’t accept me, why should I accept myself? Therefore I focused on all the things that were wrong with me.

Regarding my view of the world, it was a place that was bleak and hopeless. My life became like Groundhog Day in which each day seemed to be the same as the last one. Noticed I said seemed because that was my perception.

Through counseling, I came to understand that things could be different. That your ideas and thinking can be transformed. It’s simply a matter of challenging the validity of your current worldview.

In psychology, this comes under the umbrella of Self-Perception Theory which suggests that we form an understanding of our personal beliefs by paying attention to our actions. Examples of this are self-fulfilling prophecies, confirmation bias, and the looking-glass self.

Self-fulfilling prophecies

Have you ever come to a conclusion about how a situation will turn out for you or others only to have it come true due to your actions? This is what self-filling prophecy is all about.

For example, you haven’t been on a date for a while and finally land one. You think about all the things that could go wrong and find that they do because of your anxiety and nervousness.

Conversely, you might focus on the positives of the date and end up having a great time.

Confirmation bias

This cognitive bias has you looking for evidence to support your self-view while ignoring anything contrary to it. If someone thinks they are incompetent they will focus on the mistakes they have made rather than the successes they had

On the flip side, those with high self-esteem pay attention to the positives while minimizing or reframing the negatives.

The looking-glass self

The looking-glass self is based on the idea that we act by how others perceive us. For example, if you believe that people see you as intelligent or capable, then your behavior will reflect that.

Conversely, if you think people cast you in a negative light, you may take that on board.  By doing so, it will affect your self-esteem and behavior.

Learned helplessness

Here is a phenomenon where you believe you have no control over your circumstances, leading to you being passive and resigned to the idea that “there’s nothing you can do”. When you see yourself as powerless, you may stop trying to change the situation even when opportunities for improvement arise.

Learned helplessness can have you trapped in a negative lifestyle that reinforces the feelings of passivity.

This was a major hurdle for me to overcome in my life.

Rewiring your brain through positive affirmations

It is possible to break free from the cycle of negativity and the ensuing thoughts that it creates. This is where my journey into positive affirmations began.

There is ample scientific evidence that supports the fact that the regions in your brain can be altered through the consistent use of statements loaded with positivity. For example, one study concluded that, through neuroplasticity, self-affirmations reduced the fear of individuals who were faced with a threatening situation.

Through repetition of positive affirmations, you are creating and subsequently strengthening new neuronal pathways. Eventually, these become the more dominant cognitive paths, helping the brain to reroute its default responses from that based on negativity to positivity.

How to use positive affirmations

When reciting positive affirmations you can’t approach the activity as something akin to rote learning (like reciting your multiplication tables or your ABCs). Nor should you be unemotional in the practice. Let me give you tips on how to get the maximum impact from positive affirmations.

1. Make them personal

The negative soundtrack that is playing in your head isn’t just about anyone, it’s about you. The negative thoughts begin either with “I’m” or with the second person “You’re”.

Therefore you need to use the same techniques to combat the negativity, that is make your positive affirmations personal using the same pronouns “I” and “You”.

2. Tailor them to your own needs

What is it that you want to change about yourself and your life? Create affirmations that are in line with your dreams and goals.

Focus on what you want to achieve rather than the situation you want to eliminate. For example, instead of saying “I wish to be less anxious”, use a powerful statement such as “I am confident and capable.”

3. Use the present tense

Again, going back to your current negative thoughts, pay attention to the tense that they are in. It’s not past “I was useless and a failure”, nor, typically, are they in the future tense  “I will be useless and failure”.

The denigrating statements you tell yourself are mainly in the present tense. “I am…” That’s why you need to use this same tense to disempower and replace those ideas.

4. Incorporate them into your current routines

You want to make your affirmations become a habit. A great way to do this is to plug them into your daily routines. For example, while brushing your teeth in the morning you can say to yourself “I am outgoing and energetic.”

When journaling you may wish to write down your affirmation. In meditation, you can use these as a mantra.

5. Be emotional

This means imbuing the positive statement with the feelings and sensations you would experience if you were in the situation you are affirming. How would you feel if you had more confidence? More money? Better relationships? Embrace the emotions and use these to strengthen your conviction behind the affirmations.

Challenges you may face

When you start with positive affirmations you may find that you are confronted with doubt and skepticism. That was the case with me.

The reason for this is that you are replacing a self-view that you have held onto and believed for so long. You have accepted this as the truth.

When confronted with new information, which initially you perceive to be a “lie” compared with what you currently believe, you go through a cognitive dissonance in which the contrary beliefs are competing.

Eventually, you will find that this discordance diminishes as you accept the fact stated in the new affirmation.

A new perception

The way we see and interact with the world is a reflection of the beliefs we have about ourselves and others. These ideas that we have taken onboard have been influenced by what we were told from our parents, caregivers, peers, and others.

Positive affirmations offer a way for us to reprogram our thinking and, through this, we can gain a healthier perspective of the world around us.

Begin your journey by telling yourself:

I am getting better and better every day and in every way.

 

– Brian Simms