What are Positive Affirmations, and How Do They Work?

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Do you remember saying to yourself that you are not good enough and you will never be able to do your dream job because you think you are just not smart or intelligent enough?

Or do you often say why does my boss want only me to run the presentation, I’m a terrible public speaker, and I’ll just embarrass the whole team in front of everyone, and there are more experienced and talented people who are better than me?

Well, I am sure you have, and in fact, many of us have negative thoughts like these about ourselves frequently. But, what we don’t know is: when we put these kinds of words or thoughts about ourselves out there, it becomes the reality of our conscious mind, and then the mind keeps on repeating these thoughts whenever we face any negative or challenging situation.

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Such as:

No you can’t do that, you’re just not good enough.
You can’t love anyone; you don’t even love yourself to begin with.
Do you think you can beat people who have better degrees and looks than you? Yeah right, keep on dreaming pal, etc.

And when we think like this, our confidence, mood, perception, and overall outlook about everything become negative, too. All it needs is one tricky situation to trigger the worst in us.

You see, the problem with the negative thoughts and emotions is that they can become self-fulfilling prophecies. And we are to blame for that. Because so often, we talk ourselves into believing that we’re not good enough or smart enough to do anything. And, as a result, it becomes our reality. This kind of self-sabotaging and negative self-talk can drag us down even more, in terms of our future goals, personal lives, our relationships, and our mental health and careers.

So, if you are wondering why your life isn’t turning around the way you want it to, even after trying so hard for so long, and even after so much hard work, then you might find your answers here, it’s because of Self-Sabotage and Negative Self-Talk.

But, there is a silver lining here, because if we become more mindful about how we use our minds and thoughts, we can deliberately do the opposite and use positive feelings, experiences, thoughts, and affirmations about ourselves regularly, and the effect of that can be just as powerful, but far more effective and helpful in the long run.

So, in this article, we’ll explore how one can use the power of positive affirmations to drive the desired outcomes and positive changes in their personal and professional life, and in their life in general.

What are Positive Affirmations, and Do They Work? If They Do: How Do They Work?

Affirmations are often described as positive statements that can help us to challenge and overcome self-sabotage and negative thoughts and feelings. When we repeat the positive affirmations regularly, and truly believe in them, and what we are saying to be true, we can see the positive changes and developments in our lives.

Some people define affirmations as unrealistic wishful thinking. But I would like to request you to think of positive affirmation this way: Many of us do the repetitive works at offices or in our life in general, like cooking and washing dishes, etc. Some of us do repetitive exercises in a gym to improve our physical well-being, so positive affirmations are like these exercises to improve our mind and the overall outlook.

These positive mental and oral repetitions can reprogram the patterns of our thoughts and overall thinking in a more positive and peaceful pattern, so that, over time, we begin to think- and act- positively or differently than we used to.

How to Use Positive Affirmations?

Positive affirmations can be used by anyone and in any circumstance or situation. If a person is willing and determined to see a positive change in his/her life, then he/she can use positive affirmations in any situation where they’d like to see positive development.

For instance, you might want to use some positive affirmations when you want to:

To increase your confidence level before any formal presentation or important meetings.
To control negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Such as Anger, Frustration, Jealousy, or impatience, etc.
To improve self-esteem
One might use positive affirmations, to find the motivation to continue the work your started
To improve your relationships
You might use positive affirmations, to improve your productivity
To reduce anxiety and stress
To overcome a bad habit or experience

Note: Positive affirmations are more effective when paired with a goal-oriented mindset and positive thinking.

For example, positive affirmations are more effective when paired up with visualization. So to get the desired outcomes, you might want to try writing your desired goals and wishes you’d like to come true. So say and read the affirmations out loud regularly to get the results as soon as possible.

How to Write an Affirmation Statement?

Think about the particular areas of your life that you’d like to change or develop.
Be sure that your positive affirmation is credible and practical enough to be achieved.
Turn all the negative aspects of your life into positives.
Always write your positive affirmations in the present tense.
Say it as you mean it, read it out loud, and always repeat them with the purest feelings and emotions.

(Also Read: Twenty Ways to Improve Your Mental Health)