This article is based on our podcast episode, Make Magic: How Affirmations Change Your Brain. Listen to the full episode here.
Takeaway: Have you ever felt stuck in negative thought patterns, struggling to make positive changes in your life? You're not alone. Many of us grapple with self-doubt and limiting beliefs that hold us back from reaching our full potential. But what if there was a simple yet powerful tool that could help rewire your brain for success? Enter the world of affirmations.
In this article, we'll explore the science behind affirmations, how they can transform your mindset, and practical ways to incorporate them into your daily life. Get ready to unlock the power of positive thinking and create lasting change in your life!
What Are Affirmations?
According to Wikipedia, affirmations are positive statements that challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts. They're designed to encourage a healthy self-identity and promote positive thinking. Think of them as gentle reminders to your brain about your capabilities, worth, and potential.
I find it effective to introduce affirmations to clients who are trying to change old belief systems and their energetic programming, or what they focus on and give power to.
But can simply repeating positive phrases really change your life? Let's dive into the science to find out.
The Science Behind Affirmations
Recent neuroscientific research has shown that affirmations can indeed change your brain. Here's how:
Neural Pathways: When you repeat affirmations, you're creating new neural pathways in your brain. These pathways strengthen over time with repetition.
Neuroplasticity: Your brain can reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. Affirmations take advantage of this neuroplasticity to reshape your thought patterns.
Cognitive Restructuring: Regularly using affirmations can help restructure negative thought patterns, replacing them with more positive, empowering beliefs.
Stress Reduction: Studies have shown that self-affirmation activities can lower stress levels by reducing cortisol production.
Overcoming Internal Resistance
In therapy and coaching sessions, we often use affirmations to combat the nauseating cycle of feeling powerless to shift unhealthy thoughts or behaviors that run our lives.
When you struggle to move out of “old” habits or thoughts, it feels impossible to make lasting changes. It can be frustrating to know how you want your life to look but feel stuck in progressing towards your vision. You may even begin to doubt that it’s possible, leaving you with a sense of powerlessness and ultimately grief or guilt that you're doing something wrong.
It's important to note that when you first start using affirmations, you might feel resistance. This is normal! Your brain is used to your old thought patterns and might initially reject new, positive statements.
Let's look at an example:
Meet Charlie (name changed for privacy). Charlie was going through challenging times in his relationships, career, and family life. Despite his efforts to stay positive, he felt weighed down by negative self-talk. When asked if he believed in himself, Charlie said, "Yes, I see a great future ahead. But there's this negative voice I can't seem to shake."
Charlie's experience is common. Many of us have competing "voices" in our heads - the optimist, the critic, the worrier. The key is to recognize these voices and consciously choose which ones to listen to (this is known as "Parts-Work").
Parts-Work & Deep Inner Listening
If you're making changes in your life, but you're struggling with internal polarity, you might benefit from mapping out the different parts and aspects of yourself using a guided meditation.
This can be as simple as imagining yourself in a really beautiful room that you're inspired by. It could be a library, tea house, treehouse, or a room filled with pillows and blankets with big, stained glass windows and lots of plants. You name it. Sometimes I imagine a closed courtyard with a fountain and everything covered in vines and ivy.
The next step is for you to imagine yourself, with dignity and respect, setting out two chairs for each opposing part of you to sit in.
Now, placing yourself in the middle, ask each part questions such as, "What is your frame of mind here? What are you trying to protect me from with your beliefs? What are your core beliefs? How are you trying to be helpful? Where did you come from in my life and at what age?"
Take the role of a moderator or a referee to get clear on how these parts of yourself seem to be clashing. Evaluate them with respect and neutrality while paying attention to the answers. The goal is to hear and understand the core beliefs of each part.
Remember: Most of our beliefs come from past experiences, even when we've outgrown them. By taking the time to hear the different thoughts and parts of yourself, you also get a better understanding of where they originated and why they've stuck around.
5 Steps to Harness the Power of Affirmations
Ready to change your brain through using affirmations? Here's how:
Identify Negative Thoughts: Pay attention to your internal dialogue. What negative messages do you often tell yourself? Use parts work or deep inner listening to get clear.
Create Positive Counterstatements: For each negative thought, create a positive, present-tense affirmation. For example, if you often think "I'm not good enough," your affirmation could be "I am worthy and capable."
Make It Personal: Use "I" statements and make your affirmations specific to your life and goals.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Consistency is key. Repeat your affirmations daily, ideally multiple times a day.
Feel It: As you say your affirmations, try to feel the truth of the statement. Engage your emotions to make the affirmation more powerful.
Creative Ways to Use Affirmations
Incorporating affirmations into your daily routine doesn't have to be boring. Get creative! Here are some ideas:
Write affirmations on sticky notes and place them where you'll see them often (mirror, fridge, coffee pot, car dashboard).
Set affirmations as reminders on your phone.
Create a vision board with your affirmations and inspiring images.
Record yourself saying your affirmations and listen during your commute.
Use affirmations as meditation mantras.
Embracing the Process
Remember, change doesn't happen overnight. As you work with affirmations, you might notice old feelings or beliefs surfacing. This is a natural part of the process - you're bringing subconscious beliefs to light so you can transform them.
Be patient and compassionate with yourself. Each time you repeat an affirmation, you're taking a step toward positive change, even if you don't feel it immediately.
Get Help When You Need It
Are you ready to harness the power of affirmations and create positive change in your life? Start small - choose one area of your life you'd like to improve and create an affirmation for it. Repeat it daily for a week and notice any shifts in your thoughts or feelings.
Remember, you have the power to reshape your thoughts and, in turn, your life. Your journey towards a more positive, empowered you starts with a single affirmation.
If you'd like more personal, one-on-one help with incorporating affirmations into your life or addressing deeper emotional patterns, I'm here to support you. Book a free spiritual life coaching call or soul essence psychotherapy call (Colorado residents only) to see if we're a good fit to work together.
Your transformation is within reach. Are you ready to take the first step?
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