You’ve seen positive affirmations across social media, posters, and cards. They’re all over Facebook and Instagram, and they can seem a little cheesy sometimes. But did you know those positive affirmations can be powerful tools for change?


What are Affirmations? And How do They Work?

Simply put, affirmations are anything you say or think. They make up a large part of the mind-talk that everyone has running in their heads all the time. We all use affirmations, though we don’t do it consciously. This allows our default, negative thoughts to run our lives.

Think about the messages that are part of your regular self-talk. Do you have kind, positive, encouraging self-talk, or does your Inner Critic dominate with harsh words of criticism? Many of your messages will have been seeded during your childhood. Were you encouraged and supported to give it your best shot, or were you told you were lazy, or no good? Those messages are still affecting your current mindset.

Whether you have a positive or a negative script running through your mind, those thoughts and beliefs shape your reality. Negative thoughts feed self-doubt and discourage you from trying to reach your full potential. If you believe you’re no good at giving presentations, you’re not going to feel confident enough to give it your all. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.


You can Change up Your Self-Talk

The good news is that you can change your self-talk by choosing to use positive affirmations to rewire your brain to have a positive mindset. It doesn’t have to take forever – you can make significant changes in your mindset and behavior within 21 to 28 days to begin and continue with consistent action to make the changes permanent.

The process is straightforward if you stick to some basic rules:

  1. Always use the present tense. Your brain reacts in the present moment, so make that moment as positive as you can.
  2. Keep it positive and simple. Saying short, positive phrases like “I am calm” is much more effective than telling yourself, “I shouldn’t get upset.”
  3. Use repetition. If you repeat your affirmations regularly and consistently, you will strengthen those neural pathways in the brain. Your habitual patterns of thought and belief will become more positive. Try to repeat your chosen affirmations three times a day for at least five minutes and repeat that pattern for at least 21 to 28 days. Once that first period of habit-forming effort is completed, you should find it easier to continue the new, positive pattern as time goes by.


Choose to Change your Life for the Better

You have the power to choose your life experience. Whatever you tell yourself affirms that you want to have more of it in your life. So, if you’re focused on being angry or resentful, you’re setting yourself up for more of that in your life. If you’re confident and hopeful, if you expect things to go well, then that’s precisely what will happen, because you’re attracting more of that into your life.

You can choose to feel good and positive about your life. Using conscious affirmations is a terrific way to start making those positive changes today. You don’t have to wait for anything or anyone else.

You can get immediate access to “The Power of Positive Affirmations for Success & Happiness” with 365 days of Positive Affirmations by completing the form below:

About the Author Dianne Daniels

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and currently residing in Norwich, Connecticut, Dianne M. Daniels' mission is to empower women 50+ to Amplify their Self-Confidence, Deepen their Self-Knowledge, Inspire Creativity, and Glide into the next phase of their lives with the Power of Journaling, Affirmations, and Assessments.

You can learn how to use these time-tested proven practices to create and manifest the life you want (and deserve) to live.

Dianne is an ordained Unitarian Universalist Minister and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry. She's an avid reader, a lover of old houses (she renovated an 1850s vintage Greek Revival home with her family) and has been journaling since the age of 9.

Most Recent Posts

Subscribe now to get the latest updates and unlock subscriber-only bonus content!

>