Can Affirmations Really Change Your Life? Psychology Says Yes
PART 2: Learn how affirmations activate the subconscious mind and foster self-confidence
This is Part 2 of a three-part series on affirmations.
In Part 1, the science of affirmations was discussed, which is important because understanding the science will help you understand the psychology of affirmations. They are connected.
The Psychology
Words can shape or reshape your reality. The positive words you choose for yourself can influence your inner self and the world around you.
The self-affirmation theory created by Claude M. Steele states three concepts:
When we self-affirm, we also create a global narrative about ourselves. We, in turn, become more flexible, moral, and capable of adaption to new and different situations. This affects our self-identity. With a new self-identity, we are not fixed to a role, such as daughter, spouse, student, writer, etc. Instead, we embody various identities and roles throughout life, allowing us to define success in multiple ways. When we embody new positive aspects of ourselves, we can adapt more easily.
Maintaining this new self-identity is not about being perfect. We are competent just as we are, given the talents we have. In other words, we use our talents and giftings with our level of competence, knowing we are moral, flexible, and good.
In upholding our self-integrity, we are authentic and true to ourselves. We don’t choose self-talk or affirmations such as I am a responsible employee to earn praise. We choose positive words to connect deeply with our core values.
Affirmations are meant to be short phrases because they are easier to remember as you repeat them, and the more you indulge in empowering yourself, the more you will find yourself creating short affirmations suitable for your situation. These short phrases help to transform negative thought patterns into constructive patterns as you continue your journey of personal growth and emotional well-being. As you continue your daily practice of affirmations, you will notice an improvement in your confidence and self-worth and a reduction in anxiety, making affirmations a powerful tool in a person’s mental health journey.
You will be a failure, until you impress the subconscious with the conviction you are a success. This is done by making an affirmation which ‘clicks.’
— Florence Scovel Shinn
When we self-affirm, we remind ourselves that we are worthy, courageous, and lovable. Again, as a reminder from Part 1, affirmations activate pathways in your brain that improve mood, reduce negative thoughts, and mitigate stress responses.
These short affirmations can help a diversity of demographics — people wanting to lose weight, quit smoking, or alleviate substance abuse. If you have been in any of these categories, you know it is not an easy task, so remember it takes time. Be gentle with yourself and stay the course.
Eventually, you will see the reward as your mood lifts and your thoughts grab onto positive thoughts faster than before.
My go-to affirmation lately has been, “What if everything goes well?” I use this especially when I catch myself moving into the negative “what-if” space.
What if everything goes well?
Maybe you would prefer, “I choose to be happy.” We all have choices, so the fact that you are telling yourself you choose happiness over sadness, anger, or fear is a step toward reminding yourself that you are also worthy of that happiness.
When I turned 40, I thought my world was shifting so dramatically that I forgot I had become someone I loved. So, here’s an appropriate affirmation if you’re in that space.
If you’re someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, here’s an affirmation that might require you to begin by closing your eyes first and imagining you are this person:
I rise above negative feelings and thoughts.
Imagine the negative feelings and thoughts are all words at your feet, and you are lifted above them. Why? Because you’re better than those thoughts and words.
The more you self-identify with positive thoughts and words, the more you become those positive thoughts and words. Yes, you might have grown up in a house where someone continually told you that you were dumb or fat (that was me) or no good.
You now have a choice to rewrite those pathways in your brain to believe you are smart, the size you are meant to be, or perfect just the way you are (flaws and all) because who is perfect, anyway?
I breathe, I am collected, I am calm, and I face my fears boldly.
Use this affirmation in times of stress, and remember to breathe along with the statement.
I have come to respect Louise Hay for her long-standing work and research on the power of affirmations. Enjoy this video.
The last part—Part 3—will be about creating your own affirmations, so stay connected! Let me know in the comments how you are doing with this.
Thanks for sharing