One of the most powerful tools you have is your mind. It’s very easy to get into the habit of forming negative thought patterns. These patterns can be really difficult to break. However, transforming your habitual negative thinking into positive thinking instead has a surprisingly significant effect on your health, happiness, and productivity.
Positive affirmations are one of the simplest ways to overcome the negativity within your own mind and remain positive optimistic instead. Affirmations are simple, present-tense positive statements. Create and repeat them to yourself as a mantra whenever you feel discouraged or find yourself falling into a pattern of negative thinking. They’re an incredibly easy way to reteach your brain to think in a more positive manner. Affirmations help you see the big, positive picture in every situation.
1. Keep It Simple
Positive affirmations are not meant to be overly complicated. When you create general affirmations for yourself, keep them very simple. Affirmations don’t need to be overly specific or complex. It’s a good idea to keep several general affirmations, like “Everything happens for a reason and I am accepting of and content with that.” in your head so you can apply them to your life as needed.
If the positive affirmations you create are too complicated or long, you’re likely to forget them and end up not using them. Also, if your affirmations are too specific, it will be difficult for you to apply them beneficially to multiple different areas of your life.
2. Be Specific When Needed
Although simplicity is important when creating general positive affirmations, affirmations that are more specific are helpful for use with certain current situations that are upsetting you. For example, if you are freaking out about a big project at work, a specific affirmation like “I am capable of completing this project and I am proud of the work I have done,” can be very helpful.
Once the situation has ended or is resolved, there’s no need to keep that specific affirmation around in your repertoire. Let it fade from your mind to make room for your regular general affirmations and create a new one the next time you need a specific affirmation.
3. Switch It Up
If you repeat the same positive affirmations over and over again to yourself every day for the next five years, they’re going to lose their meaning. It’s important to switch up your positive affirmations whenever you feel like they don’t pack the same punch in your mind that they once did.
You don’t have to alter the emotion or intent of your statements. Just change up the exact words and phrasing you use. This will keep your brain from getting too comfortable with your affirmations. It ensures that they remain meaningful to and effective for you over time.
4. Be Realistic
If you create positive affirmations that are “too positive” or unrealistic, they are likely to discourage you instead of help you feel more inspired and confident. Keep your affirmations realistic to your situation so that they don’t overwhelm you.
For example, if you have just started your first novel, your positive affirmation should not be “My book is a number-one bestseller”. While this very well might be the eventual outcome you’re hoping for, it isn’t presently realistic. Instead, create a more immediate, attainable affirmation like “My manuscript is finished and I am satisfied with my writing.”
5. Make It a Habit
Positive affirmations don’t work unless you make them a habit. You might feel a little silly when you first start repeating these statements to yourself. However, you should keep at it.
Force yourself to repeat the general affirmations you create to yourself whenever you feel yourself falling into a pattern of negative thinking. Soon, repeating these affirmations will become a solid habit. You’ll start doing it automatically without having to think about it.
6. Add Emotion
Emotion is a huge part of creating successful positive affirmations. Repeating positive emotions to yourself within your affirmations automatically help you feel those emotions. If your affirmations don’t include any emotions, they will be much less successful at helping you feel better.
Don’t include any negative emotions within your affirmations. For example, don’t create an affirmation like “I no longer feel sad about my breakup.” Instead, create an affirmation that sounds more like “I am content and satisfied with my post-relationship life”.
7. Stay Positive
A major part of the power of affirmations is staying positive about your positive affirmations. You have to be willing to believe that the affirmations will work. If you’re not, they likely won’t make you feel any happier or more capable. Avoid falling into traps of doubting your positive affirmations. Believe in them and surrender yourself to reaping the benefits of your affirmations.
Positive affirmations might seem silly, but they really are powerful as long as you’re open to them. If you’re still skeptical, create a few general affirmations and give them a try for a while. You might be surprised how much your life changes for the better.
