The 15 Benefits of Positive Affirmations

BENEFITS OF POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all talk to ourselves. Sometimes that little voice can be negative, telling us were not good enough, we’ll never achieve what we want etc. When I tune into my self-thoughts I realise that they’re often more negative than they are positive.

This is something I’m actively trying to change. It takes a lot of practice and a conscious effort.

I like to think of daily positive affirmations as a way to allow our inner voice to be more of a personal cheerleader rather than an inner critic.

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.”- Henry Ford

Daily affirmations are designed to change the beliefs we have about ourselves and life so we think more positively. I read in an article that positive affirmations can be used to boost your psychological immune system. So when something gets you down, you can use your affirmations to pick you back up.

“What we think, we become.”- Buddha

I believe that our thoughts create our actions and our actions create our reality. If we’re constantly telling ourselves negative things, we will take negative actions (or no action at all) and this will be the reality we live in.

I have personally noticed a massive difference in my happiness and mental health since I started to implement positive affirmations into my everyday routine as daily reminders.

We often practice self care by making effort to eat healthy food to take care of our bodies, we drink our water and complete our workouts, I see affirmations as way of taking care of our minds, to keep it a healthy and happy space. It has fast become a vital part of my daily routine.

When I go a few days without doing them and I notice I things affect me more negatively and I get much much stressed and demotivated. In fact daily positive affirmations for anxiety can really help to reduce stress and feelings of helplessness.

Affirmations do not necessary have to be awkward, where you shout at yourself in the mirror (unless that’s your thing!). If you prefer try writing them down, thinking them in your head, or repeating a mantra while you meditate or even just whispering them under your breath.

What are positive affirmations?

But what are positive affirmations?

Affirmations are brief positive statements that we repeat to ourselves. They are used to encourage yourself and boost self-esteem. You can use affirmations to reduce negative thoughts, help with anxiety, and to increase confidence.

Generally positive affirmations are used to manifest goals, dreams, or experiences that we desire. An affirmation is a positive thought and belief that can change your thought patterns and overcome negative self talk.

Many people find that positive affirmations help change their current mindset or motivate them to accomplish a task they were avoiding. The aim of a positive affirmation is to train your mind to see things in a different, more positive light and help you focus on the good instead of the negative.

Examples of positive affirmations include ‘ I am enough’ or ‘I am strong’.

15 Benefits of Positive Affirmations

There are so many benefits of positive affirmations and the impact they can have on our lives is huge!

To get the most out of affirmations, it’s important to choose statements that feel true and meaningful to you, and to repeat them regularly, ideally several times a day. It can also be helpful to write them down and keep them in a place where you will see them often.

It’s worth noting that affirmations are just one tool among many that can help to improve mental health and well-being. It’s important to pay attention to other factors that can affect your well-being, such as getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in regular physical activity. It’s also important to seek help from a mental health professional if you are struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health concerns.

Here’s a few of the benefits of positive affirmations:

1. Motivate us

Our opinions about ourselves can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. “I am hardworking” will motivate you to be hard working much more than telling yourself “I’m so lazy”.

2. Improve our inner voice

Practising daily positive affirmations can literally change the we speak to and think of yourself. With practice it can eventually replace your negative thoughts and beliefs.

3. Gratitude and Perspective

Daily positive affirmations keep you in a constant state of gratitude and help to keep things in perspective. In this fast paced world we can easily lose sight of how large the small things really are.

4. Boost self-esteem and confidence

Positive affirmations can be a useful tool to help boost self esteem and confidence. When you repeat affirmations to yourself, you are essentially reinforcing positive thoughts and beliefs about yourself. This can help to counter negative thought patterns and beliefs that may be holding you back, and can ultimately help you to feel more confident and capable

5. Reduce stress and anxiety

Negative self-talk can cause us to feel anxious and panicky. Reduced anxiety is one of the benefits of affirmations as it encourages positive thinking.

6. Improve overall well-being and happiness

Affirmations work the same way negative self-talk does. Whilst negative self talk can reduce your well-being and cause stress whereas positive thoughts can helps us feel calm and content.

7. Help to overcome negative thought patterns and beliefs

With lots of practice with daily affirmations, you can replace negative thinking patterns with thoughts that actually help. This can make a huge difference in your happiness and self belief.

8. Promote a sense of control and empowerment

When you practice positive self-talk, you feel more in control of your mindset, this helps you feel empowered and confident.

9. Improved decision-making skills

You are much more likely to make poor decisions when under stress and going through difficult times. Using affirmations helps you to process your thoughts and feelings then deal with the problem objectively and respond in positive ways.

10. Improved sleep

When you’re feeling anxious and stressed, you mind can race at night time which is never a good thing for sleep. You sleep much better and deeper when your mind is calm, filled with positive beliefs and at peace.

11. It’s free and simple

It’s completely free to practice positive affirmations. It’s simple and you can do it wherever you are.

12. Improve your physical health

A recent study shows that happy people have healthier hearts, and are at less risk for a range of diseases.

13. Gratitude

Daily affirmations helps keep you in a constant state of gratitude and makes you appreciate everything you have and all the positive things in your life.

14. Improved Mental Health

Affirmations can help improve your mental health. When we constantly tell ourselves that we’re not good enough, or that we’ll never achieve anything, it can lead to feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Positive self-affirmations can help improve our self talk and lead to feelings of positivity and encourages us to make positive changes.

How to use affirmations?

The first step, is to have a look at this list of daily positive affirmations, then choose one affirmation for the day that best resonates with you, or you can create a list of your own affirmations made up from positive phrases, they just need to be present tense. After picking one, their are different ways to practice the power of affirmations:

Recite it in front of the mirror for 1 to 2 minutes every day
Write it down in your journal or create a vision board
Repeat it in your head as many times as needed until you feel empowered.
Create affirmation cards and read through every day

With daily practice you have a more positive mindset and be more focused on your specific goals. The most important thing is to choose affirmations that really resonate with you and what you want from life.

Self Affirmation Theory

Self-affirmation theory is a psychological theory that suggests that people have a fundamental need to maintain and enhance their self-image and self-worth. The theory proposes that when people are faced with information or experiences that threaten their sense of self or core values, they will engage in self-affirmation processes to protect their self-image and restore their psychological balance.

According to self-affirmation theory, people have a number of different strategies that they can use to affirm their self-worth, including:

Thinking about their personal values: When people reflect on their belief systems, they can reaffirm their sense of self and feel more connected to their core identity.
Engaging in activities that align with their personal values: When people engage in activities that are aligned with their personal values, they can feel more fulfilled and connected to their sense of self.
Seeking out social support: When people receive support from others, they can feel more confident and secure in their sense of self.
Engaging in self-care: When people take care of their physical and emotional well-being, they can feel more positive about themselves and more capable of handling challenges.

Self-affirmation theory has been tested and supported by a number of studies, and it has been found to be effective in helping people cope with stress, increase their self-esteem, and improve their mental health.

So as you can see with regular practice there are many benefits of positive affirmations. Use of use of positive affirmations with quickly have a positive impact on your life.

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