Positive Affirmations

We all love a good mantra, don’t we?

If you’ve ever cheered someone on, you know the drill:

“You can do it!”

“You’re AMAZING!”

“You’ve GOT this” . . .

And I’m sure you’ve read or heard the British mantra splashed all over t-shirts, posters and mugs: 

“Keep Calm and Carry On”.

The fact is, mantras are powerful and, if used alongside other wellness practices, CAN completely transform your life. 

Let’s find out how.

How Affirmations Work

Okay, so first off, I’m not a neuroscientist, so I can only give you the basics of what is a very, very complex subject. 

The first thing to say is that although more research is still needed, several studies have found potential benefits of using mantras, such as reducing stress, improving emotional well-being, and increasing feelings of calm and relaxation. 

Some of the research also that shows positive affirmations can activate regions of the brain associated with self-value and motivation.

In other words, when you consciously program your subconscious mind with uplifting thoughts, it can boost mental health and cultivate feelings of confidence, resilience, and optimism.

An relatively new area of science is throwing up lots of interesting insights about the brain and how we can actually shape it through our own thoughts.

It a concept called neuroplasticity.

Here’s a textbook definition:

“Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to modify its structure and function by forming new neural connections or reorganizing existing ones throughout life.“

Previously, it was thought that after a certain point in life, our brain remained fixed in terms of its structure and geography.

However, more recently, that idea has been turned on its head (so to speak).

Why am I telling you this?

Because the fact is, repeating mantras can help rewire the brain over time.

It’s not just woo-woo nonsense; it’s actual, hard science. 

It turns out that the phrases we repeat frequently actually reshape our neural pathways (in other words, literally build new bits in our brain) and restructure negative thought patterns by replacing them with more positive, empowering beliefs.

15 Positive Affirmations

Here are some carefully selected positive affirmations that you can use daily (maybe not all of them on the same day, though. . .) to boost your self-esteem and improve your mental wellness:

Not a Magic Wand

But here’s the thing — positive affirmations are not a panacea.

They’re not some magic cure-all that’s going to instantly transform your life and fix all your problems. 

They’re not just ‘positive thinking‘ either. 

If you think that just repeating a few feel-good phrases is going to radically shift your mindset and motivation, you’re probably setting yourself up for some major disappointment.

Your mind is much clever than you might think and it knows authenticity when it sees it (or hears it).

The mind is also naturally inclined to focus on the negative.

It’s an evolutionary trait that helped our ancestors stay alive, but in the modern world, it just makes us neurotic and anxious! 

So while positive affirmations can serve as a counterbalance, they’re not going to magically make all your negative thoughts disappear.

Affirmations Alone Won’t Cut It

Although positive affirmations are helpful on their own, their power is amplified MASSIVELY by nestling them within a wider wellbeing practice. 

As I’ve said, if you think you can just repeat some trite mantras and all your problems will be solved, you’re deluding yourself.

Positive affirmations need to be coupled with consistent action and genuine self-care practices.

Otherwise, you’re just playing a semantic game with yourself, patting yourself on the back without actually putting in the work. . .

So, consider also practicing meditation and mindfulness, using visualization techniques and creating positive lifestyle changes (such as exercising regularly and having a healthy diet; the body and mind are directly connected).

Interacting With The Mantras

Take a few minutes each day to reflect deeply on one of the empowering statements.

Doing this can serve as a powerful reminder to stay motivated but also help you literally create new parts of your brain that help you to continually cultivate a more positive mindset.

The more you do it, the more your brain responds. 

The more your brain responds, the more positive you become. 

The more positive you become, the easier it is to remain positive and believe in what you are doing. 

When you are in a consistently more positive mindset and have direct experience of the positive power of what you are doing, you are truly on the path to increased happiness, wellbeing and the fulfillment of your true potential. 

Bond With the Affirmations

Look again at the 15 affirmations I’ve provided and see if they resonate with you.

Write them down by hand and then think about whether or not you want to change any of the words.

Think about any other affirmations that resonate with you and write them down, too. 

You could also consider writing down the affirmations separately on sheets of paper and sticking them around your home, especially in places where you find yourself regularly (e.g. the bathroom, kitchen etc.).

Regularly seeing the affirmations (as well as actively engaging with them throughout the day by speaking them in your mind or out loud) will help to further program your subconscious mind. 

I suggest that if you choose to do this, you take your time. 

If you’re artistic, then make them colorful and beautiful.

The more time you spend on creating them as artifacts, the personal to you they will become. 

If that approach doesn’t resonate with you and you’d rather have them printed in Times New Roman in black on white paper, fine — whatever floats your boat.

If you are an artistic person at heart but are useless at art (!), and if you have the spare funds, you could consider reaching out to a freelancer to create something for you.

With so many available on platforms like Fiverr the chances are it will only cost you a few dollars to have someone bedazzle the phrases; you can then print them out. 

What Works For You. . .

At the end of the day, choose whatever you feel is best for YOU.

The most important thing to remember is that repeating the mantras in your mind or saying them out loud isn’t when or why the magic happens.

The magic happens when you actually start to authentically believe that the phrases are TRUE TO YOU.

That’s why it’s so important to find ways to close the distance between those abstract concepts and the authentic internalizing of them in your own mind. 

The more you can do this — the more you can actively rebuild your brain and create positive pathways within it — the more you’ll see the fruits of these affirmations working in the context of your daily life.

And remember: When you couple these developments with more straightforward changes in your life like increased exercise and the more powerful they will become. 

And the happier your life will be.