About this deal
Affirmations come into their own when this happens, because they provide people with a chance to reflect on what they value and believe to be important. If the same child as in the example above has previously spent time thinking about all the times that they have been a good friend, they are likely to find it relatively easy to tell themselves that they are a good friend. As such, take care to ensure that the affirmations you use with your child are similarly aligned. Create affirming experiences
Positive affirmations require regular practice if you want to make lasting, long-term changes to the ways that you think and feel. The good news is that the practice and popularity of positive affirmations are based on widely accepted and well-established psychological theory. The Psychological Theory Behind Positive Affirmations Hay’s bestselling book is a great place to start if you want to learn more about healing affirmations and Hay’s life-changing experiences with positive thinking.Steele, C. M. (1988). The psychology of self-affirmation: Sustaining the integrity of the self. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 21(2), 261-302. You may also want to consider combining a self-affirmation practice with other self-help techniques or strategies, such as goal-setting, visualization, or positive thinking. When to practice
The same logic applies to negative beliefs about a person’s self. If somebody has believed that they are terrible at Maths, for example, for a very long time, it is unlikely that they will have much evidence in their head to support the idea that they are great at Maths. Therefore, simply having them say “I’m great at Maths” on repeat will not make that affirmation work. There needs to be evidence available to support this claim.Remember that change takes time, and that it’s important to be patient and kind to yourself as you work to cultivate a more positive mindset. If you find yourself struggling with negative self-talk or self-criticism, try to reframe your thoughts in a more compassionate and empowering way, and remember that every small step counts towards building a brighter, more fulfilling future. Conclusion
This lovely book contains more than 1000 affirmations that you can use as a jumping-off point on your own. First, through self-affirmation, we keep up a global narrative about ourselves. In this narrative, we are flexible, moral, and capable of adapting to different circumstances. This makes up our self-identity (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). You don’t have to limit yourself to repeating your affirmations subconsciously or aloud. You can use these to guide a meditation session while you reflect on what you say to yourself each day. The results of a study by Falk and colleagues suggest that when we choose to practice positive affirmations, we’re better able to view “otherwise-threatening information as more self-relevant and valuable” (2015: 1979). As we’ll see in a moment, this can have several benefits because it relates to how we process information about ourselves. Alexander, R. (2011). 5 Steps To Make Affirmations Work For You. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-wise-open-mind/201108/5-steps-make-affirmations-work-youIn other words, in front of the mirror, there is no hiding. In front of the mirror, we catch an intimate (and sometimes painful) glimpse into the relationship we have with ourselves. I let go of all negative thoughts, regrets for the past, fears, worries about the future, judgment, comparison and doubt. And I let in freedom, peace and joy. Don’t worry about being a great writer. Ignore spelling and grammar – they’re irrelevant. The point of recording your discoveries is to help you spiritually integrate what you’ve learned. Cohen GL, et al. (2014). The psychology of change: self-affirmation and social psychological intervention.