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How self affirmation helps through the day



Our thoughts and emotions are deeply connected with one another. Thoughts are based on our beliefs, life experiences and opinions which give rise to various emotions. For example a person with a fear of cats is likely to be hyper vigilant of the cats in the environment and assumes cats as threatening, which leads to emotional distress when encountered cats in their surroundings. On the contrary, another person who views cats as affectionate will have a different emotional response to the same situation. Our thoughts are part of us which can be altered, which helps to alleviate our unpleasant emotions which promotes pleasing mood. 


Affirmation is a strategy which we can use to alter our unpleasant thoughts. Affirmations are powerful and healthy statements or phrases made by us to feel in control with our thoughts and it has an effect on our reality. Affirmations also challenge our unhealthy thought patterns. According to Claude Steele, a strong self is a self-affirmed self, a self that is able to deal with threatening events and information by drawing resources from itself.


Affirmations work like TV advertisements, when TV advertisements are repeatedly shown to us, we absorb those advertisements in our unconscious mind and which might influence our decision towards that product.  


How does affirmations work-


According to researchers, spending just a few minutes thinking about your best qualities before any performance or important event in your life, practicing affirmations can calm your nerves, increase your confidence, and improve your chances of a successful outcome.


We are experiencing tremendous stress due to environmental factors, and many times our thinking patterns are linked with unpleasant thoughts which have a direct impact on our mood. Affirmations can help to shift unhealthy thinking patterns to healthy patterns, which reduces stress level, improves our focus, concentration and self-esteem.


How to derive on affirmations- 


Step 1- Make a list of things which you consider unpleasant and negative. It can be any criticism which someone gives you or you give it to yourself which holds you back, if that is troubling you put it in the list.

Step 2- Look for themes in those statements. For example- “I am worthless”.

Step 3- Write an affirmation on the positive and pleasant aspect of yourself- You can use a dictionary to find more powerful words which make you feel comfortable. Instead of “I am worth enough” you can say  “I am valued and precious”.

Step 4- While repeating your affirmation, try to place your hand on the body part which feels discomfort when you write unpleasant beliefs. 


Important points to remember while using affirmations- 


  • Do not overuse the affirmations- Use only 3-5 times in a day motivate yourself. 

  • Choosing your affirmation wisely- Randomly picking any affirmation which doesn’t go with your personality, there is no point in practicing that affirmation. It might have a contrary effect. 

  • Research states that Self-affirmation may also help to reduce the effects of stress. 


Tips to make appropriate affirmations-


  • Appropriate words- use words like “I” and  “me” or using your first name in the sentence will be more powerful. Using native language to frame a sentence and use present tense. By doing so we are giving personal touch to our affirmation which seems more real and authentic. 

  • Journaling- Noting your affirmations regularly in your journal to remind yourself. 

  • Practicing with mindfulness- Repeating affirmations when we are focused on yourself, the best time to practice affirmations are in the morning and at night. In morning this will create pleasant mood and remind your unconscious mind about affirmations throughout the day and motivates towards goal. At night, it helps to improve sleep as we feel more content after repeating affirmations. 

  • At a time have only 2 affirmations to practice, whichever affirmation you choose be consistent in practicing for a long period of time. 


Affirmations do not take away our daily stress and unpleasant thoughts overnight, instead this technique helps us to stay calm, relax and make us manage our own stressors. It is like a coping strategy which is healthy and can be part of our lifestyle. 


-Aaushi Shah
Co-founder, ListenWorks


References- 

Canfield, J. (2016, September 22). The Reason You Need to Practice Daily Affirmations. Retrieved November 2020, from JackCanfield.com: https://medium.com/@officialjackcanfield/the-reason-you-need-to-practice-daily-affirmations-5dc8a317265f

Creswell, D. J., Dutcher, J. M., William, K. M., Harris, P. R., & John, L. M. (2013, May 01). Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress. Retrieved November 2020, from Plos one: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0062593

How Positive Affirmations and Meditation Can Help During the Coronavirus. (2020, October 04). Retrieved November 2020, from INTEGRIS: https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2020/april/how-positive-affirmations-and-meditation-can-help-during-the-coronavirus

Kang, S. K., Galinsky, A. D., Kray, L. J., & Shirako, A. (2015, April 17). Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Retrieved Novemebr 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167215577365


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