As a kid, I distinctly remember the classic book, 'The Little Engine That Could'. It was an inspiring book that highlighted the power of affirmations. The Little Engine had to overcome its size, the weight of the train, and the doubts she received from others. With her power of positive self-talk, she was able to form a belief that she could get over the mountain, and through the struggle, she did.
Our brain is amazing, complicated, and very biased. The great thing about it is that whatever we tell ourselves, our brain will do whatever it can to try and prove that it is true and filter out the things that go against that belief. This always plays out through confirmation bias - tendency to search and find things that confirm out beliefs. This is evident in today's politics, sports, and our own core beliefs.
If we are extremely hard on ourselves and constantly downplay our successes and highlight the negatives, we view our lives through a lens of despair. If we tell ourselves we are a failure, not good enough, or can't get anything right our brain will seek out information to validate that thought
On the other hand, if we tell ourselves positive things, our brain will do everything it can to help you made decisions and change your mindset to validate those things are true.
This is where affirmations come into play. Affirmations are simple things that we can say to ourselves every day to boost our mood and guide us to making decisions that support those affirmations.
Here are some examples to help you
- I am good enough
- I am working on improving my communication skills
- I deserve to be here
- I am attracting wealth and abundance
- I am loveable
These statements are very personable to each individual and focused on personal development and not material gain.. For instance, if your affirmation was 'I wanted a million dollars', it's probably not going to happen. If you reframe it to 'I am attracting wealth and abundance', your odds will increase.
I would encourage you to say your affirmations 3 times a day and repeat them 5 times each time. If you are feeling brave, say them to yourself in the mirror.
Continue to build and refine them as you continue to grow