How Can Positive Affirmations Improve Your Life? The Science Behind the Answer

What are positive affirmations?

Do you find yourself overwhelmed with negative thoughts? Sometimes it's not just the world that is full of negativity, but also our own mind nudging us to think the worst of ourselves.

There are many people who believe that such a serious and complex problem can have a very simple solution. They start telling themselves the opposite of the negative thoughts they have. 

This solution is called positive affirmations. They are thoughts in the form of simple phrases that you intentionally create and repeat to yourself.

Positive affirmations are most powerful when they challenge negative and anxiety-inducing thoughts, but they can also be phrases that provide support and encouragement when we need them the most.

We publish free daily positive affirmations right here on Daily Motivation! Get yours now! 

The Science & Benefits Behind Positive Affirmations

So to tackle your problems you just need to repeat positive thoughts?

Yes, and science backs it up. Positive affirmation practices have been linked to a reduction in stress and the effect of negative thoughts and in turn, an increase in cognitive performance and creativity.  

As the world-famous psychologist Daniel Kahneman describes in his bestseller “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, the brain has two systems through which it functions.

• One is responsible for our conscious and deliberate thoughts
• The other operates quickly and automatically with no voluntary control and no effort

The decisions we make without any conscious thought are the realm of beliefs, generalizations, and biases that each of us has and forms throughout our lives. He explains that those are "mental shortcuts" designed to make quick decisions that were vital for our survival when resources were scarce.

They were also decisions that were energy efficient because the brain consumes a lot of energy compared to its size. 

There’s no denying that we receive a lot of information from our environment and it is filtered through those "mental shortcuts" which in turn affects our actions and judgment. Thankfully, those beliefs that we hold are not innate and fixed, but ones that can be changed with deliberate practice.

So if you've ever had a vision problem, you know what a miracle it is to put on the right pair of glasses or lens. And positive affirmations are the pair of glasses that will allow you to see yourself and the world in a way that makes you feel better and gives you the chance to take action towards your goals.  

The Negativity Bias

Unfortunately, each of us has a negativity bias to some extent, which means we tend to dwell on our negative emotions more than our positive emotions and thoughts.

But if we utilize and incorporate positive affirmations in our life, it can allow us to restore balance in our life and make us realize that the voice in our head that keeps bickering insults aimed at us may not be right after all. 

Positive affirmations can also help us achieve our goals because it makes us more confident in our abilities and decreases our stress - which then enhances our cognitive performance.

Finally, positive affirmations may improve our relationships with other people because low self-worth often leads to isolation and unwillingness to develop social bonds with others due to a false belief that we are not worthy of love. 

How to Practice Positive Affirmations

First, you need to craft the positive affirmation phrases you will be using.

It’s best to begin by reflecting on who you are as a person, and what your current struggles and aspirations are. This is important so that you align the positive affirmations you intend to use with your core values. This way, you'll have a very clear idea of what actions and thoughts lead you to feel anxious and insecure.

After you figure that out, it's time to create phrases that are the opposite of the negative thoughts that keep spinning in your head.

If you have reflected that "I'm not good enough," an example of a positive affirmation would be:

• "I'm worthy of love,"
• or "I'm doing my best every day and that's enough"

You could also use encouraging phrases such as...

• “I’m confident”
• "I am powerful"
• "I'm fearless"

...that serve to reaffirm your positive perception and offer support.

Make sure your positive affirmations are:

• personal
• easy to remember
• understandable

This means that they should generally be short and simple so they are easy to practice.

Usually, it's best to start with 2-3, repeat them whenever you can, put them in your phone or write them on a post it or mirror around your home so that you see them every day. You may even discuss them with friends and relatives so they can keep you accountable if you want to. 

Try Positive Affirmations & See How You Feel

With all that in mind, don’t be afraid to try affirming positive thoughts!

Make it a habit to stay positive and take steps towards a better life, one positive affirmation at a time. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published Jan 26, 2022 and has been updated to improve reader experience.

Photo by Sebastien Gabriel on Unsplash