By now, most everyone has heard about “The power of Affirmations”. Often, people are either very skeptical about the idea, or they are fully on board with the concept, leaving little room for the undecided.
So, why is there such a wide chasm of belief on the subject?
The skeptic looks for facts and proven studies to explain the circumstances of life, and the believing group embraces the concept based upon their ability to believe in things they cannot necessarily see, their experience, or both. This group has been criticized at times for simply trying to believe in nothing more than Magic; the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. And yet more often than not, science is proving the unseen aspects of these ideas with irrefutable evidence.
It may seem impossible to bridge this gap, and yet that is exactly what you’ll see is possible. Let us consider our skeptics. First, we need to appreciate skeptics. They often hold the line between truth and fiction. And so, we embrace this group and respect their role as the truth keepers. Thanks to our skeptics, the scientific world continues to explore the study of neuroscience and through these ongoing studies has scientifically proven that through the power of affirmations (an act of saying or showing that something is true or that you want to be true) you can signal new feelings into your brain and begin to rewire it into a new and infinitely better pattern. Affirmations have been proven to combat stress and depression and can literally change the neural pathways in the brain.
The brain’s reward system is so powerful that numerous studies show that affirmations increases the activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate, which are the areas in the brain related to self-processing. The research is widespread and has scientifically proven that the words we say and the thoughts we think have a direct impact on our emotions, physical health and overall wellbeing.
With this in mind we can confidently move forward, embracing affirmations as a scientifically proven system for success in programming our mind to respond in a more helpful way. So, where does the ‘magic’ show up in this process.
First, lets expand our definition of magic to include; wonderful, exciting, the power to control natural forces, i.e. the mind. With this in mind, the magic of affirmations is our ability to incorporate the power of repetition into the formula. The sub-conscious mind will accept what you focus on, repetitively throughout the day. Knowing this, it generally takes approximately 28 days of repeating positive affirmations at least (3) times a day for the mind to begin adopting the new concept. Since the sub-conscious mind is resistant to change, the persistent repetition is what creates the transformation or change.
Once you are ready to include affirmations as a daily tool to create greater peace, wellness & prosperity, here are some tips for success:
Determine your intended desire, no more than one or two subjects at a time preferably
Craft your affirmation, focusing on what you want (vs. what you don’t want)
Create a structure for remembering to say the affirmation.
Commit to 30 days, 25 x a day (or more preferably).
NOTE: If the affirmation is difficult to say and you don’t feel in integrity with it, be gentle and shift it to ‘I like the idea of’. EX: I like the idea of having an abundance of time, money and energy to choose what matters.
At the end of 30 days notice what comes up over the next 30 days, it can be subtle or profound.
Affirmation realized? Move onto the next area you want to transform.
Not Realized? Fine tune the affirmation or trust the process and continue.
There are many resources for supporting your intended desires through life coaching, results coaching, and hypnotherapy to name a few.
Remember, changing your words and thoughts can literally change your life. Why not try it?
Nancy Holguin, BA
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
A Wellness Partner of An Optimal You