Good Vibes Only | How affirmations can help you stay positive

Affirmations are all about reprogramming your subconscious mind to believe in the good things that happen instead of the bad. It is important to be conscious of your thoughts and take time out each day to focus on what you want, not what you don't want. People spend more time being unhappy with their lives than they do taking advantage of opportunities. What if we could change that? This is a guide for how affirmations can help you stay positive and believe in the good things that happen to you, so read on!

What are affirmations, and why should you use them

Do you ever feel like you're in a destructive cycle? You wake up in the morning, and when you open your eyes, your mind immediately goes to everything going wrong in your life. When you start thinking about it, there's just a never-ending list of problems that can be overwhelming.

I'm a huge fan of affirmations because they have helped me improve my life tremendously. They keep you from being so hard on yourself. So, when I have negative thoughts taking over my mind, I use affirmations to counteract those thoughts instead of fighting them. When you do this, you can redirect your mind and focus on what is going right instead of what makes you feel discouraged.

Daily affirmations have certainly helped me on my self-love journey!  I'm a huge believer in the power of positive thinking, and I feel like the people who always seem to be happy and make the best out of bad situations are ones that really understand how important it is to think positively. If you constantly focus on what you want and put your energy into those thoughts more than your fears, eventually, things will work out in your favour. You have to believe it!

How to create your own affirmation

Affirmations are all about being realistic. You don't want to set your expectations too high, only to be disappointed later on. Be sure that you're affirming something that is possible for you, not something that's beyond your reach. For example, if you have an issue with being late but feel like it would be too difficult to be punctual every single day, that's okay! You can admit that it's a work in progress and focus on being more on time than you were yesterday.

Affirmations might seem like another passing fad, but they've been around for decades, and many people swear by them. The main thing to remember is that you have power over your own thoughts, and nobody else can make you think or feel anything! So be nice to yourself and take advantage of all the positive things that happen in your daily life.

After you've come up with your affirmation, you need to write it down, so it's in front of you. Place it somewhere in your home where you'll see it every day, like in the mirror or in a frame. You can also post it on your phone or laptop if that makes sense for when you're on the go!

How affirmations can help you stay positive

Why do I think affirmations can help me stay positive? Well, it's because when I have a good day, I take the time to remind myself how I should be happy. When I have a bad day, I remind myself that it's just one day and tomorrow will come. When I'm feeling down, I remind myself that the day will improve one way or another.

Affirmations are all about reprogramming your subconscious mind to believe in the good things that happen instead of the bad. It is important to be conscious of your thoughts and take time out each day to focus on what you want, not what you don't want. People spend more time being unhappy with their lives than they do taking advantage of opportunities. What if we could change that?

I'll be the first to admit, I get down on myself sometimes, and it's hard to get out of my head and stop thinking about all the things I did wrong or didn't get done. But when I take the time to stop thinking bad things about myself, take a step back and tell myself "good job" for what I did get done, it makes me feel better.

Affirmations are not just positive self talk either. It's often easier to say negative things about yourself because you're used to speaking that way to yourself. But, if you change the negative things you say about yourself on a daily basis to something more positive, it will help your subconscious mind learn faster.

Keep in mind that affirmations are not magic. It takes time, practice and patience to feel good about putting yourself out there into the world. You can't expect your life to change overnight completely. But, if you take the time, give yourself a chance to appreciate good things in your life. Stop thinking about what you don't have. Maybe one day soon enough, you'll notice that all those negative thoughts changed into something more positive.

Tips for Using Affirmations in Your Daily Life

Use them in the morning when you're brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or making your breakfast. These are good times for self-care!

It's important to choose affirmations that are appropriate to your needs. Make sure it's something you want, not what you don't want.

Be sure to avoid expressions of doubt in any affirmation because this will counteract the positive effects.

You should consider affirmations as if they are instructions on taking care of yourself. They're reminders to be nice to yourself by seeing things differently.

Start small with affirmations. It's easy to think big, but thinking big will overwhelm your subconscious mind. So instead, start small with what you want one day and work your way up!

How to write an affirmation that is specific and personal to you

The importance of being specific and personal when writing affirmations to ensure they are effective. 

Cited examples of affirmations. (I am full of energy today; I look beautiful in every pair of jeans; I am surrounded by love; Today is my day, everything always works out for me; Today is the best day ever; Breath in peace, breathe out love)

Affirmations can be an extremely good tool to motivate yourself and help you stay in the right mindset. However, if you're not specific with what you are writing, there's a good chance your words aren't going to have the desired effect. It would be best if you linked your affirmations directly with what it is that you want out of life. For example, instead of writing 'I am a confident person' try 'I feel confident when I'm with people. That way, it's not just some generic statement you're throwing around, but something that has more meaning and can be repeated to yourself whenever you're feeling down.

10 Ideas for writing affirmations

1. Focus on what you have in your life right now that is good and gives you positivity. If there's nothing, write an affirmation about something that will come into your life soon or try writing a different affirmation because this one may not be reaching 100% of what it can do for you.

2. Try to be specific in what it is that you want. Suppose you're going to be repeating your affirmation a lot. In that case, there's no point in throwing around words that don't have much meaning because eventually, they won't mean anything to you anymore. Be realistic with yourself and write affirmations that are achievable for you.

3. Write an affirmation about something that you want in your life, then write another affirmation about something different. For example, 'I always have the energy to go out with my friends tonight' and 'I am surrounded by love'. Maybe it's just me, but I find writing two affirmations at once makes them feel more powerful and can help focus your mind on what you're writing.

4. Don't be afraid to tell yourself that you're beautiful, smart, loved, etc. A lot of people are insecure about sharing their emotions with other people. Still, it's completely different when it comes to writing affirmations because no one else is reading what you've written! There are no barriers telling you not to write how you really feel, so do it! For example, if you're feeling beautiful one day, then tell yourself that bit of information. Of course, this doesn't mean that society expects women to be obsessed with their looks or men obsessed with their muscles. Still, sometimes a little positive boost is all you need to make your day better.

5. Write affirmations in the present tense because that's how you want it to be in your mind. For example, by writing things such as 'I will be surrounded by love' or 'I feel loved, you're creating a future that doesn't exist yet and can leave you feeling even more unhappy than before.

6. Don't write affirmations about something that hasn't happened yet, but is on its way. Your mind is already aware of what will happen, so it won't take what you're saying seriously. Be specific with your words and write about things that aren't necessarily guaranteed but achievable if you put in the work!

7. Make sure you read over all of the affirmations you've written before deciding which ones you want to write down. Sometimes, one of the affirmations might resonate more with you than another. It will help you stay on track if you keep reminding yourself of what you really want in your life.

8. When writing an affirmation, don't mention anything negative because if you're constantly thinking about how terrible your life is, then that's all you're going to attract. So instead, focus on the positives and what you want so you can respond with a positive mindset instead of a negative one, even when bad things happen in life.

9. If something doesn't resonate with you or makes you feel uncomfortable, then change it! You have that power, and you can change any affirmation that doesn't feel right into something that will resonate within your mind. Take a step back from what you're writing, look at it from another perspective and see if there's anything that would be better worded in a different way. When you feel like an affirmation feels right, then go with it because if it makes you feel uncomfortable, chances are it will make other people uncomfortable too.

10. Affirmations and mantras really do work! This is because every single one of us has a subconscious mind, and we need to use it in the right way so that we can benefit from our lives instead of just staying stuck in a rut all the time. So, for example, if you have a negative mindset, then your subconscious mind is going to believe that's what's right. As a result, it will be hard for you to see the good in every situation.

Examples of how people have used affirmations in their lives

When I feel my best is when I'm funny, socially competent, and have good relationships with other people--then I'm using affirmations to tell myself that this is the person I want to be.

 Many people use affirmations by setting an intention for their day or week or month or year. The intention can be anything from "today I will refrain from complaining" to "I will spend 15 minutes at the gym."

 Simple things like writing down your thoughts in a diary, journalling about your accomplishments, thoughts, feelings etc., are all ways of reprogramming your subconscious mind to live life uplifting yourself with affirmations.

The benefits of reaffirming yourself

• A happier mood and better relationships with friends and family members

• You will be more aware of your thoughts and actions and make sure you don't dwell on the negative.

• Increased self-confidence.

• Improved self-esteem.

• Improved health.

If you don't believe it, try it! Writing down your affirmations and reading them out loud every day will help you focus on the positive things that happen rather than dwell on the negative. It is like a free therapy session without paying hundreds of pounds for it.

You don't have to go around telling people "I'm so positive" all the time if you are doing affirmations, but it is good to be conscious of your thoughts and actions. You can choose whether or not you want to show your friends what you're writing in your diary. Still, sometimes it can be helpful to share your affirmations with friends and family members to help you all focus on the positive aspects of life.

You don't have to sit around chanting "I am a beautiful person" or something because that's just going too far. Instead, it is best to find an affirmation that resonates with you personally and can be tailored to your own experiences in life and your preferences.

Affirmations are all about putting positivity first...seeing yourself as a good person, possessing qualities that you like and respect, and following where those thoughts take you.

My final thoughts!

As you can see, the power of affirmations is nothing to scoff at. You don't have to be a millionaire or live in Hollywood to enjoy good vibes all day, every day. There are many ways that affirmation techniques will work for you and your life regardless of where you're coming from or what stage in life you're in.

Affirmations offer us an opportunity to change our thoughts and reality, which means we needn't settle for less than what's possible with this powerful tool! So go ahead- give affirmations a try today and feel the difference they make on your mood, attitude, success rate, and relationships.

It won't take long before it becomes second nature to think positively. When you believe what you're saying, it becomes true.

Until next time take care!

Originally posted on my personal blog at  https://katie-louise.com/how-affirmations-can-help-you-stay-positive