1. Introduction

The Power of Positive Affirmations: Positive affirmations are a method of self-transformation through the repetition of particular, desired thoughts. This method is widely known as a very effective method for psychological treatment and for changing the way we think.

The basic theory is that we can change our lives by reprogramming our subconscious minds. In order to understand the power of positive affirmations, you have to understand exactly what an affirmation is. Simply put, an affirmation is something that you say, or even think, over and over.

We do this all the time and often it is something negative. With constant use, these negative affirmations can be harmful. However, we use positive affirmations in a similar way, but many people do not realize that doing so can actually be life-changing. In fact, many people do not realize that they are repeating the same old negative affirmations over and over again and this is why their lives do not change!

But the repetitive positive affirmations can reprogram our mind, changing our way of thinking in the long term and, consequently, transforming not only our way of approaching critical situations but our overall life as well.

1.1 The Power of Positive Affirmations: What are positive affirmations?

Positive affirmations are positive, specific statements that help you to overcome self-sabotaging, negative thoughts. It is a lot simpler to start doing positive affirmations than it might sound. The primary aim of positive affirmations should be to replace negative beliefs about yourself with new, positive beliefs.

This can lead to many diverse benefits, such as assisting you to make different future behaviors which line up with this new belief and also changing your thinking style in general. For example, when combined with other strategies, such as exercise and speaking therapy, researchers have found that including positive affirmations can help to suppress the part of your brain that is connected with being defensive and act as a buffer to feelings of risk and worry in some cases.

The research concluded, however, that future forms of the study need to be more extensive in order to make a proper judgement. Some studies have hinted towards the fact that people who practice positive affirmations regularly have lower stress levels, which can benefit many diverse areas of health, as stress is known to negatively impact the immune system, the cardiovascular system, and all the other systems in the body.

Also, self-esteem was found to rise and for many people it was associated with reduced depressive symptoms. However, while research has shown these small benefits over time, it must be noted that it is important to seek more evidence, as one study did not find statistically significant differences in the short term, but found that they accumulated over time.

This is to say that it is important not to see positive affirmations as a be-all-and-end-all solution, as there are many factors which lead into mental well-being that require interdisciplinary approaches. Rather, positive affirmations should be seen as an additional part of lifestyle changes, such as greater exercise and a better lifestyle.

It is also essential to put emphasis on the word “practice”. It is developmental, and with any type of practice it includes work and commitment with several setbacks. However, with the right help positive affirmations can become a useful tool to help manage your mental health over time.

1.2 Benefits of practicing positive affirmations

As positive affirmations can be used to rewire a person’s thoughts in the subconscious mind, it is also a very powerful tool in self-improvement. One of the biggest advantages in using positive affirmation is in the aspect of mental and emotional health.

The use of positive affirmations can aid in shifting focus from the negatives in life to the positives, and this can be especially helpful when negative emotions take over, like for example, when a person is feeling depressed, angry, or anxious.

As all thoughts produce either a negative or a positive response in the body, a mind that is steeped in negative thinking can eventually cause physical diseases and illnesses. Many people habitually experience negative thoughts and thus negative results in different forms. On the other hand, positive affirmations can lead to the activation of the body’s relaxation response, thus leading to the repair of cells and the creation of body tissues.

This will also result in the increase in the body’s energy levels and general well-being of a person. It is also important to remember that positive changes in life are a gradual thing, so patience is needed to practice positive affirmations each day.

With the use of positive affirmations, it can also stimulate the reward pathways in the brain; in that whenever a person feels good and satisfied, the nucleus accumbens in the brain will release chemicals such as dopamine and when this happens, it can instill a sense of happiness. Dopamine generally has many functions in the body, but mainly, it is involved in the brain system which is responsible for reward-driven learning.

According to an article written by Morten L. Kringelbach and Kent, published in the Biological Psychiatry journal, “the dopamine circuits are spread to most of the frontal cortex, as well as the limbic locus coeruleus, a general area important for autonomic skill control.”

In general, the practice of positive affirmation can lead to a significant impact on the individual’s life by resulting in physical, emotional, and mental changes for the better.