How To Use Affirmations To Change Your Mindset
Using Affirmations to Shift Your Mind From Negative To Positive
What you focus on gains power. That goes for the way we speak to and about ourselves, and the way we perceive the world around us. If we focus on the negative, we will experience more negativity. If we focus on the positive, we will experience more positivity. Plain and simple.
In this mindfulness practice, I am going to demonstrate how by repeating simple affirmations you have the power to shift your mood and change your perspective from negative to positive almost instantly.
WHAT ARE AFFIRMATIONS
Affirmations are simple positive statements that challenge and reframe negative thought patterns. When repeated regularly (and when you believe in the words you are saying), you will witness positive shifts in your mind and life.
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Now you may be thinking that affirmations are just a woo-woo form of wishful thinking. But I want to challenge you to look at them as a “workout” for your mind.
When you are looking to make a physical transformation, working out and repeating specific activities based on your specific goals is required in order to achieve the desired end result.
Affirmations work the same way.
HOW TO USE AFFIRMATIONS
For this practice we are going to be focusing on reducing stress and increasing inner peace. To begin, think about two desired states that involve minimal stress and maximum concentration. For example, calm and ease.
Next, apply those words to yourself as if you are already experiencing the end result:
I am calm.
I am at ease.
Now lets bring it into practice. Use the guided meditation or follow along with the script below.
GUIDED MEDITATION: AFFIRMATIONS
Come into a comfortable seated position. Rest your arms on your lap. Lengthen your spine, relax the shoulders away from the ears. Gently blink the eyes closed and take 3 deep breaths.
Take a moment to acknowledge how you are feeling. Whatever surfaces for you, notice it for what it is without placing any judgement on it. Part of this practice is being able to be a witness to our own mental state, without feeling the need to label it. Allow yourself to do just that.
When you are ready, come back to your breath. Begin to deepen the breath. Taking an inhale to the count of 3 – 2 – 1. And an exhale to the count of 3 - 2 – 1. Feeling calmer and more relaxed already.
For the rest of this meditation, on every slow deep inhale, say to yourself in your mind: I am calm. On every slow smooth exhale, say I am at ease.
Inhale, I am calm. Exhale, I am ease.
Repeat this process for the next several minutes. Noticing a release in tension and stress with every slow smooth breath.
Slowly start to return to your normal pace of breathing. Notice how the mind is feeling. Notice how the body is feeling.
When you are ready, blink the eyes open and go back into your day feeling a bit more relaxed.
If you liked this meditation please let me know by liking and commenting below and subscribing to my YouTube channel. If you want more meditations like this, check out some of my favorite meditations below!
