The secret of positive affirmations
Manifesting, affirmations, and meditating: all terms that we've been bombarded with lately. I must honestly admit that I'm not entirely familiar with them. How should I manifest and what exactly should I be manifesting? And then there's also the term affirmations: positive thoughts that are supposed to make you happier. I immediately think that I'm far too down-to-earth for this, but I'm also quite curious about it. Trying can never hurt.
Manifesting is a mindset where your goals come true by speaking them out loud and believing in them. You start by setting an intention, and you do this with the help of affirmations: sentences that focus your attention on something you want to achieve or feel. You repeat these sentences like a sort of mantra. For example: ‘I take good care of myself.’ Or: ‘I am proud of who I am.’ The idea is that you repeat these affirmations daily. But do these affirmations really work?
According to psychologist and cognitive behavioral therapist Carin Prins, affirmations work as long as you use them correctly: ‘Affirmations work well. That has been scientifically proven. But it works both ways. Suppose you regularly put yourself down by often saying that you can't do anything or that it never works, then you really bring yourself down. It makes you insecure and anxious.’
According to Carin, it's important to formulate realistic affirmations. ‘You don't have to pretend that you can do everything. Just like you don't have to pretend that you can't do anything. An example of a realistic affirmation is: ‘I am okay. I may not be good at this, but that doesn't mean I'm not good enough.” So, it makes very little sense to repeat ‘I am fit without having to exercise’ or ‘I am a millionaire’ daily. Isn't that a bit disappointing?
So we are indeed capable of positively changing ourselves with the help of affirmations. Carin explains: ‘You will feel better about yourself. You calm yourself down, gain more self-confidence, and become less anxious. This is not only noticeable to yourself. Others will also see a difference in your behavior, as you dare to take more risks and don't always play it safe.’
If you're also curious about affirmations, I have a few tips for beginners.
7 tips for affirmations:
1. Write your affirmations in the first person.
2. Avoid words like ‘must’ and ‘want.’
3. Use only positive words.
4. Focus on how you will feel and not on how you will achieve it.
5. Believe the affirmation. Choose something you can believe.
6. Make reminders of affirmations, such as on the background of your phone or through a note on the fridge.
7. Share your affirmation with friends, this brings affirmations into the world.
Source: Linda.nl
