Affirmation is a word that has been thrown around for years. It essentially means to make a statement. that is positive and say it to yourself, say it out loud or write it and read it daily. Repeat it as often as you remember to and bring it into your daily practice. The intention is that it will make you believe the affirmation and that you will come to believe these words, in turn changing your life. However, people for many years have been using affirmations and they have not been working. Are you someone who uses affirmations? how do they work for you? If you haven't heard of or tried affirmations, it's ok because the truth of the matter is, affirmations are a little bit like a fake it to you make it kind of a deal, it only helps a little. In fact, there is scientific data nowadays that states that affirmations do not work. Sound all negative, doesn't it!!
So why is it that something we have been told for years to do, to help our mental well-being doesn't work? Before I help you understand. I'll tell you how I learnt about this. It was from my very own son. Suffering severe depression at the time, I felt my hands were tied. So, I researched an alternative way to help him. My research brought my attention to affirmations and positive thinking.
Positive thinking is along the same lines as how Affirmations work. Again, you choose positive words to link up with the words 'I am' in front of the statement and you shall be healed - WRONG!!
Affirmations may uplift you for a quick dopamine hit however it is not sustainable for any real change in your mental health or getting to know thyself. The reason being - drum Roll'll. Is because your brain does not believe it. You have been conditioned to subconsciously doubt everything that you say. Positive thinking is also not believed by the mind and body because it needs to get past the subconscious mind. The day I tried this method with my son he sat there and said this is not going to work as he didn't believe a word of what he was saying. I assured him, in time he would, and he said NO, he was not what the words that the affirmation was implying, and All is not well. He then said the magic words. It was not the TRUTH.
Truth was the word that hit me over the head with a thud. His subconscious mind did not believe the affirmations as for him in that time, sitting there in front of me repeating the words, were simply not his truth.
Then I had an Ah-Ha moment. What is your truth? Then asked him to write it down. And rephrase it into a statement that he would believe if he was to read it and repeat it as you would with an affirmation. This was a success; at this pivotal moment, he was able to activate his conscious mind and believe there was some hope in his truth statements. AND the healing began.
This is where you get to know thyself, as you need to become raw and honest with yourself, so you learn your truth. Write down your beliefs about yourself or your story. Then create a truth statement that you believe will empower you to move forward from your limiting beliefs.
eg I feel unworthy. Ask yourself is it true? If your answer is yes, ask yourself is this absolutely true? if yes again, start to think about the times you have felt worthy. Then ask yourself what the opposite of being unworthy?? The opposite may be that you have in the past felt valuable when helping someone or in your boss told you how worthy you were to the company.
So a truth statement could read something like this... Each day I will work on my self-worth and learn to value myself again..... rather than the affirmation "I am worthy". Which one would you believe? Truth statements help you believe you are significant to others and yourself.
Have a go, create your truth statement so you can train your conscious mind to believe, in turn changing your outlook and the probability of your life, whilst you get to know thyself.
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