Do Affirmations Actually Work?

I used to find affirmations kind of ‘fluffy’. I felt a bit silly listening to them, or saying them out loud, and I couldn’t quite believe that were actually effective.

I discovered their power when I was pregnant with my first child and I started to get some anxious thoughts. I knew I wanted to break the cycle of negative thinking, and one of the techniques I used was listening to affirmations as I fell asleep.

The impact was incredible.

When I combined it with other techniques such as self-hypnosis and reading (a LOT of) positive birth stories, it was extremely effective.

Listening to affirmations repeatedly over time, especially when our brain waves are super receptive (e.g. first thing in the morning and last thing at night), is a great way to start redirecting unhelpful thought patterns and creating new beliefs.

Affirmations can act like a mantra too, and we can remind ourselves of them when we are feeling triggered or experiencing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours. Words spoken out loud, or even inside our heads have been shown to have a calming effect on our physical body.

Here are a couple of phrases that I find helpful to repeat to myself:

For patience and a growth mindset:

'Don't expect fruit from freshly planted trees.'

When I'm struggling with regulating myself with the kids:

'They are having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.'

When I am finding something hard:

'You are doing so well, I'm proud of you.'

There are loads more that I use, maybe I'll write a post with my favourites...

Have you tried listening to affirmations? What kind of things have they helped you with? Do you have a favourite one you'd like to share?

#Parenting #Affirmations #MentalHealth #GrowthMindset