There is a plethora of books and advice available online on the practice of positive affirmations for achieving desired results. Countless people have found that such affirmations work, sometimes with miraculous outcomes.
How does this happen?
The effectiveness of affirmations is attributed to several psychological principles. Affirmations encourage positive thinking, and when we repeat positive statements to ourselves, our mindset begins to change and focus on the positive aspects of life, fostering greater optimism.
Affirmations can also help rewire our brain. Consistently repeating affirmations creates new neural pathways in our brain, which strengthens our belief in the affirmations and makes them feel more natural and achievable.
Our subconscious mind absorbs the positive messages from affirmations, which then influences our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour in subtle ways. This often makes affirmations into self-fulfilling prophecies. When we repeatedly remind ourselves of our goals, we are prompted to think and act in alignment with them, increasing the likelihood of achieving the desired outcome.
Even before those goals are achieved, there are more immediate benefits in the form of increased self-confidence and motivation, and reduced stress and anxiety. Regularly affirming our positive traits and abilities helps us feel confident in our skills and more motivated to pursue our goals. Moreover, focusing on positive thoughts and outcomes helps to move the mind away from negative emotions, leading to a more relaxed and peaceful state of mind.
But in order to be truly positive, affirmations need to be guided by the right motives. Like many other tools, affirmations can be used in more ways than one. To someone who genuinely seeks self-improvement, affirmations can be a valuable means of personal development. We often tend to look at our shortcomings, the disadvantages of our circumstances, and the challenges before us, and become dispirited. Some come to believe that fate has condemned them to mediocrity and they will never achieve much in life. Positive affirmations light our path out of the darkness of such despondency, and guide us to a more constructive state of mind and a fulfilling life.
But what gives us fulfilment is the key to how positive our affirmations prove to be. Do we want to be a better person, free from any character flaw, with an unburdened conscience; one who can honestly and happily stand before others, and before God, without fear or guilt?
Knowing our true identity – that we are souls, the children of God – and reaffirming our innate goodness can take us to that exalted state of being. The soul’s intrinsic qualities of truth, purity, peace, and love will then be reflected in our actions and our entire life. We can become beacons of truth and peace, inspiring and giving hope to those around us.
On the other hand, we can merely seek to have more money, fame, or power. Affirmations can bring us all of that, and there is no harm in seeking some measure of financial security and success in life. But if we start using affirmations to fulfil our greed and overweening ambition, we will achieve wealth and success, but not contentment, fulfilment, or peace of mind. Because once our affirmations make us a millionaire, we will want to be a billionaire… having got our dream job, we will hanker for a promotion. There will always be a swankier house and a flashier car to buy, and we will keep chasing them all our life. We may earn a lot in terms of name, fame, and riches, but our state of mind will be little different from that of a beggar – always asking for something.
What do we want to be, a supplicant or a benefactor? Someone who is looked up to or one who is always looking for more? Do we wish to inspire trust or spark envy? Affirmations can take us far on either path. It is up to us to choose wisely.
B.K. Brij Mohan is Additional Secretary General of the Brahma Kumaris.