How to Use Affirmations Effectively: The Right Way to Harness Their Power
Taryn Crimi
Affirmations are more than just positive words; they are powerful tools to shape beliefs and create a desired reality. However, many people unknowingly use affirmations ineffectively, leading to frustration when they don’t see results. The key lies in understanding the right way to use affirmations, especially when teaching them to children.
What Are Affirmations?
Affirmations are short, powerful statements designed to reprogram the subconscious mind. They help shift beliefs and thoughts in a positive direction, building confidence, resilience, and focus. When used correctly, affirmations can significantly impact both children and adults, empowering them to achieve their goals and develop a positive mindset.
Why Feeling Matters: A Look at Brain States
For children under the age of seven, affirmations can be absorbed more effortlessly because their brains predominantly operate in a theta brainwave state, making them highly suggestible to new beliefs. However, after the age of seven, children and adults spend most of their time in alpha and beta brainwave states, which are more analytical. This shift makes it essential to engage the emotional and subconscious mind when using affirmations.
The Right Way to Use Affirmations
The effectiveness of affirmations depends on more than just repeating words. To truly harness their power, affirmations must connect with the emotions of the individual. Here’s how:
- Feel the Emotion of the Affirmation Being True
The most critical element of using affirmations effectively is to embody the feeling of the affirmation already being true. Saying phrases like “I am confident” or “I am successful” without feeling the associated confidence or success will have little impact. It’s essential to experience the joy, relief, or satisfaction that comes with believing the statement as if it’s already a reality. - Avoid Placing Affirmations in the Future
Many people unknowingly sabotage their affirmations by framing them as something to be achieved later. For example, saying, “I will be confident” keeps the affirmation perpetually in the future. Instead, affirmations should focus on the present moment, as if the desired outcome has already been achieved. - Practice the Feeling
Connecting with the emotion of the affirmation may take practice, but it’s worth the effort. Visualization can help—imagine the circumstances and outcomes that align with the affirmation to anchor the feeling in the present.
Conclusion
Affirmations are a valuable tool for shaping beliefs and creating a positive mindset, but only when used correctly. By teaching children and practicing affirmations with feeling and present-moment awareness, parents and educators can unlock the true power of this practice.
By modeling and incorporating affirmations into daily routines, adults can help children develop confidence, resilience, and emotional intelligence, empowering them to navigate life’s challenges with a strong, positive mindset.
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Taryn Crimi is a TEDx speaker, keynote speaker, and panelist with over 15 years of experience in mindset development. She specializes in empowering educators and schools to teach mind mastery to children, equipping the next generation with the tools to unlock their full potential. As a mindset development expert, Taryn combines her professional expertise with her passion for creating positive change in education.