Morning affirmations aren’t just an uplifting way to start your day. They can reduce stress, make you more productive, and even help you live longer. We look into the science behind positive self-affirmation here.
Optimists live longer. That’s not just a nice turn of phrase – it’s scientifically proven. Recent research has established that optimism is significantly associated with longer life, even discounting other influences. And morning affirmations are a tried and tested way of improving your outlook long-term.
Morning affirmations are positive, clear, and achievable statements that you say to yourself to consciously anchor your goals and self-image. Although that might sound a little unscientific, there are numerous reputable studies that demonstrate a genuine cognitive effect. Positive, repeated self-affirmation has a direct, observable influence on – for example – the brain’s reward center and on our capacity for self-reflection. So how can you apply this in practice?
How Do Morning Affirmations Work?
One key element of self-affirmation is that you believe the statement in question. If this seems a little circular – you already believe it, so why do you need to repeat it to yourself? – consider the following example. If you feel unwell, and your morning affirmation is to tell yourself I am healthy, you will know the statement to be untrue. But if you say I am healing, you can concentrate on the existing, positive process this self-affirmation will reinforce.
Examples of Helpful Morning Affirmations
Here are nine more examples of positive morning affirmations, as well as what they might be useful for specifically.
- I am going to have a good day.
- I feel grateful and peaceful.
- Balance gives me strength.
- Try these simply for more calmness and positivity.
- I am organized and effective.
- I will work hard to fulfill my goals.
- My workload will not make me feel stressed.
- These are great for busy days!
- I feel loved and supported.
- I am flexible and adaptable.
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I already own everything I need.
- These statements can help you overcome crises or doubts.
More Tips, Ideas – and Pitfalls
Of course, morning affirmations are great for giving you a boost at the start of the day, but their applications are broader than that. As well as being demonstrably effective in stressful situations, self-affirmation can help you make good decisions, deal with your finances better, or improve your relationships with others. In fact, affirmations may actually work better on those who are unaware of it, so give your friends or colleagues a scientifically-proven boost with some well-chosen kind words!
If you’re trying morning affirmations for yourself, however, they will be more effective the more intently you concentrate on them. This means saying them out loud, writing them down, or repeating the phrase in your head with real emphasis. Again, you have to believe in what you’re saying: You can’t simply force yourself to change your mindset or behavior.
That last point is perhaps the main danger with methods like this. They are, naturally, not a means to treat genuine health problems, be they mental or physical. Self-affirmation may in fact be counterproductive for those who are really struggling. Self-care is always an individual, complex process. However, if we reflect upon what works for us – and strike a balance between taking action ourselves and finding help when we need it – morning affirmations can be a useful tool for confidence, productivity, and happiness.
Important Information regarding Health-related Topics.
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