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First of all, what is a positive affirmation? -

At its simplest, it’s a positive phrase or statement said aloud or in your mind to combat negative thoughts.

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The simplest practice -

Practicing positive affirmations can be extremely simple–all you need to do is pick a phrase and repeat it to yourself. Regular practice is necessary if you want to make a lasting impact on how you think and feel.

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Various applications depending on what you need -

You can use positive affirmations to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life, boost your self-esteem, or alter negative thought patterns.

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Science-backed practice -

Positive affirmations are based on widely accepted and well-established psychological theory—largely the “self-affirmation theory.” It has been proven that we can maintain our sense of self-integrity by affirming what we believe in positive ways.

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Why we need self-integrity -

Self-integrity relates to humans’ ability to protect our essential being from threats. It’s our perceived ability to control moral outcomes, make healthy choices, and respond flexibly to challenges. Maintaining our self-integrity is vital to living successfully!

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The self-affirmation theory -

There are three key ideas in the self-affirmation theory. The first is establishing a self-identity, which is not in fixed categories like “mother” or “employee,” but rather a more flexible idea centered on your values, one through which we can adapt to situations much better.

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The self-affirmation theory -

The second key idea is that maintaining your self-identity is not about being perfect. Rather, it's about working on areas that we personally value in order to be moral, flexible, and good.

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The self-affirmation theory -

The last key idea is that we can only maintain self-integrity by affirming that which we are taking actions to deserve. You can’t just say “I am a good parent” because you want praise. Your positive affirmations must necessarily lead you to act in ways that are consistent with that value.

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The neuroscience -

There is MRI evidence suggesting that certain neural pathways, specifically the part involved in positive valuation and self-related information processing, are more active when people practice self-affirmation.

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Rewiring the brain - Research indicates that, much like exercise, affirmations raise the level of feel-good hormones in our brains, and they push our brains to form new clusters of “positive thought” neurons.

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Proven benefits of daily affirmations: lower stress -

High stress levels can be extremely detrimental to our health, and self-affirmations have been shown to decrease harmful stress.

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Getting more physically fit -

Intervention studies have shown that self-affirmations have led people to increase their physical behavior. There are also “healing affirmations,” which are based on the idea that your thoughts can influence your health for the better, sometimes practiced by those with serious illness conditions.

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Helping us process information better -

Positive affirmations can help us react with less resistance and defensiveness to "threatening" information or messages. 

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Improve academic performance -

Positive affirmations can be used by anyone in any walk of life, and they have been linked to increased academic achievement in students.

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Stop overthinking -

Self-affirmation has been shown to reduce overthinking as well. As you focus on positive thoughts, the power of optimism helps override the flow of bad thoughts.

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The goal: an adaptive, broad sense of self -

We can become more resilient to difficulties when they arise and in whatever form—whether it’s social pressures, health information, or feelings of exclusion—and construct a better narrative.

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Struggling with a constant stream of negative thoughts? - First of all, you’re not alone. Secondly, it can seem like a huge leap to suddenly start positive affirmations. That’s why one therapist, Kati Morton, suggests beginners start with “bridge statements.”

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Bridge statements -

If you struggle badly with body image, Morton suggests instead of making the drastic leap from "I’m ugly" to "I’m gorgeous," starting with something more akin to, "It’s possible that I’m overreacting. I am not as ugly as I think I am." It’s about opening up space for another possibility.

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Support bridge statements with your environment -

Morton talks about how social media has made it difficult for us to believably affirm our own happiness in comparison with others, and advises that you unfollow or take breaks from content that makes you feel bad about yourself.

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Hacking your negative thought pattern -

First acknowledge that while thoughts shape your identity, you are not your thoughts. Thoughts gain power when they’re given words, but they ultimately manifest in actions. Negative thoughts may persist, but giving words only to the positive ones will help cut off their power.

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How often should you practice positive affirmations? -

There are no strict rules, but daily practice is proven to be most effective. Some psychotherapists encourage three to five times daily.

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Customize your affirmations to your personal values -

To effectively impact your self-esteem, your affirmations should be positively targeted at things you consider important to you. It can be targeted at body image, work life, anxiety, pregnancy, marriage, etc.

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They’re different from mantras -

Some people use the terms positive affirmation and mantra interchangeably, but mantras are sacred words, sounds, or verses that are more spiritual, whereas affirmations hold no spiritual or religious meaning in the traditional sense.

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Examples of positive affirmations -

"I am confident and capable at what I do." "Nobody but me decides how I feel." "My body is amazing just the way it is, and I accept myself this way." "I am enough." "I am loved."

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How to practice -

While practicing affirmations, take deep, slow breaths to center you in the moment and the words you’re saying. The more you practice, the more natural it will feel.

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Write them down -

You can write them in a journal or on cards that you can carry with you all day as a useful reminder when you’re on the go.

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Morning mirror time -

Mornings are often cited as the best time to practice positive affirmations, specifically when you take your first look at yourself in the mirror. You can shape how the rest of your day goes and boost your self-esteem. Try, "Today, I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy."

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Where to start -

You can use a guided meditation that helps you with your positive affirmations while also easing you into a relaxed state that makes you more receptive to them.

See also: What is walking meditation, and how can you get started?

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