How positive affirmation can banish self-doubt

So, how can positive affirmation banish self-doubt?

There are many ways to answer this question, and it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach. However, the best place to start is by defining affirmation.

Definition

affirmation/afəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. The action or process of affirming something.
2. Emotional support or encouragement.

I know this might sound cheesy. Your first thought may be, ‘What complete bollocks’, but hear me out. The idea of Happy Distraction is to distract your mind from the everyday grind (also super cheesy, I know). So do me a favour, read this, and try it; it might work wonders for you! If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t.

How can I use it?

I must admit that I find personal affirmation a difficult subject to stomach. Though I understand its meaning, I struggle with the act of self-affirmation.

What I mean by this is that the idea of saying something positive about myself doesn’t make it real, but I’ve come to learn that that’s not the point.

The point is that you’re one step closer to making it happen by saying something positive about yourself, like ‘I CAN lose weight’ or ‘I CAN wake up earlier in the morning’.

Think about it: If you say to yourself, ‘I can’t lose weight. I have no motivation. While that may be true at that particular moment, you’re not allowing yourself to take steps to achieve your goal. If you stay in this negative mindset, you will struggle to find the motivation.

You are the barrier between your current lifestyle and your goal(s). At the same time, I understand that every individual is different. There may be an underlying health condition or a physical barrier (such as a disability) to stop you from reaching your goal(s). Positive affirmation is the first step to getting into the right mindset and banishing that cloud of self-doubt.

If you can’t reach your goals because of an unavoidable barrier, wouldn’t it still be in your best interests to face life with a positive mindset?

How can I change my mindset?

It starts with YOU. The first thing to do is to change ‘I can’t’, ‘I won’t’, and ‘I don’t’ into ‘I CAN’, ‘I WILL’, and ‘I DO’. This is your first step into achieving your goal(s). Just by internalising your thoughts and flipping your barrier on its head, you will immediately promote positive reinforcement.

Positive Reinforcement = Diminishing Self-Doubt = Motivation.

If you put this first step into practice, you should already start seeing the benefit of a positive mindset. Hopefully, your self-doubt will go out the door, and you can focus on what you’re good at.

OK, what next?

In the second step, it’s a good idea to have a pen and paper, a digital notepad, a journal, or whatever you prefer to write with. For me, it’s my iPad, Apple Pencil, and a journaling app called ‘Day One‘.

Write down your goals, for example, ‘I want to lose weight’ or ‘I want to read more books’. Next to your goals, write down a positive affirmation such as ‘I will lose weight’ or ‘I will read more books’. Hopefully, you’ll have a few down on the page.

Take some time now to write down what you are currently good at, such as ‘I am a good writer’ or ‘I am awesome at my job’ (again, hopefully, you’ll have a few written down).

The next step

The next step is putting your positive affirmations into practice. For most people, this is usually the bit they struggle with (including me). You need to start reading your affirmations out loud. Of course, this doesn’t have to be in public, but the key is ensuring you read them aloud. Start working your way down your list. For every goal you read, such as ‘I will lose weight’, read out something you know you’re good at, such as ‘I am a good writer’. This is positive reinforcement. You will start subconsciously associating your goals with the things you already know you’re good at and successful in.

Over time, this will result in a much more focused mindset. You will begin to believe that you can achieve your goals because, for every goal, you are affirming that you are capable of achieving.

Anything else I should know?

This process doesn’t have to be restricted to health or productivity; the beauty of it is that you can set yourself any goal. Whether it’s finishing an essay, learning a new skill, or even updating your resume, the possibilities are endless.

To get the most out of this process, it’s a good idea to pick a time of day, such as morning or before bed, to run through your affirmations. After all, we are creatures of habit, so setting a routine will likely promote motivation.

Feel free to add to your list at any time. You should notice that the goals you have written down start turning into achievements or completed tasks. Make sure you read those out, too.

Final Thoughts

This may seem a little far-fetched but think of it this way. If the last thought in your head at night is something like, ‘Tomorrow is going to suck. I’ve got tons of work to do; it will be such a long day. That will also be your first thought in the morning when you wake up. If you flip that on its head and think, ‘Tomorrow will be a productive day. I plan on getting loads of work done, all in time, for coming home to a beautiful home-cooked meal. You will feel much better and will have a more positive mindset to face the day.

By thinking positive thoughts (and affirming them), you are much more likely to achieve your goals. You are much more likely to find the motivation you may have previously lacked, and most importantly, you can kick self-doubt to the curb!

Further recommendation

I first learned of self-affirmation in Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8AM. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as it provides more detail and insight into affirmation. Check out my review of the book here.