Olivia Liveng* discusses how mantras and affirmations can rewire our brains to think more positively.
When it comes to positivity, mantras and affirmations are powerful tools. By repeating positive statements out loud or in your head, you can retrain your brain to focus on the good.
This ripple effect extends far beyond just your thoughts; it can also impact your behaviours and actions.
Over time, this can lead to lasting changes in your life.
No one knows this better than Kristen Butler, Founder and CEO of Power of Positivity and author of “The Comfort Zone: Create a Life You Really Love with Less Stress and More Flow.”
As the founder and CEO of The Power of Positivity, an online community with more than 50 million followers worldwide, Kristen Butler has spent over a decade examining the elements of a well-lived life and the paths that get us there.
Her book blows the lid off the idea that anxiety and stress are necessary ingredients for success — and shows female entrepreneurs how a state of ease instead of constant effort holds the key to unlocking your full potential.
According to Kristen, mantras and affirmations work by retraining your brain to focus on the positive.
By repeating positive statements over and over again, you can slowly change your thought patterns from negative to positive. And as we know, our thoughts influence our actions.
So as you start thinking more positively, you’ll also start acting more positively.
Over time, your entire reality can also change for the better.
If you’ve ever struggled with negative self-talk or a lack of confidence, you know how hard it can be to stay positive in the face of adversity.
But what if there were a way to train your brain to think more positively? That’s where mantras and affirmations come in.
Mantras and affirmations are positive statements you repeat to yourself out loud or in your head.
They can be general encouragement, like “I can do this!” or specific to a task at hand, like “I will ace this presentation!” The point is to change your thinking from negative to positive to achieve your goals.
For example, let’s say you want to manifest more money in your life.
A mantra or affirmation you could use is “I am a money magnet.” Every time you say this out loud or to yourself, you’re planting the seed in your mind that money is attracted to you.
And as you keep repeating it, that seed will grow and blossom until it becomes your reality.
Suddenly, you’ll find yourself taking actions that lead to more money coming into your life (without even realizing it!).
All because you took the time to focus on the positive and believe that good things were coming your way.
Sounds easy enough, right? But how does it actually work?
Kristen has shown that mantras and affirmations can actually rewire your brain to think more positively.
When you repeat a mantra or affirmation, you’re essentially teaching your brain to focus on the positive instead of the negative.
In other words, you’re training your brain to look for the good in every situation.
Affirmations activate the brain’s reward centres, releasing pleasure-based chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, causing us to feel good.
These feel-good chemicals are very powerful and can help you manage stress, face adversity, and stay grounded and optimistic in the face of challenges.
Practicing affirmations literally causes you to feel better on a scientific and chemical level.
When you feel good, you are more likely to take actions that are for your greater good.
Here are a few more science-backed benefits of affirmations and positive thinking:
- Studies show that self-affirmations can lower health-deteriorating stress.
- Affirmations can increase feelings of hopefulness.
- Self-affirmation has been proven to help people increase their physical activity.
- Affirmations have been effective in treating people with low self-esteem, depression, and other mental health conditions.
- Research shows that affirmations can help people view “threatening” messages with less resistance, suggesting that affirmations help people cope more effectively with life’s challenges.
- Practicing self-affirmations have been proven to lower stress and rumination, two factors that contribute to depression and anxiety.
The science is clear: Affirmations and positive thinking are good for you mentally, emotionally, and physically.
And Kristen is here to show the world how to harness the power of positive thinking to find more joy and live their best lives.
After overcoming a tough childhood, Kristen dedicated her life to helping others find happiness and success.
A sought-after motivational speaker, best-selling author, successful businesswoman, and mother, she teaches people how to use positive thinking to improve their lives.
Kristen’s message is simple but powerful: Anything is possible with determination and a positive attitude.
Many people shrug off mantras and affirmations as feel-good fluff – how could repeating a few words really change your life? Kristen, and her thriving community of more than 50 million followers, are proof that it can.
*Olivia Liveng (nee Balsinger) is an experienced storytelling coach, brand strategist, entertainment producer, and Liveng Public Relations CEO, an agency amplifying hospitality, tourism, and female voices.
This article first appeared at ellevatenetwork.com
