Practice Self-Affirmation to Improve your Mindset

"Evidence is conclusive that your self-talk has a direct bearing on your performance." - Zig Ziglar

Popular American motivational speaker and leadership guru, Zig Ziglar long promoted self-talk before it became a "trend." He shares how so many people have come up to him because their lives have changed when they started giving themselves daily positive affirmations.

Critics and sceptics doubt the science behind it. But people who have seen and felt the results of daily affirmation are unmoved. When you fill your heart and mind with positive thoughts and beliefs,

Affirmations are powerful! The things you say or write to yourself manifest into your brain over and over again until these affirmations become real for you.

Zig Ziglar once shared in his podcast how one man's daily affirmations led him to become a successful businessman. He read to himself daily a list of positive words. When he made it to the part: "I am an honest, sincere, and hard-working person." He did not feel the truth to the statement. Instead of backing down in shame and defeat, he worked hard to become the person he affirmed himself to be!

It is possible to reprogram your negative belief systems and change the thoughts that have long limited you. Charge your brain with empowering, healing, and affirming thoughts. Remember, what you think, you become.

One other approach as defined by Lisa Legault, professor of Psychology at Clarkson University, is to remind ourselves and think positively of the most important things in our lives. "Self-affirmation is the process of reminding yourself of the values and interests that constitute your true or core self... it's taking stock of who you are and what you care about."

This can be a great way to ease in into this practice. Not many will find it easy to say, "I am exceptionally beautiful" when you don't feel that way. But when you think positively about important things in your life (family, loved ones, impact on others) you reflect on things that you know and believe are beautiful in your life.

How to Use Affirmations

Self-affirmations are a great way to start off your meditation practice. It can be a mantra you say over and over, or you can read them out loud in front of a mirror. Some people write the self-affirmation lists down in a journal.

You can start by finding lists on the web or from books, poetry, or even scripture that resonate with you. Lists truths you know of yourself and what you aspire to become. It can be one phrase, three affirmations or twenty. Decide how you will be affirming yourself. Will you say it out loud? Write them daily? Or will you recite them in your head?

Commit to doing this every morning or before you go to bed. Here are some examples of affirmations you can use. Pick a few and make it your own.

· I create a safe and secure space for myself wherever I am.

· I give myself permission to do what is right for me.

· I am confident in my ability to [fill in the blank].

· I use my time and talents to help others [fill in the blank].

· What I love about myself is my ability to [fill in the blank].

· I feel proud of myself when I [fill in the blank].

· I give myself space to grow and learn.

· I allow myself to be who I am without judgment.

· I listen to my intuition and trust my inner guide.

· I accept my emotions and let them serve their purpose.

· I give myself the care and attention that I deserve.