Why A Practice of Affirmations May Not Be Working For You

Why A Practice of Affirmations May Not Be Working For You  

 

So, you heard that a daily practice of positive affirmations can co-create a new reality. You gave it a go, expecting a monumental shift in your energy patterns (so you heard occurred), but you simply felt nothing and assumed you must be doing something wrong, not understanding the continual chatter about it on popular podcasts and blogs.

 

Positive affirmations are simply short statements that one regularly recites verbally or writes by hand to rewire beliefs about themselves or to implement new habits/behaviours. They have been proven to improve self-esteem, confidence, mood, and stress levels by increasing neural connections and pathways in the brain. Basically, a practice of daily affirmations is a mental exercise to amplify one's overall well-being.  

 

So why is it that a practice of affirmations may not be working for you?

 

You expected results quickly and simply gave up 

 

A practice of affirmations is committing oneself to a simple, daily routine and automating this action. You need to ensure you are diligent and devoted to it as a way of Being, as opposed to expecting substantial results in a short time frame.  The book Atomic Habits suggests sticking with a habit for 66 days for it to become encoded as a new behaviour. So ask yourself this: How long did it take for you to learn the belief or habit you are committed to shifting?  Acknowledge that you are trying to re-wire past conditioning, so it may take just as long to unlearn it.  

 

Check-in with yourself often, reflecting on and reviewing your affirmation and how it impacts your performance. Understand that the more you cling to and force expectations, the farther you may feel from your desired result. The key is to remain energetically open and receptive, trusting that, eventually, you will feel a shift with deliberate practice and patience.  

 

What you’re saying and how you’re feeling are clashing 

 

This is called cognitive dissonance, and it occurs when “two opposing thoughts reside in the same mind, generating inner conflicts and psychological distress.” 

 

For example, you’ve been longing to call in a gratitude practice, and your new morning mantra is “I am grateful for the love that surrounds me.” However, you can hear your kids arguing in the distance and feel yourself beginning to clench your jaw.  

 

Your internal energy needs to be in harmony with and match the internal frequency of your desired affirmation. The key to practicing is to uplevel your affirmation and sincerely believe in it. So instead of stating, “I am grateful for the love that surrounds me,” recite, “I am open and willing to feel gratitude today, accepting what is.”  

 

Your energetic field speaks louder within the Universe than your words. Gabrielle  Bernstein states, “…you need to be able to feel the vibration of your intention, for if your presence doesn’t work, neither will your word”.  

 

Your personality will eventually become your personal reality, so feel the affirmation alive within your cells as you recite it. If you feel a disconnect, change it up to ensure your presence is high-vibe. 

 

Be the light, 

 

Erica