How Affirmations Lead to Positive Change.

What are affirmations?

Affirmations are positive statements that you write, read, and say about yourself to create a domino effect in challenging any previous negative beliefs and thoughts about yourself. Like anything, with practice and repetition, writing and then saying affirmations can become a habit that can produce amazing results in your confidence, self-esteem, and overall love for yourself. This is due to the positive feelings that are created. This is why teachers (and adults) are bringing affirmation practices into the classroom with fun activities tied to I Am related texts. (Check out that blog post here).

How affirmations work in the cognitive behavior cycle:

Understanding the cycle that intertwines our beliefs and thoughts with feelings and behaviors is an important first step.  Everything begins with a situation (or prior experience) that has created a set of beliefs or thoughts. Often these thoughts or beliefs are manifested in childhood and based on the beliefs or thoughts of those around us. Some beliefs and thoughts may serve you and have a positive effect on you, while others are rooted in fear and based on long standing systems that no longer benefit who you are today.

Being able to disrupt the negative thought and belief pattern is key because your thoughts and beliefs are what create your feelings about the situation or yourself or others around you. If you are stuck in a negative cycle, or one that is based on someone’s beliefs and thoughts, it can seem impossible for any other scenario to be just as true as the one you’re living. This is where writing and saying positive affirmations come in.

Where our choices come from:

Your actions stem directly from your feelings about a situation, system, person, or yourself. The behaviors you take come from your line of thinking and beliefs. What if your thinking and beliefs aren’t completely aligned with who you are and what you deserve in life? How would you know?

Reflecting on your results based on your choices/actions is important in being aware of necessary change. If you are not happy with your results, then start at the beginning of the cycle in order to begin rewiring your thoughts. You have power in creating change around that…even when the factors outside of yourself seem unable to change. You can get different results, however it starts back with your thoughts and beliefs about what it is you want to change. Many people go straight to taking different actions without first doing the work to discover their thoughts and feelings about it. Once you address how you’re thinking about something, then you can keep moving through the cycle to make radical change that may not even seem possible right now.

Some examples:

For example: You believe that you are only a good teacher if you spend any extra money and time on your classroom and students. You feel worried if you’re doing enough. You buy more books, supplies for students, stay late or come in early, take work home and never shut school off. The result is overworked, burned out, and financially frustrated. You may have to take a second job which can create resentment and anger. If you don’t ever reflect where this is coming from, then the cycle continues and you keep feeling and acting this way. AND the school system is never forced to step up with funding if you continue to just take care of it.

Let’s begin to shift that scenario. How about this instead: You’ve reflected and want to do something different. You create an affirmation of I am good enough with what’s been given to me. Note: you may not fully believe this at first, however continuing to repeat this will eventually sink in and it creates a different feeling after saying this vs. the not enough mantra.

Your affirmation is posted everywhere and you get a feeling of ease in letting go of buying more for the class. That leads to having money to spend on yourself and your well-being which continues a cycle of self love. When you show up feeling fulfilled and clear on your worth, that energy spills out into the classroom climate and your students benefit. You reflect on how the students still made progress (actually more because you were more present) and your resentment fades little by little.

It all started with a simple affirmation that you repeat over and over until you fully believe it and notice yourself taking different action. When that happens you feel differently, too.

How to write a powerful affirmation:

1. Write them in first person. This creates a more powerful statement that is rooted in your identity and provides motivators for self-change.
2. Write them in the positive. For instance: I am no longer going to complain (negative) is a weaker affirmation than I am a person of gratitude.
3. Emotional Change happens when there is a connection between the emotion words and your experiences. Make the affirmation meaningful to you.
4. Write them in the present state. Act as if something is true (not in a fake it til you make it way) so that you can begin to experience the FEELINGS associated with being that kind of person as well as the desired results that will become your actions.

Want to know more?

Not sure you want to take the time to figure out the best affirmations? I’ve taken care of that for you with a simple guide that includes 22 powerful affirmations, when and how to use affirmations, and blank journal and note cards for you to print and use. Grab your FREE download here: 22 Powerful Affirmations for Positive Change

Affirmations for the classroom

Guiding your students through the cognitive model by coaching them on affirmations is SO powerful, especially when you’re doing it with them! Check out my I AM Enough affirmations activities & literacy companion for the K-2 classroom.