How Positive Affirmations Can Help To Reduce and Alleviate Stress

Stress is generally perceived as a negative emotion considering the negative impact it has on a person’s mind and body. Although there is something called ‘good’ stress that is characterized by the pressure of a deadline that charges you to work harder and put in more effort, when we talk about stress it usually has a negative connotation.

Studies have indicated that chanting positive affirmations daily and specifically at times of stress create a remarkable behavioral change. One of the best approaches is to figure out the exact cause of stress and then choose an affirmation that addresses the cause directly.

So, if you are someone who stresses mainly over weight, then choose an affirmation like “I have the power to control my cravings” “I am losing weight every second” “I feel strong and energized after exercising”.

There are two ways to adopt the practice of using positive affirmations in connection with reducing stress.
- Practiced daily in combination with meditation
- Practiced specifically when going through a stressful situation

Chanting Positive Affirmations While Meditation

Most life coaches advice repeating positive affirmations immediately after meditation. Even 5 minutes of concentrated meditation will relax the mind and pave the way for the affirmation to settle in deeper within the subconscious mind and the impact would be greater.

These positive affirmations should have a more general rather than specific feel, so as to address the entire mental, emotional, and physical state together. Here are some affirmations that you can repeat after a meditation session:

• I have the power to handle whatever comes my way
• I am becoming more aware of my capabilities everyday
• Today I am stronger than yesterday
• I can find balance in my life
• I have so much to be thankful for
• I am loved and I know how to love
• I am stronger than I appear to be
• I have the power of the universe within me
• I am changing my life for the better
• I feel inner peace

These are just a few examples of positive affirmations. To make these work, you need to do more than just ‘repeat’ these affirmations, you need to feel it within yourself and believe and act upon it no matter what. Condition your brain to imbibe these affirmations and put to practice on a daily basis.

Chanting Positive Affirmations in a Stressful Situation

While regular meditation coupled with repeating positive affirmations does help in reducing stress to a large degree, there might be situations where you will be pushed out of your comfort zone and stress then is one of the first symptoms.

So, the next time you are feeling stressed or anxious, here are some positive affirmations that you can repeat. Combine this exercise up with deep breathing and you will dramatically increase the effect it has on your current stressful condition.

• I am powerful to handle whatever is happening right now
• My problems are NOT bigger than me
• I am strong, I can tackle this
• Keep calm
• I feel immense peace within me
• This situation is nothing, I can easily brace this with a calm and present mind
• I have so much to be thankful for, why should I let this situation bother me
• No matter what happens, I have people who love me and whom I love with all my heart
• Nothing can destroy me

Choose an affirmation that has a personal meaning for you and with which you can relate completely. So that when you repeat it, you can feel the power of the affirmation resonating within you.

If you are just starting off with the concept of positive affirmations, it is good to note a few things. First, the change would not happen overnight, this is more of a conditioning process and your brain and nervous system will take time to get used to and respond to these affirmations.

The idea is to change how you react to stressors and stress causing situations by adopting a positive outlook and empowering your mind to feel calm and strong in that adverse situation. This is done through directing the focus from the cause of the stress to something more positive and affirming.

Beginners always find it a little difficult to come to terms with the effect of positive affirmations and meditation. They often complain of a lack of concentration, which does limit the chances of the positive affirmation getting embedded in the subconscious mind. The best solution for this is to start small- try to meditate for just 5 minutes every day, followed by a minute of chanting positive affirmations and within 2 weeks you will see positive results.

Remember, it is all about what you think and feel.