You’ve decided to get rid of that load of negativity in your life and you’ve chosen to use positive affirmations. Before starting, you need adequate guidance to enjoy the full benefits they bring. Affirmations are easy to create, but you have to use them correctly to make them work. Here are some tips to help you get the best out of positive affirmations:
Make a list of your positive attributes
The very first step is to take stock of your positive attributes and the good things in your life. You can do this by making a list of your abilities, qualities, accomplishments, and the wonderful people in your life. Are you good at public speaking? Are you a boss at planning events? Write down in the present tense whatever you are good at. You can write, “I am good at public speaking,” for example, or “I am great at planning events.” These statements are actual affirmations of who you are and an acknowledgment of your positive side. More often than not, we dwell on the negativity around us such that we forget who we really are. Making a list will help you appreciate your true personality and give you the courage to use positive affirmations.
Consider the negative beliefs you’d like to change
Positive affirmations are great at replacing a negative mindset and thought patterns and with positive ones. They exert a strong counteracting effect on the negative scripts you’ve accepted about yourself. So what are those negative perceptions you hold about your abilities and future? Make a list of them. 
The list will help you arrive at an overview of the particular negativity you want to replace with positivity. Also, consider making a list of the positive attitudes you want to develop or the goals you want to achieve.
Create affirmations that suit your needs
You know the things you want to change: you know the positive goal you want to achieve. So go ahead and create or select affirmations that reflect these goals. Affirmations work best when the statements hold some level of personal significance. In other words, for affirmations to be effective, they must be about something that relates to you personally. For example, there’s no point in affirming, “I am effective at imparting knowledge to others,” when teaching is not even on your to-do list. When you make affirmations that affect you in a personal way, you stimulate the reward center in your brain. As a result, your brain develops a behavioral pattern that lets you attain that particular goal or vision. So ensure that your list of affirmations holds a personal meaning for you.
Create a schedule and follow it religiously
Do you know how a specific time in the morning for workouts helps you stick with the practice? Similarly, having a specific time of the day set out for affirmations will prepare you mentally and turn the practice into a habit. The time you choose will depend on what’s best for you but it does not necessarily affect the effectiveness of the self-talk. What’s important is sticking to the plan and cutting out every form of distraction. 
You can choose the early morning, right before going to bed, or some free time in the afternoon. With affirmations integrated into your daily schedule, it’ll become easier not to miss them. Remember that the time doesn’t really matter; it’s the consistency you put into it that makes the difference.
Use affirmations with other healthy practices alongside
When the mind and body are in sync, the results are unimaginable. While you use affirmations to build your mind, you can complement it with any activity that benefits the body. Consider deep breathing or physical exercises like walking and stretching. You can also incorporate meditation, regular sleep, and a healthy diet. Complete well-being comes from excellent mental and physical health. You get a double dose of positivity because good emotional feelings translate into good physical health.
Creating new affirmations is fun!
Making affirmations shouldn’t be a stressful activity. What’s important is finding a quiet place and a convenient time to repeat the statements to yourself. While there’s nothing wrong with doing everything to make positive affirmations work, don’t fall into the trap of focusing on everything else, save the act itself.
Read more: POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO AFFIRMATIONS 2021
