In science, you’re not supposed to do that, and you only know what you’ve tested for. As as said, we don’t know what the results would be if this study had carried on for longer. Maybe then the affirmations would have had a positive effect. Then again, maybe they wouldn’t.

Personally I think they would start to have a positive effect, but that’s just my opinion.

There was a point in my life where I wasn’t happy about the way things were going and positive affirmations really helped become a much happier, healthy person.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..5 Super Simple Weight Loss Tips =-.

Your English is very good!

Positive Afirmation (x times) -> Positive Belief ? Yes I also think is not that simple! This “secret” guys and similar have really exagerated this!

This is what I do:

1 – Find negative belief:

Example: “I’m a idiot, I am a failure.”

2 – Debunk the negative belief with the reason and evidence. The more the better.

Example: “Who tha hell told me I was an idiot, Why ? How did s/he concluded that, wasn’t it because envy… or because I made a simple mistake I did .. Why do I believe that? You know … everyone can make a mistake .. This is an obviuos exageration … bla bla bla”

3 – Then create or find a positive belief oposite to the negative. Make a case with the negative and demostrate the positive is better with the reason and evidence.

Example: “I’m a human being, I make mistakes as everyone. People will try to molest me to discharge their stress in a selfish maner, that’s why they put on me this ridiculous exagerated labels that had nothing to do with reality. In fact I’ve made a lot of great things, I can remmember .. Etc etc etc”

4 – Then conclude that positive belief with a positive afirmation. This would be like a summary of step 3.

“I’m a human being! I’ve a lot of potential! Dispites some mistakes we all do. I’m up to the challange. I can succed with what I propose to miself, I’ve and I’will again get better and better. You know .. What the hell! … I’m successful, I’m a machine!” (if you get emotional with this the better!)

“I’m lovable, I can share feelings and a lot of people can have great time around me.”

Etc, etc, etc

—

Work with this self talk, repeat them with a lot of emotion so you remember. If feeling doubt again repeat steps 2 and 3 to re-gain trust in the afirmations. When getting stronger try to develop more positive afirmations in necesity, improve and get better at it.

Everytime the negative afirmation you debunked comes in times of insecurity, you can remmember “WTF? I’ve proven this this to be wrong… The truth is: ”

So the positive afirmation can be powerfull but the strength of it comes not only of repetition but how entitled you feel to say it, you add for that reasoning behind it. Then you believe it.

I apologize for my writing if someone feels it’s not good enought, english is not my natural language.

Yes definitely – if you’re talking about making a change or personal development, it would probably be better to use multiple techniques rather than focusing on one thing. Studies like this are trying to establish what happens with a particular technique under particular conditions with particular people, so the findings are just one piece of a big puzzle, and it can take many years to figure out how all the pieces fit together.

Warren

My take would be that affirmations are part of the overall equation, but must be combined with motivation, goal setting and effort. “Taming Your Gremlin” by Rick Carson is one of my favorites in this interesting topic.

MikeR
.-= MikeR´s last blog ..Can You Make Candy? =-.

Regardless, I don’t think any respectable self help book promotes that 4 minutes of affirmations will do anything. The self help industry as a whole has a lot of problems, but what industry doesn’t? Heck, look at the science in this study being abused! “Positive affirmations don’t work!”… in select circumstances for all people provided the length of time is 4 minutes.
.-= Life Change Blogger´s last blog ..Added a Joyce Meyer Quote page =-.

Many thanks for reading and responding. I had not come across Miguel Ruiz before now. I had a quick look on Google, but I’d have to say that from what I saw, I’d put his stuff in with any other self-help guru – but of course that would mean I’m judging a book by its cover and I understand we’re not supposed to do that!

Sounds like you’ve had some great results from his work though, which is fantastic. Does he recommend the use of self-affirmations in his books?

Warren

He learned English very late in life and sometimes reading his material can be tedious… 3rd grade level. This is not an insult, just my intellect aspires to very fine writing. But I have practiced for 5 years, have taught it to my children and grand children and it literly changed my life. Fear, anger, blame, jealousy, greed, hatred…. all have melted away. (No I am not a saint and I am not perfect.) But my life and the lives of others around me are much better through this belief system. It taught me to really recognize where emotions are really coming from. That releived me of a lot of guilt and self persecution. It also taught me how to respond to those who do not know or do not want to know the Toltec belief system. That is their loss and I hope for their sake they find an affirmative plan that brings them true love and happiness. There are other authors, and only one other do I enjoy and receive a level of inspiration, Ruiz’s student, Dr Susan Gregg. Her flow of writing (English is her first language) is thouroughly enjoyable. HOWEVER, Ruiz should be the first step, as she takes up after his basic books. I have read them all several times. NO ONE is paying me to sell their books. I do know that they saved my mental and spiritual piece of mind. Positive mindset is possible. I learned that and much more through these books. I was at the bottom of depression and low self esteme. If you hurt bad enough, you will try anything. I suggest you jump start to a source that really works. Best wishes and my hope that you can benefit as I have. I consider my Toltec belief system to be the foundation of every minite of every day. It has blessed me and has ridden me of past emotional injuries that nothing else could accomplish.
Sincerely, Alice (Sorry if I spelled incorrectly. High IQ does not mean one was taught phonics and spelling.)

Kenji,

That’s an awesome point. But the amount of mental energy it takes to keep full control over your thoughts for a whole day, even a whole our, I think is beyond most people. Not in a bad way, it’s just really hard! That’s why therapies like CBT take so long to take effect, perhaps – they are very much like hard work.

Sukh,

Thanks! I really like the way you test things out and observe the results, instead of blindly believing what you read. Good for you! The 3 good things exercise is an interesting one. It’s not an affirmation in the sense that it’s not attempting to create a state that doesn’t yet exist, it’s just a change of focus towards some good things that have already happened. And things that have actually happened that day, not this reframing “find a positive thing in slipping on the ice and hurting my ankle” stuff. I think that’s why they class it more as a gratitude exercise than anything.

I can imagine that the anxiety of being just about to give a presentation brings out some negative thoughts, I’ll definitely try this the next time I have to give a speech of some sort.

Claudia,

You might be on to something there, links in with what Sukh says above about the affirmations needing to be congruent.

Katrina,

Yes exactly, these things take time. Doesn’t help that positive affirmations usually come packaged with the words “instantly”, “today” and the like.

Prashant,

Thank you! But it’s a bit of a chicken and the egg thing if a positive mindset is needed for the exercise to work, but the exercise is needed to bring a positive mindset!