In his book ‘The Power of Positive Thinking,’ published in 1952, author Norman Vincent Peale suggested that if people can change their thoughts, they can change their lives to a large extent. Peale advised that people should believe in themselves and have faith in their abilities.
Shad Helmstetter, in his book ‘What to Say When You Talk to Yourself’, explains that we become what we think about the most. “Your success or failure in anything depends on your programming—what you accept from others and what you say when you talk to yourself,” he wrote in his book.
Similar thoughts were expressed by author Rhonda Byrne in her 2006 book ‘The Secret’ published in 2006. She explained that whatever a person thinks about constantly will eventually become his or her reality. “Your power is in your thoughts, so stay awake,” she wrote.
It is believed that an average human has 60,000 thoughts per day, and 80% of them—almost 50,000 of those thoughts—are negative. Countless other self-help authors have suggested that negative thoughts should be replaced by positive affirmations. The main objective of positive affirmations is to eliminate negative thinking patterns and adopt a life based on optimism, which will eventually lead to peace and happiness.
Experts in this field suggest a few sample affirmative statements such as “I am intelligent,” “I am happy,” “I am healthy’, “I am capable”, “I am grateful,” etc. These affirmations can also apply to specific situations. Affirmations are a great way to find the confidence required to face the challenges of day-to-day life bravely.
Children need to be trained to be polite, positive, and appreciative when they indulge in self-talk. It is said that repeating affirmations loudly to oneself is more beneficial, while writing them down is even more effective.
It is also believed that self-affirmations decrease stress, lead to academic achievements, make individuals more conscientious, and may even help people live longer. Positive thinking is a powerful tool that can help people improve their health, manage their stress, overcome challenges, and make better choices. By changing thinking, one can better manage emotions and actions. By beginning to think more positively, children can learn to believe in themselves and work towards utilising their individual potentials to the greatest extent.
“For self is a sea boundless and measureless,” observed Kahlil Gibran.