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Affirmations were introduced by French therapist Emile Coué who recommended his patients repeat the phrase, “Every day in every way, I’m getting better and better” (English translation). The practice was to repeat the phrase 20 times each morning and evening. The frequent repetition, called “conscious autosuggestion,” was thought to change a person’s psychological programming by bypassing their will.
The goal was to not focus directly on the words so that they would sink into the subconscious. By stating what specific problem a person wanted to change or by focusing too intensely on the statement, the result would be a mental argument between the belief you were trying to instill and existing beliefs it is in conflict with. (Paulhus, D. L., “Bypassing the Will: The Automatization of Affirmations”)
Over the years this initial technique morphed into all sorts of pop-culture philosophies and new age practices. When most people think of affirmations today they picture Stuart Smalley from SNL looking into a mirror and saying, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!”
Eventually the general understanding of affirmations was that you could change any aspect of your life by repeating what you wanted to be true, even if that was in stark contrast to your current reality.
Of course this idea got popular!
Who wouldn’t want to change their finances, love life and health with a few sentences repeated each day?
Millions and millions are spent annually on self-help books and products designed to change our beliefs so that we can manifest a life of our dreams.
Unfortunately, there is a major gap between what we want to believe about affirmations and what is actually true.
I go into some of the studies done on affirmations in chapter 4 of the book, but for this post, we’ll look at what we can learn about affirmations from the placebo effect.
The Placebo Effect
Affirmations are rooted in the belief that our thoughts affect our physical reality. This is the same backbone of the placebo effect.
The placebo effect is the impact a fake or imposter pill or treatment can have on the way a person feels. For instance, in clinical trials new drugs are tested against sugar pills to see if they have a greater impact on a person’s symptoms than a patient has by simply believing that they have been given an active drug.
By changing a person’s beliefs to think that she is getting treatment, her body sometimes responds as if she actually has been treated. Approximately 1 out of 3 patients will report benefit from a placebo. (American Cancer Society: The Placebo Effect)
The relationship is that a change in belief (thought) can create a change in the body (physical sensation).
They KEY in the placebo effect is that a patient believes she is doing something that will benefit her symptoms. The belief has to be lock-tight solid. This is why the placebo’s look just like the regular treatment, and why the patient is unaware that they have received a placebo.
OK, back to affirmations…
Affirmations are also aimed at changing a belief, just like a placebo. However, somewhere between Emile Coué’s work and our current techniques, something went amiss.
Along the way, we came to think that we could brute-force change beliefs just by repetition.
- Want to be wealthy? Repeat, “I am a millionaire.”
- Want to fall in love? Repeat, “I am in a loving relationship.”
- Want to be healed? Repeat, “I have perfect health.”
When that doesn’t work, repeat some more. And more. And more.
The thing that Coué understood that we have forgotten is the mental argument our mind will start against ideas it doesn’t believe.
Coué kept his affirmation general because he said that mentioning specific problems would cause mental backlash.
When you repeat, “I am a millionaire,” most likely you’re thinking, “No, I’m not!”
In order for affirmations to affect change, you have to, have to, have to believe what you are telling yourself.
If you repeat statements you believe in, then yes, your behavior may adjust to reinforce what you’re reminding yourself of.
As with the placebo, you either need to trick yourself into believing that your affirmations or true, or do something much simpler and simply use affirmations you already believe.
Hence,
- Want to be a millionaire? Repeat, “I choose to take responsibility for my finances.”
- Want to fall in love? Repeat, “I am willing to put myself out there.”
- Want to be healed? Repeat, “I choose to live a healthy lifestyle.”
Start where you are at. Talk to yourself in supportive ways about things you are already willing to do. Focus on proactive behaviors and actions that will affect change.
The placebo effect shows us that our beliefs are powerful. Use the ones you already have to point your mindset toward where you want to go.
Stumped about what to affirm? Start with what you are grateful for. That’s always uplifting.
What are some of your favorite affirmations?