The concept of “manifestation” has gotten quite a bit of publicity in mainstream media recently. We might have read it on our favorite social media page or seen a headline about how its power can be used in our lives. Despite the hype portraying this term as a new concept, manifestation is simply the art of positive thinking.
There is research behind the benefits of intentional positive thinking. For example, it has been proven that making an effort to smile more often can subconsciously decrease stress and increase positive emotion. Even using words containing sounds that engage the smiling muscles is associated with an uplifted mood. When we recognize how much we can affect our mindsets on a daily basis, we can use the power of positivity to maintain motivation for creating lasting habits and lifestyle changes. These, in turn, can help us shape the course of our futures and live a life full of meaning, gratitude, and genuine joy.
Intentional Positivity
As we go through life, we experience many different thoughts on a daily basis. Some of these thoughts produce doubt, insecurity, guilt, and other negative emotions, while others increase motivation, self-esteem, gratitude, and positivity. Unfortunately, due to our brain’s negativity bias, we are more likely to dwell on the negative thoughts and prolong their influence on us.
However, we can make a mindful effort to notice our positive thoughts and give them the influence they deserve to have on our lives. The more we practice highlighting our positive thoughts about events, the people around us, and ourselves, the more natural a positive mindset will become for us. This intentional positivity will influence us to take actions that improve our lives, which will lead to more organic positive thoughts and emotions. Still, it is always important to consciously choose positivity.
Vocalizing Daily Affirmations
One way to amplify our positive thinking is by vocalizing our positive qualities, expressing gratitude, and affirming our fundamental self-worth. To do this, we can write down personal affirmations to say to ourselves aloud every day.
Some people find it more impactful to recite these affirmations while looking at themselves in the mirror, and others prefer to simply speak them into existence while they get up in the morning. This is a great addition to a morning routine because it sets a positive course for the day.
Surrounding Ourselves With Optimistic People
Just as we can choose which thoughts we welcome and give voice to, we can affect our mindsets by choosing which people we give our time and attention to. When we surround ourselves with positive peer influence, we are less likely to engage in harmful behaviors. Optimistic friends, family members, and acquaintances can motivate us to explore our ambitions for the future and enjoy the life we have now.
At times, we can get stuck in the narrative that life is a solo journey, and our endeavors must be handled alone. We can be hesitant to reach out for help, but the reality is that everyone has struggles, and by speaking up, we can find community and support. When we surround ourselves with people who are open to honest communication and who want the best for us, we become more open to ourselves and more willing to improve our wellbeing.
Engaging in Positive Habits
During treatment, we are taught positive coping skills to deal with our everyday lives. While we are in treatment, we are in a safe and relationship-oriented environment. This helps us heal healthily, at our own pace.
We can take this mindset with us when we leave treatment and use it to help us create a healthy emotional and social environment for ourselves. When we think about what we want for our future, we should account for the importance of engaging in safe, uplifting relationships and meaningful activities.
Creating Goals During Recovery
Having undergone treatment for our struggles with substance use, we have already tapped into the power of positive thinking. In many instances, we had to think positively to overcome the obstacles in our lives.
Creating goals for our post-treatment lives can propel our positive thinking even further. When we approach goal setting with optimism, we start to manifest our positive thoughts into reality.
Writing Our Goals Down
It can be helpful to keep a journal for our mental health, especially during recovery. Adding a section in our journal for our goals and aspirations can keep us motivated. When we put something in writing, it becomes more tangible. Going back and reading our goals can remind us of what we are working toward and keep our goals in the front of our minds.
Researching Our Goals
We think about what we want to achieve in life, but how do we become able to achieve it? It can be helpful to research our goals and learn more about the specific process for each of them. For example, if we want to pursue a dream of becoming a teacher, we might watch videos from current teachers talking about their experience teaching. We might research what academic path we need to take and what type of teacher we want to be.
Don’t let the process intimidate or discourage you. Understand that, with patience and motivation, we have the power to achieve way more than we think, and it starts with intentional positivity. We may have been told by others in our lives at one point or another that we aren’t good enough to achieve our dreams, but we do not need to hold onto that narrative. We just need to think positively and believe in our abilities. We have already overcome addiction, and we have the rest of our lives ahead of us!
When we think about the goals for our future, how do we view them? Do we believe they are achievable? The art of positive thinking can help us accomplish so much more than we realize. When we take the time to write out our dreams and aspirations, we are manifesting and consciously prioritizing ourselves. We can create and vocalize daily affirmations to stay motivated. Surrounding ourselves with positive and likeminded people can uplift us. We have already accomplished one of our biggest goals by overcoming addiction, we have so much power inside of us, and it is up to us to unlock our potential. There will be times when we feel like giving up or believe that our goals are too big, but we need to remember that a wonderful life is well within our grasp. What do you want to achieve? Call 449 Recovery at (949) 435-7449.
