There is an old saying that goes, “You are what you eat.” While this is definitely true of food, it is also true of the thoughts which swirl around inside every human brain. If the mind is a place of sadness or apathy, those characteristics will shine through to be seen by others. On the other hand, if it is a space filled with self-care and support, that person is capable of reaching new heights. With this being the case, it is easy to see why it is absolutely necessary to constantly reinforce your brain with productive and helpful thoughts. Doing so could push you into that promotion or aid in the close of a sale. From industry understanding to handling customers, there are numerous aspects of a professional life that can experience growth when one is intentional about affirming themselves. Author Virginia H. Pearce summed this up, “Positive reinforcement changes behavior for the better, while criticism stabilizes negative behaviors and blocks change.”

There are numerous personal aspects that can be affected by utilizing the practice of positively affirming yourself on a daily basis. In order to understand what specifically can be impacted, we connected with a few business experts.

Mental health

Dawn Kendall is the Co-founder of 8 Sheep Organics, a brand offering natural pregnancy products. She believes a potential boost provided by talking oneself up is the advantage it can provide to a person’s well-being.

“Most people do not consider their thought life to be much else outside of a stream of consciousness and decision making. But, what if I told you that when you’re thinking you’re training your brain? It’s true. When you have a thought, pathways are created in your brain. The more those pathways are traveled, the more familiar they become. So, if you’re forging and using paths having to do with positive affirmations those things will become natural for your brain. When something is natural for your brain, it starts to become part of who you are.”

Attitude

Chronos Agency specializes in eCommerce business profitability. Their CEO, Joshua Chin, suggests one’s outlook on life can be altered through introspective encouragement.

“Our attitudes and way we view our surroundings is one of the first things that others notice about us. Think about it. When you’ve met someone for the first time, you’re able to understand a bit about them based on their demeanor, tone of voice, as well as word and subject choice. All of these things are a reflection of the attitude a person holds and they’re a product of what’s on a person’s mind consistently. No one wants to spend time around another who is grouchy or mad. If you’re filling your mind with affirmations, people around you will take notice.”

Relationships

In many cases, business of all sorts can hinge on the interactions of the people discussing the topic at hand. Kinoo is a business providing family-oriented video calling. Their CEO, Jim Marggraff, considers one of the benefits of self-inspiration to be the influence it can have on interpersonal interactions.

“If you live in a world where you doubt yourself at every turn or you’re quick to shut down when things don’t go your way, building relationships, and human relations themselves, will prove very difficult for you. It doesn’t happen overnight, but after continuous experience affirming yourself throughout your day, you’ll start to gain an understanding of what I mean here. It’s easier to relate and work with others when you’re in a healthier headspace.”

Confidence

Lauren Kleinman is the Co-founder of The Quality Edit, a brand that provides reviews and edits of the web’s best brands. She advises the use of healthy self-talk so as to nurture a belief in oneself.

“We’ve all been there, a big meeting or presentation is around the corner and the only feeling we’re experiencing is the ground seeming to move under our feet. The corporate world is challenging and will always expose us to something new so this feeling isn’t going anywhere. But, more confident people have an easier time managing these types of people. One of the best ways to work towards self-certainty is to frequently dwell on optimistic thoughts regarding yourself. If you believe you’re likely to fail, it’s more likely to happen. The inverse of this is also true.”

Perseverance

Bite specializes in zero-waste personal care products. Their Founder and CEO, Lindsay McCormick, believes daily affirmations can promote a far more determined attitude when it comes to work.

“It doesn’t matter what your role is or how long you’ve been in an industry, something will arise that will make you feel like giving up. Some tasks are mentally trying while others simply consume an enormous amount of time. The reality is that you have to find the gumption to get through what’s in front of you. I’ve found that internal encouragement or affirmations are a good way to prepare for the next issue. By being premeditated in creating a mindset that revolves around believing in your abilities, hurdling these things will become similar to driving over a speed bump.”

Passion

Dread is a productivity killer. When that feeling sets in, procrastination is sure to follow because associating with the dreaded thing is the last thing anyone wants. Diathrive is a business providing glucose test strips and other diabetes supplies. Their Founder and CEO, Michael Hennessy, proposes being prepared for this.

“I think if you’ve ever worked in the professional world, you’ve been met with an assignment that seems so horrible it might actually incapacitate you. Actually, I’d say most students have been through this. A sure way through this feeling is to tap into that passion which burns inside you. That thing that made you want to step into your career or get you out of bed in the morning. But, if that flame of passion is just a few hot embers, tapping in may be very troublesome. Be sure to persistently affirm yourself so as to fuel that flame of passion.”

Empowerment

Jeremy Gardner is the CEO of MadeMan, a brand offering skincare products for men. He cautions others to pay attention to the power of self-affirmation on those in the near vicinity.

“The first step in becoming a good leader of people is to become a good leader of yourself. If you’re not calculated in how you manage your daily mental state, your brain can quickly take over and derail you from what you’re seeking to accomplish. Your brain likes what it likes and doesn’t want to change. Take the time to tell yourself the positive and constructive things you believe about yourself on a daily basis. After this has become a habit, you’ll begin to see the effects it has on those around you as they also begin to feed off your positivity. In this case, when you benefit, everyone else benefits.”

Knowledge

QuaGrowth specializes in full service email strategy and management. Their CEO, Jason Boehle, considers the ability to gain insights to be stronger when one goes to the effort of encouraging themselves.

“When you’re in a low place mentally, it’s extremely difficult to have interest in the necessary tasks needed to get you through the day. It’s even more difficult to have interests outside of the necessities when you’re in this space. I really believe that affirming yourself daily can work wonders when it comes to getting your brain in the right space. Once you’ve reached that place, the newfound energy and interest could point you in the direction of learning about what is in front of you professionally.”

Above are a litany of reasons why one should participate in the practice of daily affirmations. There are numerous possible results when it comes to talking yourself up. However, former stockbroker and author Ralph Charell put it best, “The inner speech, your thoughts, can cause you to be rich or poor, loved or unloved, happy or unhappy, attractive or unattractive, powerful or weak.”