I never believed in affirmations and perhaps that is the reason they never worked for me, when I tried them in the past. But ever since I started meditating, there have been subtle changes in me and the way I think and perceive things.

As I read more and more, I came across multiple authors who mention affirmations to overcome negative thoughts and to replace the negative mindset with a positive one. So I started testing and trying them out. And all that I can say now is ‘They work’.

But in the process of changing my mindset, I learned 2 things:

• Be selective in the affirmations. Not all affirmations work for everyone, and the primary reason is we all are at different stages of life and have different situations (perhaps even problems) in life. So what might work for someone at a point in time may not necessarily work for the other. The advice here is to go through a series of affirmations, and pick the ones which resonate with you.

• Timing is important. Affirmations work when the mind wants to listen to them. So if you are very restless or anxious, they will not work. The mind will outrightly reject them, even calling them to be shit. The reason is, when we are restless, there are too many thoughts already going in the mind, which makes it difficult for the mind to listen.

  So, the best time to use affirmations is when you are relaxed. And you will see the effect of them next time when you are stressed. I use them when I go for a morning walk on the beach or when I go for an evening walk in the garden. For me, it’s the best time when the mind is receptive.