Science of Affirmations: How the Brain Changes

Do you think positive affirmations are just "good-sounding words"? According to the latest neuroscientific research, affirmations actually have the power to physically change the structure of our brains.

1. The Principle of Neuroplasticity

Our brain is not a fixed organ. Like Hebb's Law—'Neurons that fire together, wire together'—the things we repeatedly think and say form new neural circuits in the brain. This is neuroplasticity.

When you repeat an affirmation, the brain doesn't just process it as information; it starts to accept it as data for a new reality. Repetition strengthens neural pathways, eventually overwriting old negative thought habits.

2. Self-Affirmation Theory

According to Self-Affirmation Theory proposed by psychologist Claude Steele, humans have an instinctive desire to maintain self-worth regarding their morality and competence. Positive affirmations play a role in protecting and activating this self-system.

Research shows that people who performed self-affirmations in situations where their self-esteem was threatened maintained lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and had better problem-solving skills.

3. Evidence from Brain Imaging Studies

MRI studies have found that when performing positive affirmations, the brain's 'reward system'—the Ventral Striatum and ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (vmPFC)—is activated. These areas are activated when we expect valuable rewards or receive positive social evaluations.

In other words, simply making affirmations allows our brain to experience the same positive stimulation as actually receiving a reward, which leads to changes in behavior.

Conclusion: Consistency is Key

Changing the brain's circuitry takes time. Using tools like Affirm Tree to visually confirm and cultivate affirmations every day will be a great help in building the brain's neural circuits faster and more powerfully. Start planting the seeds of positivity in your brain today.