Science shows that positive self-talk during workouts is linked to better athleticism performance and motivation1. But the words you say to yourself while exercising don’t have to be about the activity, your body, or the performance itself. You can do an affirmation workout that combines movement with positive self-talk. any of them topic of self-care that greatly improves mood.
“Affirmation workouts were born from the idea that we literally wanted to address the mind and body at the same time,” Alyson Stonerco-founder of the digital well-being platform Genius of movementsaid in this week’s episode of The Bien+Bon podcast. “It’s an opportunity to check in with your mindset (and) maybe adjust some of the thoughts you had about yourself.”
An affirmation, positive self-talk, or self-affirmation is “any thought about oneself that is credible and vivid and that reinforces positive characteristics, abilities, or skills.” according to the American Psychological Association. THE self-affirmation theory whether maintaining and enforcing a view of yourself as “well-adjusted, moral, competent, stable, and capable of controlling important outcomes” leads to mental stability, and Studies show2 that doing so through oral affirmations reinforces these ideas. Some therapy treatments involve repeating affirmations to yourself daily or having go-to affirmations when you encounter times of struggle.
Experts in this article
- Alyson Stonerco-founder of Movement Genius, a digital wellness platform that offers courses focused on mental, physical and emotional well-being
It’s already a common part of many fitness experiences: It’s not uncommon for spinning instructors or yoga teachers to share positive, motivating words of encouragement that may or may not be related to the exercises themselves. Movement Genius takes it a step further with affirmation workouts that combine 15-minute movement sessions (of varying difficulty) with a soundtrack of affirmations meant to be repeated to you. You can even select which affirmation topic you need an extra boost for that day.
“As we go through the movements, I recite particular affirmations based on the theme you choose,” says Stoner. For example, they claim that some affirmation soundtracks help “harness creativity,” while others are more focused on “stress reduction.”
The combination makes sense. Exercise has its own mood benefits since he increases blood flow to the brain, releases endorphinsand over time stimulates the production of hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for regulating emotional disposition. Add a little self-talk while your blood is flowing, and the theory is you’ll get a synergy of grounding positivity. At least, that’s what Stoner sees in his students.
“We found that when people try affirmation workouts, at the end, instead of feeling exhausted, they ask themselves how can I have more energy than when I started?” Stoner said. “I think being able to feel full in mind, body and spirit is a real gift.”
You can check out an affirmation workout at Movement Genius YouTube Channel. You can also try incorporating your own affirmations into your daily workouts. Just be sure to check out some tips first for how to write affirmations that appear authentic and non-toxic. And listen to Stoner learn more about the power of combining physical and mental health care, among other topics, in this week’s episode of The Bien+Bon podcast.
