Concentrate, Relax, Sleep, and Make Affirmations Better Than Ever!


There is a famous quote by Napoleon Hill about our brains, “whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” (Munisamy, 2012). The first part of that quote about conceiving is a rather easy task to do. For instance, I may form an idea in my mind about how awesome my body looks. Now, do I seriously believe I have a nice body? That is the tricky part. To address the second part of that quote, believing is usually easy for a couple of days and that is usually why people can get through the first week of exercising for a New Years Resolution but since there is not always instant gratification, rewards, or affirmations it can be rather hard to continue to believe something for a long period of time. We see this all the time with people wanting to lose weight, quit smoking, or like me… get buff. But, this is where brain wave research comes in. In their basic fundamental concept brain waves are waves that enhance one’s communications with their subconscious mind. In other words, they make our beliefs in our subconscious mind more effective in changing behavior.

Our beliefs all start in the subconscious programming of our mind. Therefore, our subconscious mind dictates our beliefs. So, if we try and create new beliefs without first changing our innate programming than any new belief we try to establish will be quickly rejected. For example, if I am told I am super attractive… yet in my mind, I only think I am average, my subconscious mind would say dude what are you thinking? That’s not true. Thus, ruining the compliment. So, I need to first change that programming in my subconscious mind before my mind can accept any new belief. 

How do we get to our subconscious mind to change such beliefs? To understand the process we need to first understand that that we are electrical in nature. Some people may already know this from watching Shark Week but they teach us sharks have a sixth sense. Sharks and rays can seek out prey based on the electrical currents that organisms send out. We are no exception.

Others may have watched House, Grey’s Anatomy, or Scrubs and learned about a device called the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) which is used in the medical field to measure the activity of the heart in terms of electrical pulses. Similarly, for the brain, there is a device called the electroencephalogram (EEG) that measures activity of the brain through electrical pulses. In other words, we are electric because… science! Every thought that we develop has a certain frequency; our mind at any given time is running on a certain frequency. The frequency that our mind is on determines the state of mind that we are in. This is what brain waves are.

Our brain has certain states that we go through based on a range of frequencies. There are sub-states as well but I will broadly break down our states into four main ones:

 Beta (14-30Hz): Beta is when we are alive, alert, and enthusiastic. In this state we are most alert and able to concentrate the greatest (Rangaswamy et al., 2012). In this state our cognitive abilities are at their sharpest. If you are trying to understand this information, then you are probably in this state right now. Beta is the state you want to be in when you are performing tasks such as taking an exam, in a job interview, or in a soccer game. One way of helping someone get into this state is to YouTube “beta music.” I often use this type of music when I am about to perform a task that requires a lot of concentration.

Alpha (9-13Hz): Alpha is a relaxed state. In this state your creativity is at its sharpest (Gerrard, 2007). In fact, a lot of artists, painters, and musicians thrive when in a relaxed state. Whether this state is self-induced or drug-induced. Research by Kaul (2008) found that when attaching artists to an EEG, their dominant frequency throughout the day was alpha. To help you get into this state YouTube “alpha wave music.” I use this music a lot when I am studying for an exam.



Theta (4-8Hz): Theta is a deep meditative state; it is getting down to someone’s subconscious mind. Theta waves basically give you the benefits of all the other types of waves. You often feel relaxed and refreshed, better concentration and awareness, and will have improved problem solving skills and learning ability. Theta waves are often used in therapy to break people of addictions by getting to the subconscious mind and then re-programming addictive beliefs (Sokhadze, Cannon, & Trudeau, 2008). Research by Kaul (2008) has shown that people in a theta state can often remember long forgotten memories, which were not part of their everyday conscious mind. This reinforces the belief that theta waves truly are a way into our subconscious mind. 

Delta (1-3Hz): This is the deep sleep state. Delta has a lot of healing abilities, which is why when you are feeling down and you decide to “just go to bed “ you may feel refreshed when you wake up. Delta waves are often used to help people with insomnia. Next time you are having trouble sleeping, YouTube “delta sleep music” and you may be surprised how fast you fall asleep. The tones of the music align your brain to the low frequency that then allows you to transition to the sleep state.  F.Y.I. this is the music often played in the background while someone is giving you a massage. It is also partly why you may fall asleep during a massage and feel well rested after they wake you up. In addition to the massage, of course!

Note: In the next part of this post I will be focusing more on theta waves, which I brought up in the introduction. If you think meditation is weird, that's fine! Go ahead and give the alpha, beta, and delta videos a try and see how you feel. If you want to learn more about theta waves then feel free to keep reading, I ensure you it will be worth the time.
Focusing on theta waves:
Theta waves are especially useful for those that do daily affirmations. If you don’t know what affirmations are… they are daily sentences aimed to affect the conscious and the subconscious mind. The words composing the affirmation, automatically and involuntarily, bring up related mental images into the mind, which could inspire, energize and motivate. Repeating affirmations, and the resultant mental images, affect the subconscious mind, which in turn, influences the behavior, habits, actions and reactions.

 The problem with only doing affirmations is without being in the right state of mind they often lead to frustration. This is because one’s subconscious mind will reject the affirmation if it does not align with already established opinions. For example, if I were to say “everyday my life is getting better” but only see myself getting older, my skin developing more wrinkles, and my hair thinning. That affirmation will mean nothing to me and just make me frustrated. This is the basic programming and thought process that most people go through. We may try and look at the bright side of things but our mind could hold us back. If you think about it though, it is also a crazy way of thinking when you have a great resource to change that programming. When you go into a theta state of mind and actually feel “everyday getting better” it will lead you to actually believing it. This will really help you benefit from affirmations.

 I strongly recommend you make affirmations part of your day (there are sites that give out daily affirmations) as it can really change your life but make sure you are in a theta state first. Here is a list of 100 positive affirmations that you can use:

 When you feel lonely and sad:
1. I feel the love of those who are not physically around me.
2. I take pleasure in my own solitude.
3. I am too big a gift to this world to feel self-pity.
4. I love and approve of myself.

When you feel terrified (without your safety being in danger):
5. I focus on breathing and grounding myself.
6. Following my intuition and my heart keeps me safe and sound.
7. I make the right choices every time.
8. I draw from my inner strength and light.
9. I trust myself.

When you feel insignificant:
10. I am a unique child of this world.
11. I have as much brightness to offer the world as the next person.
12. I matter and what I have to offer this world also matters.
13. I may be one in 7 billion but I am also one in 7 billion.

When you are nervous or afraid:
14. I trust my inner wisdom and intuition.
15. I breathe in calmness and breathe out nervousness.
16. This situation works out for my highest good.
17. Wonderful things unfold before me.

When you are angry:
18. I forgive myself for all the mistakes I have made.
19. I let go of my anger so I can see clearly.
20. I accept responsibility if my anger has hurt anyone.
21. I replace my anger with understanding and compassion.
22. I offer an apology to those affected by my anger.

When you feel hopeless and at the end of your rope:
23. I may not understand the good in this situation but it is there.
24. I muster up more hope and courage from deep inside me.
25. I choose to find hopeful and optimistic ways to look at this.
26. I kindly ask for help and guidance if I cannot see a better way.
27. I refuse to give up because I haven’t tried all possible ways.

When you feel conflicted about a decision:
28. I know my wisdom guides me to the right decision.
29. I trust myself to make the best decision for me.
30. I receive all feedback with kindness but make the final call myself.
31. I listen lovingly to this inner conflict and reflect on it until I get to peace around it.
32. I love my family even if they do not understand me completely.
33. I show my family how much I love them in all the verbal and non-verbal ways I can.
34. There is a good reason I was paired with this perfect family.
35. I choose to see my family as a gift.
36. I am a better person from the hardship that I’ve gone through with my family.

When you are among friends:
37. I choose friends who approve of me and love me.
38. I surround myself with people who treat me well.
39. I take the time to show my friends that I care about them.
40. My friends do not judge me, nor do they influence what I do with my life.
41. I take great pleasure in my friends, even if we disagree or live different lives.

When you are around strangers:
42. I am beautiful and smart and that’s how everyone sees me.
43. I take comfort in the fact that I can always leave this situation.
44. I never know what amazing incredible person I will meet next.
45. The company of strangers teaches me more about my own likes and dislikes.

When you are at work:
46. I am doing work that I enjoy and find fulfilling.
47. I play a big role in my own career success.
48. I ask for and do meaningful, wonderful and rewarding work.
49. I engage in work that impacts this world positively.
50. I believe in my ability to change the world with the work that I do.

When you can’t sleep:
51. Peaceful sleep awaits me in dreamland.
52. I let go of all the false stories I make up in my head.
53. I release my mind of thought until the morning.
54. I embrace the peace and quiet of the night.
55. I sleep soundly and deeply and beautifully into this night.

When you don’t want to face the day:
56. This day brings me nothing but joy.
57. Today will be a gorgeous day to remember.
58. My thoughts are my reality so I think up a bright new day.
59. I fill my day with hope and face it with joy.
60. I choose to fully participate in my day.

When you worry about your future:
61. I let go of worries that drain my energy.
62. I make smart and calculated plans for my future.
63. I am a money magnet and attract wealth and abundance.
64. I am in complete charge of planning for my future.
65. I trust in my own ability to provide well for my family.

When you can’t get your loved ones to support your dreams:
66. I follow my dreams no matter what.
67. I show compassion in helping my loved ones understand my dreams.
68. I ask my loved ones to support my dreams.
69. I answer questions about my dreams without getting defensive.
70. My loved ones love me even without fully grappling with my dreams.
71. I accept everyone as they are and continue on with pursuing my dream.

When you come face to face with a problem:
72. I am safe and sound. All is well.
73. Everything works out for my highest good.
74. There is a great reason this is unfolding before me now.
75. I have the smarts and the ability to get through this.
76. All my problems have a solution.

When you want to do more with your life but feel stuck:
77. I attempt all – not some – possible ways to get unstuck.
78. I seek a new way of thinking about this situation.
79. The answer is right before me, even if I am not seeing it yet.
80. I believe in my ability to unlock the way and set myself free.

When you can’t stop comparing yourself to others:
81. I have no right to compare myself to anyone for I do not know their whole story.
82. I compare myself only to my highest self.
83. I choose to see the light that I am to this world.
84. I am happy in my own skin and in my own circumstances.
85. I see myself as a gift to my people and community and nation.

When you feel you are not good enough no matter how hard you try:
86. I am more than good enough and I get better every day.
87. I give up the habit to criticize myself.
88. I adopt the mindset to praise myself.
89. I see the perfection in all my flaws and all my genius.
90. I fully approve of who I am, even as I get better.
91. I am a good person at all times of day and night.
When you want to give up:
92. I cannot give up until I have tried every conceivable way.
93. Giving up is easy and always an option so let’s delay it for another day.
94. I press on because I believe in my path.
95. It is always too early to give up on my goals.
96. I must know what awaits me at the end of this rope so I do not give up.

When you recognize how powerful, gifted, talented and brilliant you really are:
97. The past has no power over me anymore
98. I embrace the rhythm and the flowing of my own heart.
99. All that I need comes to me at the right time and place in this life.
100. I am deeply fulfilled with who I am.

 Theta is one of the more elusive and extraordinary brain states you can explore. It is also known as the twilight state which you normally only experience when waking or drifting off to sleep (another time to do affirmations). Theta is the brain state where the magic happens though and it is all in the crucible of your own neurological activity. But for most, being able to enter the dreamlike theta state without falling asleep takes meditation practice. I hope to help you reach this state and remember that our goal is to completely remove your consciousness from your body… that way all that’s left is your subconscious.

 1. Find a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit comfortably.

 2. In the background play “theta wave music.” This can be found on YouTube. If you don’t have a computer/phone/speakers don’t worry, you don’t need it!

 3. Now close your eyes.

 4. Visualize yourself as a little ball of white light in the center of your chest.

 Note: Everything in your body that you touch as a white ball of light collects all the consciousness of that part of your body, in turn causing it to relax. Before your mind can relax, your body needs to relax first.

 5. Move downwards from the center of your chest slowly toward your feet. As you move you leave behind a light trail which begins at your chest and continues toward your belly, thighs, knees, ankles, and then finally your feet.

 6. Once you hit your feet, as a ball of white light continue downward into the earth below your body. Travel a few hundred feet into the earth while still leaving a light trail.

 7. Now imagine coming to a large rock several hundred feet into the earth. When get to that rock, circle it and lasso it. Then travel back up the light trail through your feet, ankles, knees, thighs, and belly and back to the center of your chest.

 8. Now that your body is “grounded” it is time to head upwards, slowly travel up your neck, face, and hair.

 9. Once at the top of your body continue into the sky, clouds, atmosphere, until you are in space. Keep going until you come across a huge star and enter the star.

 10. Keep moving until you are completely engrossed by white light.

 You have now reached a theta mindset. In this state you can ask your mind questions. Let’s say you were offered two jobs, ask about which job you should take. Figure out your life without procrastination. You can also make suggestions to your mind such as affirmations. You can even create a trigger to get you to this state of mind faster the next time you try.  

 In the beginning, the process should take about 5-15 minutes to reach this state of mind. But as mentioned before, one can create a trigger to help them speed up the process once they become rather familiar with a theta mindset.

 When in theta, suggest a trigger to your subconscious mind. This usually involves making a suggestion using a particular gesture and the intention of entering a theta mindset. It is recommended to reinforce your trigger for the first week of practicing theta mediation. One of the most popular and ancient ways of creating a trigger is using your thumb and index finger and connecting them. As if you are making an “A-ok” gesture. Most of the time we see this in movies where someone is sitting crisscrossed with their back straight and making the “A-ok” gesture with their forearms resting on their thighs (lotus pose). You can even try the pose of the lady in my background. Another popular trigger is suggesting to your subconscious mind a gesture of counting down from 10 to 0 with the intent of entering theta. The intention part is important because I don’t want you entering a theta mindset on accident New Year’s Eve during the big countdown because you decided to count down from 10… You will miss the kiss!

 In conclusion, brain wave researchers Lustenberger et al. (2015) sum this post up nicely... "There are people that are cognitively impaired and need help, and sometimes there are no medications that help or the drugs have serious side effects. Helping these populations of people is why we do this kind of research." I too hope that by sharing this research, it improves your ability to concentrate, relax, motivate, problem-solve, and sleep. 

Live your life and love yourself.

 References

 Gerrard, P., & Malcolm, R. (2007). Mechanisms of modafinil: A review of current research. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 3(3), 349–364.

 Kaul, P. (2008). Brain Wave Games and E-Learning. Brooklyn, NY.
Lustenberger, C., Boyle, M. R., Foulser, A. A., Mellin, J. M., Fröhlich, F. (2015). Functional role of frontal alpha oscillations in creativity. Cortex, 67, 74-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.03.012.

 Munisamy, M. N. (2005). Self-motivation through risk taking!: Are you leading or do you wither with problems? Lincoln, NE: iUniverse Books.

 Rangaswamy, M., Porjesz, B., Chorlian, D. B., Wang, K., Jones, K. A., Bauer, L. O., Rohrbaugh, J., O'Connor, S. J., Kuperman, S., Reich, T., Begleiter. (2002). Beta power in the EEG of alcoholics. Biological Psychology, 52(8), 831–842.

 Sokhadze, T. M., Cannon, R. L., & Trudeau, D. L. (2008). EEG Biofeedback as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Review, Rating of Efficacy, and Recommendations for Further Research. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 33(1), 1–28. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-007-9047-5.