When Words Become Energy: The Real Power of Affirmations

Welcome to Real Positive Change, where faith, creativity, and emotional renewal come together. I’m your host, Cathy Freeman — helping women move from stress to strength through art, mindset, and God-centered living.

Today’s episode is called “When Words Become Energy: The Real Power of Affirmations.” Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode: Why words are not neutral — and how the language you use shapes your emotions and your energy.

The science behind affirmations — how your words literally rewire your brain. WORDS ARE NOT NEUTRAL Let's start by saying that words are not neutral. They’re not just sounds or letters — they’re energy. Think of them as seeds planted in the soil of your mind. Every word you speak, especially to yourself, becomes a signal your brain takes seriously. If the seeds are fear or self-doubt, you grow anxiety and burnout. If the seeds are peace and confidence, you grow stability and creativity. When someone says, “I believe in you,” your chest lifts, your breathing deepens.

When someone says, “You always mess things up,” your energy drops. That’s not just emotion — that’s neurology. Your brain processes words as real experiences. Recently, I was helping a family member through something difficult. And even the word “heavy” — as I said it — tightened my shoulders and shortened my breath. But when I shifted to, “This is a meaningful responsibility. God is with me in this. I am guided and capable,” something changed. The situation didn’t — but I did. That’s the power of affirmations: they don’t deny reality — they redefine how we meet it. They transform heavy into holy. They turn fear into faith — one word at a time. There’s a growing field of research in neuroplasticity — the idea that your brain can change and grow new pathways throughout your life. Every thought is like an electrical spark. When you repeat a thought — “I can’t handle this” or “I’m learning to take one step at a time” — you strengthen that neural pathway.

Language literally shapes your brain. Studies in psycholinguistics show that what you say to yourself doesn’t just describe your world — it creates it. And science confirms this: Affirmations activate the brain’s reward and motivation centers. They calm the threat response, lowering cortisol — your stress hormone. And they make you more resilient to stress over time. So yes, affirmations are not just “positive talk.” They’re brain training. When you speak words of truth and love to yourself, your body relaxes and your focus strengthens. That’s the biology of faith in action.

Let’s do a short reflection together. Close your eyes if you can. Think of a situation that feels heavy right now. Notice the word that describes it — maybe overwhelming, lonely, or hopeless. Now take a slow, deep breath… And ask yourself: What’s a higher word I could use instead?

Maybe overwhelming becomes stretching me. Lonely becomes a sacred pause. Hopeless becomes a work in progress. Heavy becomes holy. Feel the shift. That’s not imagination — that’s your nervous system responding to higher-frequency language.

Inside my Real Positive Change framework, I teach the S.T.E.A.R. Model — Situation, Thought, Emotion, Action, Result. Most people try to change their actions without ever changing the thoughts behind them. But your thoughts are the bridge between emotions and outcomes. That’s where affirmations become powerful. They help you re-pattern thoughts so you can shift emotions, actions, and results. This is also why I created the Creative Reminders Library — a collection of affirmations organized by emotion and energy. They’re words you can hold, display, and return to — daily invitations to peace, courage, and alignment.

Affirmations aren’t about pretending everything’s perfect. They’re about choosing which direction you want your thoughts to grow. They: Interrupt negative loops. Feed your subconscious healthy language. Raise your emotional frequency over time. When you say, “I’m not enough,” your body lives in that story. But when you say, “I’m learning and becoming stronger every day,” your brain literally rewires toward peace and resilience.

Take a deep breath. Now say — out loud or silently — “I am safe. I am supported. I am becoming the woman I was created to be.” Pause. Feel that. Now say — “I don’t have to have it all figured out. I’m taking one peaceful step at a time.” That small ease you feel? That’s your nervous system relaxing into truth. Start with your current thought. Then flip it gently. Example: “I’m always behind” → “I’m learning to move at a pace that supports me.” “I’m not enough” → “I’m growing into more of who I am.” Keep it believable. Feel it emotionally. Repeat it often — write it, or create an art card reminder.

Small, consistent repetition creates new mental wiring. That’s how you make real positive change. So today, remember: Words are energy. What you say to yourself can either drain your peace or restore it. Affirmations are an act of faith — a way of creating from the inside out. Pair them with your S.T.E.A.R. journaling and Creative Reminder cards. And watch your emotional energy rise — one sentence, one brushstroke, one moment at a time.