This simple exercise will demonstrate how your mind works and why affirmations are so powerful.
Hold up your right hand. It can be faced toward you or away from you. Try to bend your pinky finger without bending your ring finger. Can you do it? I bet it is difficult at best.
Your mind maps itself based on repetition. As you move throughout your day and use those two fingers in sync, your mind maps their connection together stronger than it maps their separate connection. Hence, you loose the ability to move them independently.
You mind works the same way with thought. The more often you have a thought the more space your mind gives to that neural connection. The thought becomes a habit and a quick go-to reaction.
Fortunately, neuroplasticity has shown us that our minds can change, they can re-map. In the case of your hand, if you wanted to move your pinky on its own, you would have to repeat that movement over and over again while holding your ring finger still with your other hand or a brace. Your mind would eventually get the hint and assign and strengthen a neural connection which allows your pinky to move independently.
Affirmations are the same premise with thought. If your dominate thoughts are negative or centered around a belief you would like to change, the repetition of positive affirmations is the same principle as moving your pinky on its own. After the affirmation has been repeated enough times, your mind creates and strengthens neural connections around that thought and diminishes the connection around the thought you wanted to change. Your affirmation becomes instilled and you will begin to notice that you soon start to react with your new belief without focused conscious effort.
Last note, the exercise works even better with your pinky toe and fourth toe. Enjoy!