Using Daily Positive Affirmations To Create Health
We use affirmations all the time, but usually we're not even conscious of it - they seem to operate under the radar of our awareness, repetitively running in the background and producing the same old results, dictating what we can and can't experience. Repetition of a thought is one way in which we form beliefs, and once they're in place, our mind will run them on auto pilot so that we can focus our attention elsewhere. Learning to drive a car is a good example of this - when first learning, our attention goes on high alert as our mind has to process all the components that go into driving a car safely. After several months of practicing, we start to feel comfortable driving and as we enjoy more success, our confidence is bolstered and we start to believe that we are indeed a competent driver. Soon the thoughts and actions required to drive are habitual, and our mind is now free to drive and think of other things. This is same way in which affirmations create results in our behavior, emotions and actions, both positively and negatively.
Why do I share this with you? Through all the laughs, disappointment and sorrow I've learned: We can use the power of our feelings to build a stronger, happier, positive life. I've also discovered a secret way to facilitate this process: affirmations.How Affirmations Work.As you may or may not know, affirmations are simple exercises that can tap you into this positive, creative part of yourself. It's the place that's free from your ego (you know it: the ego is the leaky tire in constant need of being filled from outside sources).
Affirmations are different. They allow you to reveal the secret, powerful, depths of yourself and care for your being by affirming what is there. Do you feel a calling toward a particular feeling you have been having? Is there something in your life that you need and desire to manifest? If you can use your mind's eye to creatively visualize, you can bring forward all that you desire.How? Simply affirm that is already here.Creating Affirmations.The key to the success of an affirmation is its potential or the potentiality of your creative thought. The laws of the universe will respond then not to your asking for what you wish, but rather your affirmation that it is already here. Look at these statements:
I am beautiful! I am healthy! I am kind and loving.Thus, it takes the ideas of creative visualization one step further. Affirmations take a picture from your thought to create a statement about this thought in a verbal format. Take some time to affirm what is in your heart. What do you wish for? Choose an affirming statement to focus on and place your attention on it:
Get clear and get motivated. The clearer your visions and the greater the motivation, the better your chances will be of success in achieving your goals. Get all the components of your ideal life down on paper and be bold in your dreams - amass a mountain of reasons about why you must accomplish your goals; write down all of what it will cost you if you don't pursue your vision and all the joy that will result from their achievement. Put your goals and reasons in point form on a 3" x 5" recipe card and read it often; before bed, upon waking and throughout the day. Create affirmations that show these goals and capture the zest of your motivations, and move yourself towards your goals with a plan to realize it. Take any and all action that you think will take you a step closer to what you desire.And let go of "how" it's going to happen; that's out of your jurisdiction so don't waste any time fretting, worrying or stewing about "how" or "what if" - your Higher Power has your back so learn to trust, go with the flow and enjoy the ride!
Challenge old beliefs. A great deal of the beliefs we have that cause our issues of low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and helplessness are the results of our early childhood interactions with our parents - beliefs we developed as a five-year old may have been effective at keeping us safe and secure as small children, but that same belief held by an adult can result in a lack of confidence or responsibility for our own happiness, to ask for what we want or be able to say no to others. Unattended, out-worn beliefs that hang around long after their expiry date are responsible for enormous pain and regret; learn to identify them and weed them out of your mind to make room for new, empowering one.For women, challenging some of the old cultural/tribal beliefs is particularly revealing and empowering as it affects change not only within ourselves, but also has a trickle down effect for new generations. As we challenge, release and replace old limiting beliefs about the roles women were historically assigned to play, we live and teach the new beliefs to those that come after us. For example, a tribal belief within my family and heritage was that the men were the breadwinners and the women were the housekeepers... for a woman to be happy, she had to find and marry "a good man" who would provide her with security, a nice home and a certain level of comfort; and in exchange, she would raise the kids, cook, clean and manage the household. This formula is great if that's what you want; however, in this family, a lesbian career woman with no interest in raising children would experience a certain amount of conflict between the traditional family beliefs and her personal desires.
Waiting The Results In Peace.Remember the statement: "All good things come to those who wait?" This statement is of great importance here. Once you have affirmed and have written your intentions, the action needs to come from you. Think: If I already have what I wish, what would I do? For example: If I am trying to manifest "beautiful" - I need to ask myself: Am I wearing beautiful clothing? Am I honoring my body with exercise and nutrition? If not, I need to take a long look at how I am treating myself. If I wasn't feeling beautiful before, perhaps treating myself better is what I need to heal.Take a moment today to focus on what you need to heal. Continue to apply the affirmation process. I think you will find it to be a powerful tool. Remember: Affirm, take action and "wait the results in peace." For it is as one of my favorite spiritual councilors, Iyanla Vanzant, says: "You don't get what you ask for, you get what you believe."
Affirm as if it's already done. The reason for this is because our subconscious mind doesn't understand the concept of time - to the subconscious, everything is now, there is no "later" or "yesterday". Be bold, be simple and be clear with your wording; always affirm using positive words in the present tense (not future tense). I.e. "I am now speaking with power and confidence in the office meetings." contains the result of what you're striving for versus "I will learn to speak with power and confidence in the office meetings." The second example is unclear as it leaves the outcome in the future and dilutes the goal to learning to speak up.
Repetition- Positive affirmations work best when spoken often. I've found through years of experience and research on affirmations that choosing one or two affirmations to work on at a time is best, otherwise you'll likely get scattered results. Try to remember to say out loud or meditate on your affirmation as you are waking up in the morning and as you are falling asleep at night. Another couple of ways to reinforce your affirmations are to write one or two of them on index cards and keep that on your nightstand... read the affirmations right before you go to bed, and right before you get up in the morning.
I also recommend using your computer wallpaper to create an affirmation that you'll see when you use your computer. Also your cell phone probably has a way for you to write a banner, which you can read every time you are about to call or text someone. Listening to an affirmation cd, or saying affirmations to yourself as you are driving is another great idea.Timeframe- I have found myself expecting to see big results within a day or two of saying affirmations and often, I do see quick results. For some affirmations, there is a longer timeframe because my mind has been conditioned for so long to believe the current reality, so when I say the opposite, it may take a few months or even several months to see big results. I always see results with affirmations, it's really a matter of being persistent.
Why do I share this with you? Through all the laughs, disappointment and sorrow I've learned: We can use the power of our feelings to build a stronger, happier, positive life. I've also discovered a secret way to facilitate this process: affirmations.How Affirmations Work.As you may or may not know, affirmations are simple exercises that can tap you into this positive, creative part of yourself. It's the place that's free from your ego (you know it: the ego is the leaky tire in constant need of being filled from outside sources).
Affirmations are different. They allow you to reveal the secret, powerful, depths of yourself and care for your being by affirming what is there. Do you feel a calling toward a particular feeling you have been having? Is there something in your life that you need and desire to manifest? If you can use your mind's eye to creatively visualize, you can bring forward all that you desire.How? Simply affirm that is already here.Creating Affirmations.The key to the success of an affirmation is its potential or the potentiality of your creative thought. The laws of the universe will respond then not to your asking for what you wish, but rather your affirmation that it is already here. Look at these statements:
I am beautiful! I am healthy! I am kind and loving.Thus, it takes the ideas of creative visualization one step further. Affirmations take a picture from your thought to create a statement about this thought in a verbal format. Take some time to affirm what is in your heart. What do you wish for? Choose an affirming statement to focus on and place your attention on it:
Get clear and get motivated. The clearer your visions and the greater the motivation, the better your chances will be of success in achieving your goals. Get all the components of your ideal life down on paper and be bold in your dreams - amass a mountain of reasons about why you must accomplish your goals; write down all of what it will cost you if you don't pursue your vision and all the joy that will result from their achievement. Put your goals and reasons in point form on a 3" x 5" recipe card and read it often; before bed, upon waking and throughout the day. Create affirmations that show these goals and capture the zest of your motivations, and move yourself towards your goals with a plan to realize it. Take any and all action that you think will take you a step closer to what you desire.And let go of "how" it's going to happen; that's out of your jurisdiction so don't waste any time fretting, worrying or stewing about "how" or "what if" - your Higher Power has your back so learn to trust, go with the flow and enjoy the ride!
Challenge old beliefs. A great deal of the beliefs we have that cause our issues of low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and helplessness are the results of our early childhood interactions with our parents - beliefs we developed as a five-year old may have been effective at keeping us safe and secure as small children, but that same belief held by an adult can result in a lack of confidence or responsibility for our own happiness, to ask for what we want or be able to say no to others. Unattended, out-worn beliefs that hang around long after their expiry date are responsible for enormous pain and regret; learn to identify them and weed them out of your mind to make room for new, empowering one.For women, challenging some of the old cultural/tribal beliefs is particularly revealing and empowering as it affects change not only within ourselves, but also has a trickle down effect for new generations. As we challenge, release and replace old limiting beliefs about the roles women were historically assigned to play, we live and teach the new beliefs to those that come after us. For example, a tribal belief within my family and heritage was that the men were the breadwinners and the women were the housekeepers... for a woman to be happy, she had to find and marry "a good man" who would provide her with security, a nice home and a certain level of comfort; and in exchange, she would raise the kids, cook, clean and manage the household. This formula is great if that's what you want; however, in this family, a lesbian career woman with no interest in raising children would experience a certain amount of conflict between the traditional family beliefs and her personal desires.
Waiting The Results In Peace.Remember the statement: "All good things come to those who wait?" This statement is of great importance here. Once you have affirmed and have written your intentions, the action needs to come from you. Think: If I already have what I wish, what would I do? For example: If I am trying to manifest "beautiful" - I need to ask myself: Am I wearing beautiful clothing? Am I honoring my body with exercise and nutrition? If not, I need to take a long look at how I am treating myself. If I wasn't feeling beautiful before, perhaps treating myself better is what I need to heal.Take a moment today to focus on what you need to heal. Continue to apply the affirmation process. I think you will find it to be a powerful tool. Remember: Affirm, take action and "wait the results in peace." For it is as one of my favorite spiritual councilors, Iyanla Vanzant, says: "You don't get what you ask for, you get what you believe."
Affirm as if it's already done. The reason for this is because our subconscious mind doesn't understand the concept of time - to the subconscious, everything is now, there is no "later" or "yesterday". Be bold, be simple and be clear with your wording; always affirm using positive words in the present tense (not future tense). I.e. "I am now speaking with power and confidence in the office meetings." contains the result of what you're striving for versus "I will learn to speak with power and confidence in the office meetings." The second example is unclear as it leaves the outcome in the future and dilutes the goal to learning to speak up.
Repetition- Positive affirmations work best when spoken often. I've found through years of experience and research on affirmations that choosing one or two affirmations to work on at a time is best, otherwise you'll likely get scattered results. Try to remember to say out loud or meditate on your affirmation as you are waking up in the morning and as you are falling asleep at night. Another couple of ways to reinforce your affirmations are to write one or two of them on index cards and keep that on your nightstand... read the affirmations right before you go to bed, and right before you get up in the morning.
I also recommend using your computer wallpaper to create an affirmation that you'll see when you use your computer. Also your cell phone probably has a way for you to write a banner, which you can read every time you are about to call or text someone. Listening to an affirmation cd, or saying affirmations to yourself as you are driving is another great idea.Timeframe- I have found myself expecting to see big results within a day or two of saying affirmations and often, I do see quick results. For some affirmations, there is a longer timeframe because my mind has been conditioned for so long to believe the current reality, so when I say the opposite, it may take a few months or even several months to see big results. I always see results with affirmations, it's really a matter of being persistent.