by Carol Woodliff &Karen Maleck-Whiteley
Affirmations are a wonderful tool for giving your mind positive input. Research shows that they work to help change beliefs that may get in the way of achieving your goals. The most effective way to use affirmations is to say them aloud or write them out. When you say or write your affirmations,you are giving instructions to your subconscious mind. It has been determined that the subconscious mind gives all messages equal weight,so giving it more positive input in the form of affirmations works to counteract the negative input some of us are so good at giving ourselves.
Say or write your affirmations out several times a day. When you do this,take a moment to actually visualize what you are saying or writing. Affirmations work best when you create the reality for yourself each time you use them. Reinforce your commitment to say your affirmations by posting them on your bathroom mirror,your computer,the steering wheel of your car or carry a card with your affirmations written on it in your wallet or purse.
Guidelines for Creating Effective Affirmations:
- State affirmations in the present tense. Affirmations must be stated in the present tense because your subconscious is quite literal. If you say something like “I’m going to quit smoking.”Or “I am becoming thin and fit.”the message sent to your mind –the reality created,is one where you will get there someday,but not now. You want the mind to believe it is happening now. Say things like “I am happy as a non-smoker.”Or “I am healthy,fit,and slim.”
- State affirmations in the positive. The subconscious mind does not comprehend concepts like “not”,“don’t”,and other negative qualifiers. If someone says to you “Don’t think about a pink elephant,”what happens? You think of a pink elephant. Your mind completely ignores the word “don’t.”Always create a picture of what you want –NOT what you want to avoid. So say something like “I am confident and competent when I speak in public,”instead of “I won’t stutter and feel nervous when I talk in front of this next group.”Or say,“I handle my stress easily and in healthy ways.”Instead of ”I won’t smoke when I’m under stress.”
- Be specific. There are countless stories of people who are successful at picturing what they want,and getting it,only to find they had neglected to include a critical detail. Since your subconscious mind is an excellent engine for creating reality,be sure you are clear and exact about the reality you say you want. Don’t say,“I have a new car”,when you mean to say,“I have new black Mercedes 320 with a sunroof.”
- Your affirmation should have a charge. Your affirmation should have a charge or make your slightly uncomfortable when you first say it. You might hear yourself saying something like,“you’ve got to be kidding”or “yeah right!”when you first say the affirmation. That means you are on the right track. You are working to program your subconscious mind with new information. If you aren’t getting that charge then you probably haven’t picked the right affirmation.
- Revise your affirmations as needed. After a while,you may need to find a new affirmation that is more specific or has a different wording to keep yourself engaged. Revise your affirmations as needed to make sure they fit what your goals are.