Say nice things to you and see all the things you can do! Affirmations are a fuel that feeds the engine of great things to come. Use them!
“Words are powerful. They can create, or they can destroy. So choose your words wisely.” Before any words can be spoken, however, we must first have the thought that precedes them, which means our thoughts have a great deal of power. But, your thoughts influence more than just your words; they actually shape your entire experience and existence. Even science is showing how your thoughts affect your physical experience, including your physical health.
The knowledge that thoughts and words are powerful is the premise behind the practice of reciting affirmations. The definition of an affirmation is “positive, specific statements that help you overcome self-sabotaging, negative thoughts. They help you visualize and believe in what you’re affirming to yourself, helping you to make positive changes in your life.”
Put simply: affirmations are positive words ideally spoken out loud, helping to impress upon the subconscious mind the truth of what you’re saying and turn it into a reality. By repeating these affirmations, you start to visualize what you’re saying, which influences the subconscious mind which can then influence your behavior, habits, actions, reactions, and eventual outcomes. Affirmations are words with power, helping you to bring about the feelings and outcomes you desire.
Reciting positive affirmations carry enormous benefits:
- Positively influence the subconscious mind
- Keep you focused on the positive and on your goals
- Increase motivation
- Enhance the way you think, feel, and act
- Increase energy
The beautiful thing about affirmations is they are a very personal thing. There is no “right” or “wrong” affirmation as long as it is positive, specific, and in the present tense. Choose sentences that really speak to you and the outcome you desire.
Again, while there aren’t any “wrong” positive affirmations, the general guidelines for how to use affirmations are as follows:
- Select shorter, positive statements for your affirmations. Make sure they bring positive images to your mind
- Choose affirmations in the present tense, not in the future tense (don't say "I will be healthy," say, "I am healthy.")
- Repeat these affirmations at a time when you can focus. In the middle of a stressful day or while traveling are not the best times to recite your affirmations
- Try to recite your affirmations at a time of day when you are as relaxed as possible with as few distractions as possible
- Pay attention to the words of the affirmation and try your best to truly believe the words you're saying and try to feel it as being true
- Repeat the affirmations as often as possible, ideally at least once daily
The more often you can recite these positive affirmations the better, aiming to make it a part of your regular daily routine. As practicing affirmations becomes habitual, it will be easier to think and feel positive, to feel empowered, and to create the existence you desire most.
“Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become habits. Watch your habits for they become character. Watch your character for it becomes your destiny.”
