By Brad Austen (Contributor, Openhearted Rebel), Mindful-Meditations
Positive affirmations are powerful, positive statements that we affirm in the present tense, as if we have what we desire now. They are designed to help magnetize what we desire into our lives. It is important to listen to your self-talk and observe whether the thoughts you are thinking are positive or negative.
It can be very easy to let past experiences allow you to view the world in a negative way. While we can’t change the past, we do have a say in our future, and it begins with our thoughts.
Positive affirmations don’t use words such as “don’t” or “can’t”. This would defeat the purpose, as your brain would focus on what you don’t have, or are lacking.
Positive affirmations are powerful, particularly if they are listened to in a recording or affirmed regularly. It is natural to have some resistance when affirming these positive statements. Your ego and beliefs can sometimes be out of alignment with what you are affirming. These beliefs can be deeply ingrained due to our upbringing, our schooling and even our past lives. So, the key fact to remember is that it may take some time to reprogram your subconscious mind and beliefs. If you persevere, your brain will accept the positive affirmations and your life will gradually change for the better.
In this way, positive affirmations can be a form of self-hypnosis, reprogramming your thoughts relating to any aspect of yourself, your relationships or your work. Affirmations work best when they are repeated, as this helps reprogram your subconscious mind. You can create positive affirmations relating to any area of your life that you would like to improve. Simply focus on what you want and create a series of concise positive statements — as if you have attained it already. Focusing on the outcome as if it has already happened helps to attract it into your life.
Positive affirmations are the first step in creating positive change in your life. To complete the circle, you have to then take appropriate action. If you would like to lose weight or improve your fitness, the appropriate action may be to go for regular walks or join a gym. If you wish to increase your abundance, the appropriate action may be to spend less or look for opportunities to increase your income. With positive affirmations, you will undoubtedly start to have more positive thoughts and impulses to make wiser choices in your life. The key is to take action when you feel inspired or guided.
Some Guidelines for Obtaining the Most Out of Affirmations
- Use phrases such as “I am” or “I have” to affirm that you already have, or have attained, what you wish and desire. For example, you could affirm “I am happy and at peace”. Or “I have abundance in my life now”.
- Have belief in what you are saying or affirming, and know that it is becoming a part of your reality. This will bring faster results.
- Choose words with no negative connotations. If you want to lose weight, don’t use statements such as “I am losing weight” or “I am not overweight”. This focuses on the negative and what you do not want. Instead use words such as “I am my ideal weight” or “I am happy with my size and shape”.
- Use the present tense in your affirmations, rather than the future or past. Affirming “I will be happy” means that you intend to be happy one day, but not now. It is better to say “I am happy and content now” and your subconscious mind will work to make this happen now, in the present.
- Positive affirmations directly target your sense of self-esteem and self-worth. Try not to judge the process, step back and just observe your thinking process. It can be quite natural to feel resistance and to have negative thoughts when affirming positive affirmations. This is a sign that your beliefs and subconscious are beginning to be reprogrammed.
- Feel free to experiment with the affirmations, as the only limit is your imagination as to what you can come up with. You may like to focus on areas of health, wealth or happiness for example.
- You may like to record your voice speaking some positive affirmations and mix it with some relaxing music. You may know someone that can help you with this, or you may be able to do this yourself. That way you can listen to the affirmations any time you wish, on an iPod or Smartphone, for example.
- Remember, for the positive affirmations to have the most impact on your life, you need to take action when the opportunity arises. Thoughts, when acted upon, can create many great and positive changes in your life, your community and the world. It all starts with a thought — let’s keep them positive!
By Brad Austen © 2017.