Article Presented by:
Judith Waller
Affirmations can be powerful tools for change, helping to overcome negative thought patterns and leading to new ways of being. But what if you're getting mixed results with them - sometimes what you're doing is working, sometimes not? How can you get the most out of your efforts? This article lists some easy steps to get affirmations to really work for you.
Affirmations are positive statements of intent that are articulated in a clear and simple way. For example, if you are concentrating on increasing your financial prosperity you might affirm: "The more I have, the more I have to give" or "Every day I am growing more financially prosperous."
When using affirmations, it's important to understand how the mind works. Your unconscious acts like a sponge, soaking up everything you give it - good or bad - completely without judgement. As Neale Donald Walsch said: "The universe never says no to your thought about yourself. It only grows it." Affirmations plant positive seeds into your unconscious mind for the universe to grow.
WHAT HELPS AFFIRMATIONS WORK WELL? 1. Sharpen focus and intent... Just like a mantra, which is spoken over and over in a concentrated way in order to still the mind and create a particular spiritual focus or invoke a state of being, the effect of an affirmation can be strengthened through repetition, and by sharpening your focus and intent.
2. Own the words... Try to be crystal clear about what you want to achieve and use language that you truly own - put it into your words. It's also helpful to focus on only one thing at a time, rather than diffusing your concentration by trying to do too much at once.
3. Engage your emotions... You need to engage your emotions as well as your mind, so speak from your heart. Just repeating words without any feeling attached to them is unlikely to have much of an impact. Always check that you're emotionally connecting with what you're saying. Involve as many of the senses as possible and the power of your affirmations will be greatly increased.
HARNESS THE POWER OF NLP When using affirmations, you need to find what fits best with your own style. So... experiment! You may find that what actually works is something you've never tried before. It's important to keep it fun and interesting so that you really connect with the process. The use of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques can enhance your enjoyment and dramatically increase the effectiveness of your affirmations.
Put simply, NLP is a way of understanding and responding to different ways of communicating and processing information - "how people do what they do". There are three main styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Each of us is some sort of mix of these, with our own particular preferences or strengths. Consider which of the following is the best fit for you...
1. Visual... Do you find you mostly absorb information in a visual way, through words and images? Then try the simple process of writing an affirmation out repeatedly (you can pretend you're Bart Simpson!). Or go out and put together a montage of pictures to go along with the words, to represent what you wish to bring into your life. Be creative about it - draw, paint, tear pictures out of magazines, use fabric or texture... Remember to be bold and colourful, because the more passionate you are about it, the stronger your motivation will be to make it happen. Pin it up somewhere so you will see it and be inspired every day!
2. Auditory... Do you need to hear or speak things in order to make sense of them? If you absorb information through sound, say an affirmation out loud or record it and play it back for yourself. Try selecting a piece of music that evokes a specific mood or emotion in you (something that makes you feel great!), and play it consistently while saying the affirmation to yourself. Then, just as listening to a favourite song can bring up happy memories from the past, regularly playing your chosen piece of music can serve to reinforce the affirmation for you.
3. Kinesthetic... Do you prefer learning new things through practical experience? Going for a walk is a great way of involving the whole body, and works well if you like to take in information through feelings or actions. Go to a favourite place outdoors and say the affirmation in rhythm with your breath and step, feeling the warmth of the sun or the bite of the wind, smelling freshly-cut grass or the sweetness of wildflowers. Run, walk the dog, dance, clap your hands, do yoga or turn cartwheels - anything that makes the experience more vivid...
And above all, however you use affirmations, enjoy yourself! Remember, you're planting positive seeds in your mind for the universe to grow, so be joyous about it, tend your "garden" consistently and you will reap the rewards... Affirmations can be powerful tools for change, helping to overcome negative thought patterns and leading to new ways of being. But what if you're getting mixed results with them - sometimes what you're doing is working, sometimes not? How can you get the most out of your efforts? This article lists some easy steps to get affirmations to really work for you.
Affirmations are positive statements of intent that are articulated in a clear and simple way. For example, if you are concentrating on increasing your financial prosperity you might affirm: "The more I have, the more I have to give" or "Every day I am growing more financially prosperous."
When using affirmations, it's important to understand how the mind works. Your unconscious acts like a sponge, soaking up everything you give it - good or bad - completely without judgement. As Neale Donald Walsch said: "The universe never says no to your thought about yourself. It only grows it." Affirmations plant positive seeds into your unconscious mind for the universe to grow.
WHAT HELPS AFFIRMATIONS WORK WELL? 1. Sharpen focus and intent... Just like a mantra, which is spoken over and over in a concentrated way in order to still the mind and create a particular spiritual focus or invoke a state of being, the effect of an affirmation can be strengthened through repetition, and by sharpening your focus and intent.
2. Own the words... Try to be crystal clear about what you want to achieve and use language that you truly own - put it into your words. It's also helpful to focus on only one thing at a time, rather than diffusing your concentration by trying to do too much at once.
3. Engage your emotions... You need to engage your emotions as well as your mind, so speak from your heart. Just repeating words without any feeling attached to them is unlikely to have much of an impact. Always check that you're emotionally connecting with what you're saying. Involve as many of the senses as possible and the power of your affirmations will be greatly increased.
HARNESS THE POWER OF NLP When using affirmations, you need to find what fits best with your own style. So... experiment! You may find that what actually works is something you've never tried before. It's important to keep it fun and interesting so that you really connect with the process. The use of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques can enhance your enjoyment and dramatically increase the effectiveness of your affirmations.
Put simply, NLP is a way of understanding and responding to different ways of communicating and processing information - "how people do what they do". There are three main styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Each of us is some sort of mix of these, with our own particular preferences or strengths. Consider which of the following is the best fit for you...
1. Visual... Do you find you mostly absorb information in a visual way, through words and images? Then try the simple process of writing an affirmation out repeatedly (you can pretend you're Bart Simpson!). Or go out and put together a montage of pictures to go along with the words, to represent what you wish to bring into your life. Be creative about it - draw, paint, tear pictures out of magazines, use fabric or texture... Remember to be bold and colourful, because the more passionate you are about it, the stronger your motivation will be to make it happen. Pin it up somewhere so you will see it and be inspired every day!
2. Auditory... Do you need to hear or speak things in order to make sense of them? If you absorb information through sound, say an affirmation out loud or record it and play it back for yourself. Try selecting a piece of music that evokes a specific mood or emotion in you (something that makes you feel great!), and play it consistently while saying the affirmation to yourself. Then, just as listening to a favourite song can bring up happy memories from the past, regularly playing your chosen piece of music can serve to reinforce the affirmation for you.
3. Kinesthetic... Do you prefer learning new things through practical experience? Going for a walk is a great way of involving the whole body, and works well if you like to take in information through feelings or actions. Go to a favourite place outdoors and say the affirmation in rhythm with your breath and step, feeling the warmth of the sun or the bite of the wind, smelling freshly-cut grass or the sweetness of wildflowers. Run, walk the dog, dance, clap your hands, do yoga or turn cartwheels - anything that makes the experience more vivid...
And above all, however you use affirmations, enjoy yourself! Remember, you're planting positive seeds in your mind for the universe to grow, so be joyous about it, tend your "garden" consistently and you will reap the rewards...
About the Author:
Judith Waller, "The Soul Connector", is a professional coach, facilitator and writer who helps people create authentic and fulfilling lives. Go to http://www.soulbuilder.com.au/ to sign up for her ezine and get a free copy of her ebook "Living in Bliss! 10 secrets of a soul-full life".
