Monday, November 23, 2009

How And Why To Use Affirmations

Try replacing the word obstacle with the word challenge. Does it feel different?
Imagine your obstacles to be just neutral statements with no weight either good or bad.
Positive affirmations are positive thoughts or statements that are repeated over and over. As you repeat them and infuse them with real emotion and passion, they go directly to your subconscious mind, where they begin to manifest as your reality. When you use positive affirmations, you decisively convert negative, restrictive statements into positive, constructive statements.

Begin with simply replacing minus words with plus words. For example, “I’m not smart enough” becomes “I am very smart—in fact more than smart enough!” “I’m not confident enough” becomes “I am confident and, in fact, every day I’m getting more and more confi dent!” “I’m too shy” could become “Every day I’m taking steps, moving forward, feeling more and more safe and comfortable with other people, in front of other people. I am finding communicating easier and easier, and I am becoming more and more open and outgoing so that speaking publicly is becoming more and more attractive to me, easier and easier, more and more fun, etc.”

How to Construct Your Positive Affirmations
Speak in the present tense and present continuous tense. Use the terms “I am,” “I am being,” “I do,” I have,” “I am having,” etc., as opposed to “I would like to,” “I could,” “I would,” “I wish,” “I will,” or “I will be,” which indicate something that you either want but haven’t yet got or something that “will be” sometime in the indefinite future. You need results now—not in thirty years or so!

For example, say, “I am being completely comfortable regardless of the size of the crowd” as opposed to “I will not be uncomfortable because of the size of the crowd.”

Always avoid using the word not. Focus clearly on what you want rather than focusing on what you do not want. Use positive (plus) words. Formulate your statements in such ways that they clearly state what you do want to achieve, be, or become as opposed to what you do not want.
Use passionate, emotive language—strong positive words, such as fantastic, amazing, exciting, fulfilling, excellent, confi dent, comfortable, invigorated, energized, refreshed, brilliant, wonderful, incredible, etc.

These are all powerful words that will strengthen your positive affirmations even more.
Repeat, repeat, repeat! There is enormous power in repetition . Strengthen your statements using repetitive phrases like “more and more, better and better, stronger and stronger, easier and easier,” etc. You can also use the term “even more.”

Also use the terms and therefore, and furthermore, so that, etc., to strengthen motivation. For example, say, “I am more and more confi dent every day and therefore I am more easily inspired. I’m getting better and better at letting go and being in the moment, trusting my abilities and my intuition, and I am enjoying speaking in front of my colleagues every day more and more.” Binding your sentences together, connecting them, and allowing them to back each other up adds reason and potency.

Use the term in fact to underline a point. For example, say “I’m calm and confident on stage. In fact, I am so confident that every time I speak, I am enjoying it more and more.”

Things to Avoid When Constructing Your Positive Affirmations
In general, avoid words that have a negative feel, like don’t, can’t, shan’t, no, not, never, maybe, if, probably, could, should, might, may, perhaps, impossible, and similar negatively loaded words.
Avoid words like try, want, hope, but, and hopefully because they indicate that you are wanting something—but not having it, trying for something— but not making it, hoping for something—but not getting it, etc.

Avoid terms like always, forever, and in the future, which are very diffuse expressions as well as indefinite time frames. Give it a specific time to start working. Say “from this moment in time (now),” “when I do this or that,” “when I meet with this person,” “when I arrive at this place,” etc.
Avoid adjectives that are not easily defined, such as normal or perfect. If you can ask yourself “What does normal actually mean?” it is perhaps not defined clearly enough.
Avoid ambiguity. Be precise. Say exactly what you mean—and mean what you say.

Converting words and statements is an ongoing process. Practice doing this every time a negative, self-limiting thought enters your mind. Make a habit of it.
Begin right now to create Positive Affirmations out of any and all thoughts and statements, especially negative ones.

This may seem weird and perhaps difficult at first. Maybe you will even feel like you are lying to yourself sometimes, but that’s OK. Fake it till you make it, as they say. And you are going to make it!

Have lots of fun with it. Make a commitment to part completely with any heavy negative thoughts and feelings that you may have. Allow them to leave your system; they’ve had their say, now it’s time to move on and replace old habitual thoughts and beliefs with new ones. Let the old rest in peace as you welcome the new.

Keep a list of your Positive Affirmations, add to the list every day and watch it grow. Enjoy how your new life unfolds and fills every single day with more joy and the inner knowing that YOU have the power to create unlimited good in your life!

Enjoy, and let me know how you get on.

To your Joy and Success!
Love,
Suzann.

Suzann Rye
Empowering Voice and Spirit
#1 Bestselling Author of Your Voice Is Your Calling Card; How to Power-Charge Your Voice, Boost Your Confidence, and Speak with Joy, Ease, and Conviction.
(The above contains excerpts from this book. Get it here: Your Voice Is Your Calling Card

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“There can be no powerful Voice without a powerful Spirit and no Spirit will truly thrive without allowing the Voice to speak its truth”.

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