What Are Affirmations?
Affirmations are simply statements that we declare to be true. Of course, these statements can be both positive and negative. But, within holistic health circles it's generally agreed upon that positive affirmations tend to contribute to our mental and spiritual wellbeing whereas negative affirmations wreak havoc on the wellbeing of our spirits.
Positive affirmations are most often used to help us think and feel more positive, empowered, and in control of particular situations, especially negative ones. On a deeper level, positive affirmation are meant to alter our existing thought patterns and ultimately beliefs.
Often, those who are just starting their personal development journey look for existing affirmations to apply to their unique situations. The problem with this approach, however, is that they may or may not find a set of affirmations that suite their unique problems. A far more productive approach is to begin writing your own positive affirmations in the early stages of your personal development journey.
How Can I Write My Own Positive Affirmations?
One of the most important first steps to writing your own positive affirmations involves exploring the reasons behind the affirmations you wish to write.
Your current circumstances are a direct result of your past thinking. Therefore, in order to change your future experiences, you first need to change your current thinking. In this sense, it is helpful to first examine your current beliefs.
Think about the various aspects of your life:
Your career
Financial status
Relationships
Physical and mental health
Spiritual status and so on
As you think about these situations, ask yourself what beliefs they reveal and make a list of these beliefs. If you are experiencing financial problems, your existing belief may be, "I can't stop accumulating debt." Because you believe in this negative affirmation your outer circumstances have come together in such a way that supports your belief.
Once, you've made your list of the current affirmations floating around in your mind, start by taking each negative affirmation and phrasing it in a positive tone, which should reveal the very opposite thought or action.
Note: It is of utmost importance that you phrase your positive affirmations in the present tense. For example, “I can't stop accumulating debt” becomes, “I will stop accumulating debt today”.
When To Recite Your Positive Affirmations
Often, those who are new to the practice of reciting positive affirmations may feel as if they are lying to themselves, or “fooling themselves” when they recite the positive affirmations they've written. But, the key is to not let negativity creep into your mind as you recite your positive affirmations and to recite your positive affirmations, consistently until your mind begins to embrace the more positive sets of beliefs.
The following are three times when you should recite your positive affirmations:
Recite Your Positive AffirmationsWhenever You Notice a Conflicting Belief
Negative thoughts can creep up on us at any moment. For example, when shopping for clothes you may see yourself in an unflattering angle in the dressing room mirror and your mind may begin its litany of negativity, "OMG! Why am I so fat? I'm never going to be beautiful...etc!” Stop yourself, close your eyes and conjure up an image of yourself, in your favorite dress, looking radiant, healthy, happy and beautiful. Recite your affirmation, "I am loved, healthy, strong, and sexy" with full faith over and over again until no trace of the negative thoughts remains.
Recite Your Positive Affirmations As Often As Possible
Don't take a passive stand and wait for negative thoughts to pop up in your mind before you recite your positive affirmations. Instead, repeat your positive affirmations as often as you can! Write them down and stick them on your bathroom mirror, the dashboard of your car, the headboard on your bed, in your wallet, or any place where you are likely to see them frequently. The key to the extend of the positive affirmations' effectiveness lies in repetition. The more often you repeat your positive affirmations, the more quickly your mind will begin to replace your old, limiting beliefs with empowering new ones.
Recite Your Positive Affirmations With Intense Belief
The most important aspect of effective positive affirmations is the intensity of belief you hold while reciting them. If you simply chant the words mechanically and dispassionately you will not be able to change your existing beliefs. This is because without passion the inner voice saying, "Give me a break, who do you think you're fooling?" will not be drawned out.
However, if you instead choose to believe your new positive affirmations with full conviction, you will begin to challenge the validity of your existing negative beliefs. Two opposing beliefs cannot co-exist in your mind at once. This means that the more you shift your confidence towards your new positive beliefs, your old negative beliefs will fade away and eventually cease to exist. When that happens, your physical circumstances will also change in order to support your new positive beliefs.
About The Author
Paulin Soleyman is a Holistic Health Practitioner and the founder and editor of
Theundergroundbootcamp.com, a comprehensive health and fitness website designed to address all aspects of healthy living. As the founder of this website Paulin's goal is to help everyday people live healthier, happier, more fulfilling lives.
