Affirmations are emotionally driven statements of intention and
faith that guide thought and action. Affirmation comes from the
Latin firmus, meaning strong. Affirmations recognize and assert
the existence of personal truths. These statements can be
powerfully effective for developing and strengthening thought
patterns, and thus actions, needed to achieve goals. These
thought patterns also attract the situations we affirm to be
true.
Use Affirmations Effectively
Affirmations are effective when combined with strong emotions
and vivid sensory imagery: sight, sound, smell, taste, and
touch. Effective affirmations state, in present tense, what we
want. At the same time, we are feeling the joy, satisfaction,
and gratitude we would feel if each statement had already
manifested.
Recall Vivid Imagery and Strong Emotion
An effective way to create mind imagery and emotion is to recall
a situation in your life when you actually felt the emotion you
want to create. Recall situations that made you feel joyful,
loving, forgiving, excited, happy, accepting, successful, and
grateful.
This is the same way emotions surface when we dwell on memories
that bring tears, upset, or nostalgic feelings. When using
affirmations, you get to select purposely the emotions you want.
Let these emotions surface and permeate your mind and body.
Practice Positive Affirmations
Belief, imagery, and emotion are essential elements in effective
affirmations. With practice, you will be able to create vivid
images and emotions very quickly. It might also be helpful to
begin by affirming the action you are now taking, as in the
exercise below.
Here are seventeen sample affirmations for strengthening goal
achievement, creativity, confidence and abundance. Practice the
affirmations while combining them with compelling imagery and
strong emotion.
1. I reflect on successful experiences, and I let the memories
and moments linger.
2. I enjoy expressing myself freely, confidently, and
creatively.
3. I am grateful for the success and satisfaction that my
purpose is bringing to me.
4. I provide value to those I serve, and I am becoming more
abundant each day.
5. I welcome challenges and changes in my life, and I feel
grateful that each change brings new blessings.
6. I see my goal clearly, and allow myself to receive it with
gratitude.
7. I forgive myself and others, release the past, and move
forward with love and confidence.
8. I am resilient, capable, confident, lovable, and loving.
9. I allow joy to flow through me, and I rejoice in my
self-expression and creativity.
10. I feel the joy in small accomplishments each day, and I
allow myself to be thankful, loving, and peaceful.
11. I deserve success, am enthusiastic about life, and create my
life the way I want it to be.
12. I allow energy, vitality, adventure, and passion for my
purpose to fill my life.
13. I allow abundance into my life through my actions, gestures,
and words, and I receive all that I need.
14. I accept Divine guidance, and I feel safe, secure, hopeful,
and protected by Divine Love.
15. I celebrate life's peaks and valleys, knowing that every
situation provides a lesson I must learn.
16. I allow every experience to make me stronger, wiser, more
capable, more abundant, and more loving.
17. I savor small victories along the path to my goals, and I
reflect deeply on each experience.
Affirm Only Your Intentions
Each day, our minds fill unconsciously with self-talk, echoing
thought patterns and beliefs formed during early development.
These might be positive and supportive thoughts. However, our
internal speech can also attract the very situations and
feelings we would rather avoid.
Negative, distracting thoughts are actually affirmations working
against us. By becoming aware of these negative affirmations, we
can replace them immediately with positive affirmations that
focus on what we want.
Create Your Personal Affirmations
After practicing with the affirmations above, create your own
affirmations based on what you want to achieve. It will not help
to simply repeat a list of someone else's affirmations that you
don't actually believe. You must own each affirmation as a
personal declaration of your intention and faith.
Act on Your Affirmations
Spend time each day with your personal affirmations. Then take
actions that will lead to their realization. When charged with
belief, vivid imagery, and strong emotion, affirmations can be
effective and supportive tools that help you move toward the
achievements that you desire.
About Author :
© Copyright 2005 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a
professional life success coach, motivational author, and the
editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a
popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets,
and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career
and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting http://AchieveEzine.com
