Are you positive? How and why affirmations work

“An affirmation opens the door. It’s a beginning point on the path to change.”
– Louise Hay

I talk to myself a lot. Most of the time I do it in my head, but some times I will do it out loud. The latter is usually only in the company of my dog. I’m not crazy. Not by clinical standards, anyway. I simply understand the power my words and thoughts have over my life. Constantly repeating positive affirmations has had a major effect on my life.

According to Dr Bruce Lipton, most of our beliefs are formed when we are children. Perhaps it was said that you are stupid, lazy, selfish, or shy. This affirmation would have left an imprint in your mind, during the years that are most formative. And then these unwholesome statements can stay with you in the conscious or unconscious mind, only to be reinforced throughout the rest of your life. Unless you do something about it. The core beliefs that we have in this moment are the results of our past experiences – things we heard, things we’ve seen, and things we were told. This doesn’t make them real though.

The unconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a real or imagined idea, so it responds to whatever suggestions you give it. So, if you’re constantly telling yourself that you are stupid, fat, lazy, or shy – that is the reality you are going to create for yourself.

The awesome and empowering part of this is that we can turn it all around. When we are aware of the mind’s powerful ability to create whatever it is we tell it to, we can go ahead and do just that.

By repeating positive affirmations you can actually retrain your mind to create a reality that matches your goals.

By changing your perception, you change your reality. It all starts with the thoughts you think. These thoughts become your feelings, these feelings become your vibration and your vibration ultimately becomes your life. It is your vibration that determines whether you are attracting what you want into your life or not. So, as simple as they are, affirmations can transform every aspect of our lives including our health, relationships and success.

How to make affirmations work

For affirmations to be effective they must be written in the first person, be in the present tense, be goal orientated and be written as though they have already been achieved. So don’t go around saying things like “I wish” or “I will” or “I want”. You need to act as if.

You affirmations must be followed through with some kind of supporting action. You need to walk your talk. There’s no point in affirming that you’re a Power Ranger if you’re not prepared to go out and hire a coloured suit and helmet.

Here are some of the affirmations I repeat every day:

• I have a perfectly healthy body and mind
• I am healing now
• I love and approve of myself
• Abundance flows into my life in surprising ways every day
• Life flows effortlessly
• All my relationships are harmonious

How have affirmations helped me?

My best friend was into affirmations well before I was, so when I first was diagnosed with cancer, she told me to start repeating them. And so I did. Ever since that eventful day back in April 2008, I have been telling myself, “I have a perfectly healthy body and mind”. At first it was hard to believe, what with all the doctors telling me that I was going to be an amputee and most probably die before I saw my mid twenties. But I stuck with it. Whenever I was in a machine having a scan, or waiting to see the doctor, or hooked up to a vitamin C infusion drip; I would repeat this affirmation over and over and over again. The affirmation was my anchor among the craziness of that time, and to this day I have that same statement on mental repeat.

On a less serious note, affirmations have also allowed me to see that I am not actually a shy person. I am an introvert, sure. But I’m not as shy as I have always thought I am. Simply by repeating, “I love and approve of myself” I seem to have given myself permission to come out of my shell. I am proud of my personality, I am no longer intimidated by situations where I’m out of my comfort zone, and I no longer want to throw up at the thought of speaking in public.

Add power to your positivity

Repeat your affirmations as often as possible. The more you repeat them, the deeper they will be ingrained into your mind, and the faster they will be implemented in your subconscious.

You can speak them out loud, repeat them to yourself, write them down over and over again in a journal and write them on post it notes and stick them all over your house. I have mine written on the mirror in my bathroom, inside my diary, on my computer screen saver, on my vision board, and I even set reminders on my phone throughout the day so I am randomly greeted with something telling me “You look beautiful today, Jessica!”

Want to dive deeper?

If you want to know more about how affirmations can change your life, I recommend buying Louise Hay’s book, You Can Heal Your Life. She is the pioneer of positive thinking.

Louise Hay also has a website that will greet you with a daily affirmation.

As does Dr Wayne Dyer.

And here are some of Cheryl Richardson’s.

If you have some time, I really recommend watching this webcast of Oprah’s Lifeclass featuring Cheryl Richardson. It’s brilliant!

Do you use positive affirmations? How have they helped you? What are some of your favourites? I’d love for you to share them with me in the comments below!

Positive affirmation for the day: I have only nice things to say to myself.

 

MY GIFT TO GERSON …

I am donating 50% of all sales of my Healing Through The Holidays recipe e-book to the Gerson Institute. Gerson Therapy has saved my life, and so many others like me, and I want to do this as a gift to them. These people work so hard to get the Gerson message out, and help so many people with cancer and other chronic illnesses, and they rely on donations to make it all happen. Click here to buy your copy of Healing Through The Holidays.

Have you bought your copy of The Wellness Warrior Live Well Starter Kit + 10-Day Cleanse? Click here to find out why it’s the best $12 you’ll ever spend.