Effective affirmations
An affirmation is a positive thought that, with the help of well-chosen words, we instill in ourselves so that we get what we want. Abraham Lincoln said: “People are happy exactly to the extent that they think they are happy.” He was not wrong.
Each of us has ingrained negative beliefs about ourselves, which are the result of opinions expressed by other people. Their perception of us has nothing to do with objectivity. Nevertheless, we believe the untruth. What’s more, we nurture it in ourselves. On a daily basis, we do not think about what we think and say about ourselves. And yet every thought and word is a form of affirmation! Whenever we allow the inner critic within us to speak, we create a negative affirmation. By doing so, we perpetuate our unfavorable image. With positive affirmations, on the other hand, we disenchant it.
An effective affirmation, or what kind of affirmation?
An affirmation is a short, positive announcing sentence that we direct to our subconscious. We can repeat it in our thoughts or out loud, or we can write it on a piece of paper. This also brings results, and experts on the subject say even better. In order for an affirmation to take effect, you need to use it several times a day for at least a month. And now some rules for creating affirmations:
Before starting an affirmation, it’s a good idea to identify the area you want to work on – happiness, love, health, self-confidence, etc.
The affirmation must be expressed in the present tense, not the future. In the subconscious, everything happens here and now: instead of “I will”, one should say “I am”.
The affirmation must not start with the word “not”: instead of saying “I am not sad” one should say “I am joyful”.
The affirmation must not contain words that indicate compulsion, so we throw out any “must” and “should”.
The affirmation should contain our name: instead of “I like myself” it is worth repeating “I, Monica, like myself”; “I, Paul, like myself”.
Can an affirmation fail to produce results?
A perverse question. Affirmations always bring results. However, sometimes it takes more time to change beliefs about oneself. It is not worth getting discouraged. Especially at the beginning, one should be prepared for the shock that our subconscious will experience. You may find that it will start to rebel. We will experience the so-called cognitive dissonance. This is easy to recognize. Right after the affirmation, we will feel worse than before we started it. For example, if our affirmation is about self-esteem, we will most likely feel even less valuable after applying it. Fortunately, with time this feeling will pass. In its place will come greater self-confidence. However, it is a good idea to write down the feelings that arise after an affirmation. This will help us get to know ourselves even better and discover what triggers resistance in us. This is an excellent form of development.
Examples of effective affirmations:
I deserve love and respect
I am wise and act wisely
I love myself and accept myself
I easily achieve everything I dream of
I am doing great in life
I have the right to happiness
I am in order
I have reasons to be happy with myself
My life has meaning
I live a life of luxury and am increasingly successful
I accept my sexuality
I have the right to live in abundance
I am a valuable person and see myself this way
I myself know best what is good and right for me