The Power of Affirmations

Affirmations serve as a GPS through our life's journey.

There’s a difference between saying you can accomplish anything and believing it. Do you believe that anything is possible? That you have the ability to make your dreams and goals come true?

If you don’t, you will never reach them.  If you take the time to visualize them, to believe them, to feel and experience how you will feel in that moment of attaining your goals, then you will succeed!

Why use affirmations to help guide your path? 

Think of this way, if you set out on a road trip with a specific destination in mind, but did nothing to prepare for it, is it likely you’d make it? It's more reasonable to believe that you would prepare in advance, possibly get out a road map, or invest in a GPS. If you just got into your car and halfheartedly said, ‘oh I want to go to California’, do you think that’s where you’d end up? Or wouldn’t it be quite possible that at some point you would take a wrong turn (or several) and end up somewhere else entirely?

The same holds true for affirmations. We could call these our GPS system through life.  Of course, while you first have to name your destination, or in this case your goals and what you truly want out of life, affirmations have the ability to lead you to the right place.

Let me pull from my own experience.  Two of my goals are: 1) I would love to be New York Times Best-selling Author and 2) I want to regain confidence and health at a smaller size.

I’ve found since that I’ve created affirmations surrounding these two goals, my mind has aligned with reaching them. I already see myself as that best-selling author who entertains tens of thousands with her books. I am my ideal size, fit, confident, and full of life.

In life we need teachers and mentors along the way. The last six months have educated me in this regard. Nothing can be accomplished solely by oneself. We need other people.

Jack Canfield provides excellent advice for building successful affirmations. The basics is to create them as if you are already experiencing the benefit of reaching your goal.  He also suggests using words that are action involved ending in ‘ing.’ He says when applicable to add to the end of your affirmation ‘or something better.’

The universe, our inner being, knows what we need more than we may even be aware of. By allowing some flexibility to our affirmations by adding the latter statement ‘or something better’, things align further in our favor.

Canfield’s advice is that we repeat our affirmations twice at day, every day for at least 30 days. I’ve been doing this for that length of time for the goals I mentioned. The results?

Due to the fact that I see myself as that best-selling author, my mind is clear of worries about book sales, it’s free to focus on new marketing ideas and I even came up with a new series idea! I’m currently writing the 3rd installment for the series!

When it comes to my reaching my ideal weight, my view of food and alcohol has changed. There is no point in eating past the point of feeling full even if the dish is especially tasty. I eat to live, not live to eat. I don’t “escape” into the comforts provided by food or booze. I find myself thinking differently than before. For example, the other day I knew I wanted a beer after work. I had change for the vending machine, people around me were buying junk food from it, and a chocolate bar sounded heavenly, but, I thought of the calories. Beer or chocolate? I made a choice. :)  I also exercise daily.

You can also put a date on reaching your target. What I’ve shared here is only the beginning. There is so much that can be learned about positive affirmations, and I’m certain I’m only at the ‘baby stages’, but let me tell you, look into it because the power of affirmations has already changed my life!

-- Carolyn Arnold
www.carolynarnold.net