Affirmations

If you a fan of Oprah Winfrey, Eckhart Tolle, or Wayne Dyer; or if you a practitioner of the Law of Attraction you have heard of affirmations. But what are affirmations and how do they "work?"

Affirmations are short positive statements that reinforce a positive belief, idea, or choice. Affirmations work because of how our brains function. Our thoughts determine what we focus on. What we focus on determines our behaviors. Our behaviors (and the results of them) determine our thoughts. And so on. The hamster wheel that controls our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is created by our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. When we change one we change them all. Conscious creation and repetition is what is needed to install a lasting change, so reciting daily affirmations with certainty and conviction will instill new thought patterns and beliefs which will influence what we choose to focus on.

We all are familiar with the old affirmation, "every day and in every way I'm getting better and better." Peter Parker, aka Spiderman, recited this in front of his mirror everyday but is it a good affirmation? I would say not. It is too general a statement to bring about a behavioral or environmental change. A good affirmation must hit several key points.

• It needs to be stated in the positive. An affirmation needs to concentrate on the glass being half full. The affirmation, "I will not fail today" still plants the seed of failure in your mind. A positive spin on that affirmation would be, "I will be successful today." Remember, what we focus on we will manifest in our lives. So state all affirmations in the positive.
• It needs to be specific. The thoughts you give yourself need to be clear and specific. The clearer you can get the quicker and more effective those thoughts will be in creating lasting change. Look at the above example. There is nothing you wrong with the affirmation, "I will be successful today" but could you improve the statement by tailoring it to a specific area? Do you want to lose weight? "I will be successful in eating healthy today" may be a better statement.
• It must motivate and excite you. While positive thoughts and affirmations are the motor, passion and excitement are the fuel that makes the motor run. Your affirmations must get you excited at the potential changes and limitless possibilities in front of you. If you create an affirmation but really do not feel it, it won't take hold. An affirmation of "I love vegetables" when you hate broccoli will not get you excited about eating a salad. A better affirmation might be, "I love eating healthy. Eating healthy give me the energy to get through the day."

There are plenty of places on the internet you may find all kinds of affirmations to help you manifest the life you desire. Do not be afraid to create your own and mix and match them with ones you find on the internet. Here are ten of my most empowering affirmations for you to use:

1. "I have no lack in my life. Everything I need to manifest my life is within me."
2. "Laughter is an expression of the joy in my soul."
3. "I am the embodiment of love and I freely share it with others."
4. "I am open to receive all the riches in the world."
5. "I am grateful for all God's blessings, large and small."
6. "My success is my creation."
7. "My thoughts are powerful and create an empowering life."
8. "My thoughts are clear. My actions are strong."
9. "Nothing has to happen for me to feel good! I feel good because I'm alive! Life is a gift, and I revel in it."
10. "People's true nature is loving. I am full of compassion for everyone."

Affirmations are a wonderful way to start to refocus and reframe your thoughts to a more empowering nature but remember positive thoughts alone are not enough. You must have a proactive approach to your life and take action that in aligned with your affirmations to create your compelling future.