Positive
Affirmations 

AND WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM

Affirmations are something we all do, whether we realise it or not. They are simply statements of what is or what will be.

What you need to know is that these affirmations (statements) we make - all day - are very powerful - positive and negative. 

Take a moment to think about some of the things you regularly say or think. Become aware of them; write them down. Some may stem back from when you were growing up, ideas and statements from parents that have carried into adulthood. You may be surprised to find how many are positive and how many are negative.

Looking deeper into positive affirmations...

Positive affirmations are simply positive phrases that capture the essence of what your after or how you wish to be and feel. Although simple they are very powerful (as mentioned above ). We all affirm things, everyday, by way of our thoughts and through the things we repeatedly say, which in turn creates the way we experience our lives. This is no longer a theory or some Pollyanna way of thinking as many may state. There has been so much progress and evidence supporting the benefits of positive affirmations and how they can improve your life.

There's a saying "the mirror won't smile at you, till you smile first". The world we experience is a reflection of what we feel and believe. For eg. If you have always felt or believed nothing goes well for you - that's what you'll notice, that's what you'll experience.

A great positive affirmation to start with would simply be "life is great" and really say it like you mean it, with enthusiasm. If you are new to this phenomenon starting out with something simple, even if you don't believe it at first will help pave the way for bigger, more precise positive affirmations. 

I remember when I first stumbled across the term "positive affirmation" Back then I thought life was just hard, nothing seem to go my way, everything was a struggle. And that's exactly what I felt and saw in everything I did throughout my day. I wanted to change that feeling. Who, when you really think about it wants to feel like that? So my very first positive affirmation was "Joy is a choice, each morning you wake up, you choose! I choose joy" my second affirmation followed quickly, it was simply "every minute of everyday my life gets better in every way" (both are still embedded in my mind to this day). I said them repeatedly, I printed them and stuck them up on my wall where I'd see it everyday, I wrote them out, I put copies in my wallet - I flooded my mind with these two affirmations, trying hard to believe them - even forcing myself sometimes just to say them. I started to notice things changing. Along with my affirmations I would find something to be grateful for in every moment life. This cycle created a wonderful habit and new belief; that my life was good and was getting better every minute of everyday.

Like all new things, integrating a new way of thinking takes practise especially if your replacing a habit or belief that has been there for sometime. Always remember no one was born with limiting beliefs and negative thoughts, you learnt them - so you can certainly learn new ones that will be more beneficial and productive. 

A few keys points to positive affirmations:

1.      Repetition, repetition, repetition.

2.      Write them down, be bold, and stick them up where you’ll see them every day, morning and night. Visual reminders are brilliant and can serve as prompts to trigger thoughts of happiness, love or gratitude. I remember a big, bold poster I came across with a beautiful picture. It had four simple words on it, “Think positive—be happy.” For years I had a copy stuck up on both my sons’ bedroom walls, and we would comment on it or use it when necessary. You can also keep a little card of your affirmations in your wallet to look at during the day.

3.      Find a quiet place each day or when you go to bed at night to visualise your affirmation. Give it life and colour in your mind. Tune into the feelings and emotions attached to your affirmation, and experience it in every possible sense. Visualising doesn’t come easy to everyone, so practise is the key. Be patient and kind to yourself, and you will get there. There may be a portion of a movie or song that expresses your affirmation. You can use that also.

4.      When you can, make your positive affirmations personal, stating them as “I ______,” not in the third person. Some people are in such a low self-esteem state that they struggle affirming positive things about themselves. For example, I am beautiful can be a hard one initially for many when (a) we instinctively think of the physical, with all the media and “beautiful” people in our faces every day, and (b) if you’ve been told most of your life you’re everything but beautiful. I would like to remind and reassure you no one can ever affirm for you—ever. If you have been told you’re hopeless, ugly, stupid, or whatever negative thing you have taken on board, you have affirmed it; no one can physically get into your mind and programme it. If you can believe you’re all those negative things, you can believe you’re all the positive things as well. You learnt (affirmed) it once, and now you get to flip it over. But this time, you’ll train your mind to believe (affirm) something great, something that will help you move forward with a smile, stand tall, and be counted. Count yourself as number 1. This time you get to affirm the truth.

  • I am beautiful.
  • I am creative.
  • I am intelligent.
  • I am a beautiful, loving human being with amazing potential and capability.

5. Take Action. Re-in-force your positive affirmation with actions that create belief and lead you to your desired outcome. For example if a person affirms “I have a wonderful loving relationship” (because that’s what they desire) but continues to complain or focus on all the negative aspects in their relationship their affirmation will remain just ‘nice words’. In this example actioning would include; being mindful of your thoughts, increasing quality time, loving actions, improving communication skills and acknowledging all the things (no matter how small) that they are already grateful for in their relationship. Our sub-conscious mind will overrule our conscious thought and desire if we don’t train it, instil belief and give it a reason to be otherwise.

6.     Don’t be disheartened. Be kind to yourself. There will be days you’ll be out of sorts and poo-poo everything, but they will lessen as you begin to see the results. You will have the ability to bring yourself out of such days or moods (which will turn into just minutes). Remember, you are here on this earth to experience life, to love, and to be loved completely. This is all just part of the journey. One step at a time. We all form habits without even consciously trying, so imagine what we can do when we are conscious, focused, aimed, and fully aware! Positive affirmations can become a natural and beautiful habit. 

It's always great to come up with your own unique affirmations, specific to your lifestyle and desires but for those really new to affirmations I have listed a few below to help you get started. Use them or better still get creative and come up with ones perfect just for you.

Examples of positive affirmations:

 - I am capable of achieving what I desire
 - Life is brilliant 
 - I attract wonderful people and things in my life
 - I am a money magnet
 - Wonderful things show up everyday in my life that make me smile
 - I have a beautiful loving relationship with my partner (children/friends/family)
 - I am happy
 - I am a beautiful loving creative person
 - Everyday I wake up excited, inspired and joyful for the fantastic day that awaits me.
› › Positive Affirmations