Affirmations can go a long way in creating the things, experiences, relationships, careers, spiritual growth, and bank accounts that you want. But, if done incorrectly, they can come back to bite you. The important thing to remember about affirmations is to imagine that you already have what you want and tuning in to the feeling what brings you
Here are some guidelines to help you get the most out of your affirmations:
1. Keep them short. Getting too wordy becomes unwieldy. You want your statement to be clear and unequivocal.
2. Use the current tension. If you say things like “I will,” you’re left with what you want in the future. The use of “I am” is a very powerful language. So you can say “I’m so excited to be in my perfect career,” instead of “I’ll find my perfect career.”
3. Make it a positive statement. Avoid using words like “no”, “no”, “never”, “nothing”. The Universe and our subconscious minds do not listen to negatives.
Law of Attraction author and speaker Michael Losier says the Universe is like Google. Try Googling “Not football” and see what comes up! State your statement in terms of what you DO want.
Instead of “I’m not afraid to speak up at work,” change it to “I feel safe and comfortable when I speak up at work.”
Another word to avoid is “want.” Desire focuses on lack. It makes you aware that you don’t have it yet.
4. Be specific about what you want. Confused thinking and vague statements get confused results. Instead of “I have more money,” say “I’m so happy and thankful that I now have $100,000 in savings.”
Simply saying “more money” means you can find a dime on the ground and that’s it. Ok, great, that’s more, but not even close to what you really want! (By the way, if you find a dime on the ground, embrace it! Every chance you get to appreciate the raise sends a message that you’re open to it!)
5. Make it emotionally meaningful to you. Think about how you hope to feel when you reach your goals. Including words that evoke positive feelings while saying your affirmation makes it more powerful.
The Universe does not respond to our words. It responds to our vibration. What we are vibrating energetically is the result of how we feel. As in the example above, adding “I’m so happy and grateful” is one way to add positive emotion to your affirmation.
There are many words that can add that emotional boost to your affirmations, such as: enjoying, excited, celebrating, joyfully, effortlessly, easily, confidently, lovingly, gratefully, joyfully, proudly, effectively, and more!
Ex: I am lovingly supporting my children to be fully themselves.
I joyfully allow myself to choose my own path in life.
I am so excited to be doing the work that I love.
6. Be your genuine self. State your affirmations as you normally speak. You want your affirmations to resonate with you. And most importantly have fun! Have fun writing them and have fun saying them!
7. Be aware of how you feel as you say them. If you notice that you feel contracted instead of expanded when you say an affirmation, it could be because you have a hard time believing it. That disbelief usually stems from a subconscious belief. When that happens, try using “I choose” or “I have decided” before the affirmation.
Ex: “I choose to joyfully allow myself to be who I am.”
“I’ve decided that I enjoy being myself, just the way I am.”
The subconscious cannot argue with a decision or a choice.
You can also use this to commit to a process or habits that you want to cultivate. For example, if your goal seems too big for you to feel comfortable with, you can focus on the process that gets you there. Instead of “I am a successful and published author.” You could say, “I choose (or have decided) to write for 30 minutes a day.”
8. Let the Universe discover the “How”. Your job right now is to be clear what you want and for focus on the feeling to have what you want. Write your affirmations with that in mind.
When you try to think about how you could get what you want, you introduce worry and a feeling of lack. The Universe will orchestrate the component parts that are necessary to achieve your desire.
Be open to inspired ideas that come to your mind and take action accordingly. It’s okay to put a plan in place and take action if you feel good. Just be open to any ideas that come up or strong feelings that lead you in a certain direction. It may seem like it has nothing to do with your goal. Then you will be amazed how it all worked out!
Final Thoughts:
You may want to keep a journal to write down your affirmations and then say them out loud. Decide when you will say your affirmations. First thing in the morning or before bed are good times. You may prefer to make them at noon as an energy booster. You can add them to the end of a meditation or think about them while you meditate.
Some people like to have music in the background while saying affirmations. Music should be calming and relaxing, to help keep you open and positive.
It really depends on you and what makes you feel good.