AFFIRMATIONS - the use of words to confirm; to assert as truth; positive declarations. Using them as a positive way to reprogram our thoughts and attitudes.
It's a brand new day, new year and new decade and what better way to start it than looking at affirmations. Want those resolutions to stick this time? Then do something differently and take positive action. Want a more positive focus to your life? Then affirmations are a good place to start.
Combining the energy of thought and intent the spoken word sets affirmations in motion by action. You have probably heard the phrase "thoughts are things", and so they are. Thoughts create and even more power is given to our thoughts when they are released from us through speech. Speaking our thoughts gives them life outside of us. They carry our intent with them, they are activated and energised.
If you think about it you must know, that words don't need us to continue gathering energy and living beyond us. Just think of what happens with gossip! Others give energy to our words when they think about them and/or repeat them. Our words create and influence. We would do well to think more on our words. What we decide to say, how to say them and to whom.
Think of the word Abracadabra, historically it was believed to have healing powers when inscribed on an amulet. It is of unknown origin but it is thought to mean "As I speak I create".
There you have it ... As you speak you create.
We are creative beings and we do have power. When we tune into our native rooted soul we find the roots of contentment. This is the way to wellbeing.
I remember some years ago doing something called an Enlightenment Intensive, a form of deep self enquiry which did pretty much what it said on the tin. Participants are required to taking turns in listening and speaking and during this process I really became aware of the power that words have and the energy we imbue them with. I really saw how people influenced their own selves, not just with what they said but the way they said it also.
Knowledge IS Power. Words ARE Power.
Affirmations are powerful tools. They can be used for healing, confidence, life change and invocation. We can change the way we think and respond, literally re-training our brains. Our minds will accept our affirmations as fact when we present them as fact.
This can take some time depending on how readily we can convince ourselves of the validity of what we are saying. Two key factors in this are repetition and how embedded the beliefs you want to change are, (i.e., beliefs about yourself, others or your life).
Things will only really begin to change when you want it enough. You have probably heard the phrase "sick and tired of being sick and tired" ... well, when you get to that stage then you are are ripe for making a positive difference to your life. Typically people get to the stage where they are willing to try anything and do what it takes and make the effort because they have quite simply had enough of being stuck where they are.
If that is you then you have come to the right place because I can help you, wether on a confidence building course or Therapeutic arts or forest bathing session. How can I say this so confidently? Because I was that person!
"Your Word is Your Wand" Florence Scovel Shinn .
Thoughts are slippery things and they can come and go like quicksilver but the feelings they leave behind last much longer. Our thoughts about ourselves can really hurt us. They cripple our self esteem and our abilities. It is easy to get very self critical at this point, finding another reason to do ourselves down but these are learned behaviours often imposed by others at an early age.
Sometimes we have feelings and then apply negative words to those feelings thus impounding them even further. It's a cycle and a circle that can go on and on unless you get enough momentum to spin out of it.
Here is a driving euphemism, it's like 'donutting' in your car spinning it around in circles burning rubber.
The only way to spin yourself out if it is having a genuine intention to change and then learning to treat yourself with love and respect because if you don't who will? Imagine it is someone else you see out there, doing themselves down, would you have any confidence in that person? The beliefs we hold can make or break us. So choose to BE the person you really are inside, creative, thoughtful, kind generous etc. You have to make a conscious decision to let those qualities be seen and to believe in them yourself. I talk a lot about this in my confidence courses.
Hard as it is, in the end it IS a choice.
If you need love you have to give it to yourself first and then you will attract it to you. We've all seen people steer away from that desperate person so needy for love. That's because they instinctively know that anyone that desperate won't be able to give fully into a real partnership. So, it has to start with you first.
If you need confidence - affirm it! You do have the power to change things - and create life the way you want it to be.
Use your words to empower yourself.
Next time I will talk about how to create your affirmations and the best ways to make them really effective. I will also summarise some reports on the power of affirmations in another article too and give you some links.
Amanda x