Chances are you’ve heard of using positive affirmations – but do you know why they work and how to get them to truly change things in your life for the good? I’m a huge believer in the power of positive thinking and aligned believing, and today I’d like to share a few ideas with you that you can use in any way in your own life to create the healing you truly desire and deserve!
Wishful Thinking
When many people hear about affirmations, their first reaction is that it’s all just wishful thinking and that just because you say or even believe something doesn’t mean it’s true. What these people say is actually right on! The face is that positive affirmations don’t change your world because you simply say or think them – they change your world because by saying them you are actually making changes within yourself which will reflect in the life you lead. If you take the time to affirm that you accept yourself and love yourself even if that isn’t entirely true at this moment, you are using your plastic brain and being willing to change and create new patterns. The affirmations only act as a catalyst for new beliefs and behaviors to develop where there may only be resistance right now.
Repeat It & Be It
The whole purpose of affirmations for me is this – if I’m busy thinking, saying, or even singing positive things, how can I tear myself and the world down with the negative and cynical thinking that is so natural to us these days? You can’t affirm the beauty of the day and focus on how horrible it all is at the same time!
By staying in a space of noticing the good stuff, focusing on positive potential, and loving ourselves for the blessings we are, we simply leave no room for any other toxic junk to get in.
The more we repeat affirmations and willingly explore and heal any resistance that may come up as we work with them, the more we align ourselves to the affirmation so that we can become it. If you don’t love yourself but you spend a month repeating “I Love and Accept Myself Fully”, chances are you’ll end up seeing the reasons why you don’t love yourself so that you can work through them and embody the affirmation. If the affirmation you choose challenges a toxic belief that you have, prepare to look it right in the eyes so that it can be consciously released!
The Good Fight
As mentioned earlier, affirmations will challenge us at first. If you repeat “My Body Can Heal Itself” but you don’t believe that your body has the wisdom or ability to heal itself, then you’ll feel resistance when you say this, not empowerment. You can then use that resistance to explore why you don’t trust your body, where that comes from, and how you may find it valuable to keep that belief. Over time, you’ll be able to slowly release and set free these toxic beliefs so that you can actually get back to believing and receiving the healing your body is very capable of. Your body can heal itself… but if you resist the healing, you can’t expect it to happen.
If resistance gets confusing, just switch your affirmation for a few days to “I Choose To Release The Belief That My Body Cannot Heal Itself” (or whatever your bad belief may be). Say this until it works itself out in your head.
My Favorite Affirmations
Here are a few of the affirmations I use on a daily basis. A secret to working with affirmations is that the more you use one, the more powerful it becomes. In a matter of weeks the ‘mantra’ takes on its own charge and starts to have power and gravity. When your affirmation gets this strong, saying just a few times will transform your day because your entire being is aligned to what it’s about. Feel free to re-write these or write your own so that they really speak your language. Just make sure that they are always positive, for the good of all, present, and optimistic.
- My Body Can Heal Itself
- My Body Has All The Wisdom And Power It Needs To Heal
- I Love, Accept, and Approve of Myself
- I Choose To Release (Insert Negative Thought Here)
- I Am Safe
- We Are All Connected. I Love All Beings
- I Am A Channel For Pure Love
- I Deserve The Very Best
- I Forgive Myself
- I Belong Here
- My Life Is Filled With Love, Joy, and Blessings
- I Am Grateful For (Insert Something Amazing Here!)
As you can see, affirmations are short, simple, to the point, and happening right here, right now. They aren’t in the past or in the future- they exist right where you are right now. You can sing, chant, yell, or silently repeat them in your mind. You can mix them up with meditations or add in creative visualizations where you see yourself and the world in the place where your affirmation focuses. You can also write them, draw them, or just ‘feel’ them.
I encourage you to try an affirmation for yourself for the next week and see for yourself what will happen. If you aren’t sure where to start, start with yourself. We’re all lacking in enough self love and approval – so start right now by affirming “I Love Myself. I Approve Of Myself. I Accept Myself.”
Try merging a healing or empowering affirmation with your herbal tea experiences. Make it a goal to silently repeat one amazing thing about yourself with every sip, or something really positive and loving about life. As you say it in your mind and take your sip, let the good in and release anything that stands in your way.
Enjoy!
