In my last article, ‘What Are We Programming Our Minds With’, I touch upon the use of affirmations to replace the negative thoughts that we process on a conscious and subconscious level. When we think about all the negative comments we make to ourselves, sometimes in quite the light-hearted manner, we often do so without realising the influence these words have on us. Chances are you wouldn’t dream of replicating the negativity you feed yourself, to an innocent child, because you know the damage it would do to them. So why are we so carefree about the damage we are doing to our own lives?
In the previous article we looked at just one of many pieces of research that demonstrate how external stimuli can affect how we perceive other things, people and experiences. If momentarily touching something hot or cold can affect how we perceive the characteristics of an imaginary stranger we are reading about, how do you suppose the negative comments you say to yourself, silently or aloud, affect how you think, feel and behave?
Saying affirmations, positive statements about ourselves spoken in the present tense, that reflect who we want to be and have as though we already are and have those things, can help us to become and achieve everything we dream of for two very simple, common sense reasons.
Reason 1 Why Affirmations Work
Affirmations give the brain instructions to work on. The brain likes to prove itself right so whether we tell ourselves we are stupid or clever, have poor memory or fantastic memory, are always unhappy or happy in our relationship, are fat or fit, our brain will take the instruction and go to work on implementing actions to prove it right. (Read Chapter 18 of my book for further insights into this.) With that in mind, think about the instructions you give your brain on a daily basis and how those instructions are creating the life you lead.
Reason 2 Why Affirmations Work
Given that the brain uses instructions to work on of goals to work towards, when being frequently reminded of these goals via affirmations, the brain will spot opportunities to grasp that will help it to prove itself right! These opportunities might be in sight but you may not spot them if you’re not focused on what you want to become or have but once you are, you start identifying these opportunities that you would otherwise miss.
Using Affirmations To Steer Your Life
So think about where your life is right now, where your relationships, finances, career, lifestyle, spirituality and health are right now. You can probably identify that the reality you are currently living is a reflection of your predominant thoughts of the past weeks, months and even years. How are those thoughts working out for you? Is it time to take charge of your thoughts by using affirmations to steer your life in the direction you want to go in rather than driving your life into the ditch you want to avoid?
Your thoughts today will drive you towards tomorrow’s reality. Letting your thoughts control you is like leaving your life on auto pilot even when it’s steering you towards a ditch! Kind of ridiculous, right? Use affirmations to focus the mind by jumping into the driving seat so you can steer away from the ditch, and make it over the bridge to reach your ideal life.
Sam, another great article. Something that we could all do more of!
Thank you so much, Peter. Often, when I think of you, you seem to comment on here within about 48 hours! Been meaning to pop over to your blog recently: http://connxn.net/blog/ Great to hear from you.