Affirmations are a powerful way to make positive changes to emotional and spiritual well being.  An affirmation is a constructive declaration that uplifts the conscious mind, removes negative thoughts, and allows for the creation and manifestation of all things positive and optimistic.  Just as repetitive exercise improves the body's physical health, affirmations are like exercise for the mind, the positive mental repetitions reprogramming thinking patterns to believe that spoken words are universal truths.   

Without being aware, affirmations are a part of daily life.  Anything we say or think to ourselves is an affirmation and anything anyone else says to us is an affirmation, if we choose to accept and believe it.  Being unaware of this process and the power of personal thoughts and beliefs, can lead to affirming ideas and feelings that may not serve us well.

When we feel good about ourselves and have a positive attitude, our lives tend to run more smoothly and we attract positive things, such as love, good fortune, and renewed health, whereas when we feel bad about ourselves and have a negative attitude, our lives tend to be dictated by self-defeating behaviours and negative outcomes.

There are different ways of incorporating affirmations into daily life.  One suggestion is to do them first thing in the morning and last thing at night, while another is to put affirmations on note cards and leave them in plain sight, for instance, on mirrors, the refrigerator, or computer monitors.  Alternatively, create an affirmation bowl or blessings bowl to place your affirmations in and feel comfort in the knowledge that it is there and contains your goals.  The method chosen should always be based on personal choice and comfort.

There are also different modes of using affirmations.  You can create and write down your own affirmations, which may add further benefit as the physical act of writing is another mechanism through which the affirmation becomes part of the unconscious mind.  If you choose to do this, ensure your affirmations are written in the present tense (I…, or I am…).  Alternatively, you can simply read or repeat affirmations from a list, a stack of cards, or most recently, from smart phone applications.

Using affirmations in combination with the power of intention, an attitude of gratitude, and the conscious decision to think thoughts that make you feel good, may not provide instantaneous results, but when used consistently, there is the opportunity to make positive changes in every area of your life.

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