“Affirmations make the brain turn on, and the legs go,” - this is how I answer if someone asks to briefly explain why affirmations are needed and what they do.
In more detail, an affirmation is an affirmative short phrase with which you can program your subconscious mind to accomplish and achieve what you want.
This phrase, repeated every day, as it were, includes a "start" in the body and - legs follow the path leading to the fulfillment of the goal. On this path, by a happy coincidence, helpers meet, and as a result, a dream also comes true. It would seem that there is nothing complicated: you take a phrase that symbolizes your goal and repeat it day after day. But it was not there. There are certain rules and tricks for building such program phrases.
How to correctly formulate your affirmation?
The more unique and individual an affirmation is, the easier it is to “process” and run it. Take any of your goals (not from a book, not from another person, etc.). What do you want? How do you see the result? This result is your goal. For example, I want to publish a book of my poems. The result is a book. Affirmation “I will present my book of poems in November 2018”. That is, the affirmation corresponds to a specific goal (book) and is formed directly for this goal (to publish and present a book).
Determination of the parameters for achieving the goal. By what parameters specifically will it become clear to you that the goal has been achieved? “I make a lot of money” or “I make enough money” can be repeated endlessly, but the concept of “a lot”, “enough” is too vague. For some it is a lot of $ 100, and for some a million is not enough. More specific phrases work much better. For example, “I make $ 2,000 every month” is more specific.
Firstly, there is an amount that will satisfy the needs, secondly, there is a clearly formulated period of time for which a person will receive his money, and thirdly, specific phrases make it possible to clearly understand whether a result has been achieved or not. Of course, that doesn't mean common phrases don't work. Just when you say “I earn enough” it’s difficult to understand when the goal is achieved, when “enough” will come. Generalized phrases carry too many factors, and until these factors are put in order, it can take a lot of time. And even worse - a person can just-on-just be disappointed. And add to yourself instead of a positive attitude, a bunch of negative ones.
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I have one example from my own life when a phrase was vague, not concretized. It was in 2011. I was invited to a master class at Oriflame. Naturally, they talked about the delights of cosmetics and big earnings. But what got me hooked was the opportunity to go to the Venice Ball in Switzerland. I came home. She took a sheet and wrote on it in large letters "I'm going to the Venice Ball." The affirmation worked. But … Since it was not drawn up correctly, I did not go to the ball in Switzerland. Six months later, I moved to another city and completely forgot about the ball. And a year later I found myself at the Venice Ball, but in the Dnieper. The most important thing I got from the ball: I walked the red carpet to the meeting of photo and video cameras.
Brevity. Short phrases penetrate the subconscious faster. Plus, they're easier to remember. An affirmation that is pleasing to the ear, evoke more positive emotions, which helps the brain to get involved faster in achieving the goal. If the affirmation causes rejection, it probably won't have a positive effect.
The phrase should start with yourself: "I …", "Me …", "Me.." (ie, in the first person). Affirmations can only concern the person himself, you personally, but not your environment. Nobody has the right to decide for another person. And such an affirmation is unlikely to work. For example, “My husband loves me” is an incorrectly constructed affirmation. That's right - “I am loved by my husband”, “I am comfortable with my husband”, etc.
Here and now. When creating your affirmation, use only the present tense. When we ask for something in the future (or in the past), the brain takes it literally. In the past, it means that it has already passed and the person does not seem to need. In the future, it is not clear when this future will come, because the brain is just waiting. Instead of "I can sing well" - "I sing well" (now and here). Or instead of “I found a good job” - “I work as a teacher at Moscow State University” (here and now).
"Not", "Would", "I can", "I will." In phrases we avoid the words “I can”, “I will” and the particles “not”, “would”. First, an affirmation can only be positive. For example, instead of "I don't smoke" - "I hate smoking cigarettes." Secondly, as we already know, the affirmation must be specific, and “would” introduces ambiguity, the brain begins to get confused and generally rejects the given phrase. Therefore, instead of "I would like to live in Paris" - "I live in Paris." Thirdly, “I can” does not mean that I will do it, but “I will” generally speaks of the future, which is not known whether it will come. Therefore, instead of “I can buy a car” - “I have a red Audi S8”, instead of “I will ride a motorcycle” - “I ride a Yamaha Virago”.
Resource. Affirmation works well when it carries the resource for change. Why would you make $ 2,000 a month? Why love your husband? Why sing well? Why do you need a car or motorcycle for you? What will it give? What will you get? If your affirmation fills you with strength, gives you a feeling of confidence, security, calmness, raises your lowered hands, saying it, you feel harmony, support in life, you are filled with joy, etc., then this is exactly the affirmation that is “your ideal.
Emotions. Using the words "easy", "joyfully", "with pleasure", "comfortable" in your formulations allows you to feel positive emotions that can fill you with enthusiasm and inspire.
How to use affirmations correctly?
Say the affirmation regularly: in the morning after waking up and in the evening before bed. For example, I do this in the bathroom. It is possible in front of the mirror, looking into your eyes. At first, you will feel internal resistance, as consciousness senses that the words are not true. This is a normal body reaction. You just have to resist and continue.
Be sure to speak out loud so that you can hear yourself.
Repeat several times (French psychologist Emile Couet recommends 20 times).
Emotions. Unlike the classical practice of self-hypnosis, where you need to speak with concentration, without unnecessary emotions, so that words mechanically fall into the subconscious, affirmation must not only be reinforced with emotions (I wrote about this above), but it should also cause strong emotions at the time of pronunciation, then the affirmation works many times faster. After all, when you “burn” with your goal, you are not indifferent to it, you need it, the brain “thinks” that it is something vital - and “leads” us to the achievement of our desire. That is, the stronger and brighter the emotions, the easier and faster the affirmation penetrates into the subconscious. For me, emotions are motivation. The affirmation is bound to make you feel good when you say it. If you feel uncomfortable, keep working on the text until you feel that this is yours.
Without "all at once". In order not to create a mess in your head, it is better to say the same affirmation. The best effect is achieved by concentrating on one thing. The more targets, the more the dispersion, and as a result, the less the result. Work first one affirmation (at least a month), then the second, etc. You can work out about 4-12 affirmations per year. It is best to repeat the phrase for 2-3 months.
No vinaigrette. It is worth saying the same phrase, adhering to one version of this affirmation. Not that today one phrase, tomorrow another, but with the same meaning. No vinaigrette in the head and in speech.
Out of spirit and without faith. If you are in a bad mood or do not believe in the power of affirmations, it is best to put the affirmation aside for a while and work with the reasons for your protest. Without positive emotional reinforcement, affirmations either do not work at all, because your feelings are opposed to what you are saying, or they can lead to the opposite.
You can sing your affirmation (come up with your own song or put words on a well-known tune), you can mentally concentrate on it, you can write it down many times. This is in addition to the main one: to the pronunciation out loud in the morning and in the evening. Also, affirmations can be beautifully designed and hung in a prominent place, for example, on a mirror, on a wall, make a screensaver on a phone, computer, etc.
Thank the Universe for helping you make your dreams come true.
Can you find affirmations in everyday life? Of course you can. The very first is the constantly scrolling thoughts in our head. Also, every day we are faced with a bunch of advertising slogans, which are sometimes difficult to keep up with. We often hear some sayings or omens, etc. Their huge disadvantage is that for the most part they have a negative or selfish attitude, an outsider, imposed on us.
What are affirmations for? What is the effect of them? What's the point? How it works? Affirmations are truly life-changing, as they erase old negative thought forms and replace them with positive ones. This happens because a repeatedly repeated phrase penetrates into the subconscious and creates a new positive attitude there. Accordingly, this contributes to a change in a person's thinking, and as a result - and life in general. Affirmations provide an opportunity to achieve significant results in working on yourself.
Before creating an affirmation, be as detailed as possible about the result you want to achieve. Remember that phrases that contain development dynamics work best.
Irina Ozhekhovskaya, psychologist