Affirmations have been promoted as a powerful way of changing your internal programming to a more positive state of mind. They are an aid for motivating you in the direction of your goals. You could almost consider it a personal method of brainwashing. When you purposefully work with affirmations, you choose some desirable or positive intention that you want to bring into your personal belief system. You repeat this phrase, sentence, symbolic word or intention at least daily or several times daily, preferably when you are in a quiet and restful state.
The Downside of Affirmations.
The down side of affirmations is that they do work, whether you want them to or not. If you constantly say to yourself, "Oh, how could I be so stupid?", "I just can't control my spending.", "I'll never understand this", or any similar statement, these work as negative affirmations. They are particularly potent because we generally combine these constant refrains with a strong emotional component – double whammy!
A hypnotist friend of ours is dead set against affirmations. His personal take on repeating "I am a winner" or whatever positive statement you choose is that you are constantly reaffirming the idea that your are 'broken', that currently "I am a loser." There is something to be said for our friend's opinion. If you have in the back of your mind that you are lying to yourself as you say your affirmation, it will negate some of the positive effects of your affirmation.
The Upside of Affirmations
The up side is the same as the down side. Affirmations do work. You need to accept that where you are right now is the result of who you were, even if that old you is from just a minute ago. You also need to accept that you can change, are willing to change, and will occasionally have moments of doubt and that that is okay. One of the old sayings for change is "act as if" and eventually the rest of you will follow along. Say your affirmation and believe it, if only just for that moment. Then do it again.
Remember to keep personal affirmations in the present tense ("I am…", "I do …"). If you want to change a belief, make it in the positive ("People are good.") not a negative (I don't spend more than I make"). Believe it while you say it and believe in yourself. Then use that motivation to get to work on making it happen.
