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The Truth About Affirmations
by Jeannette Maw

Louise Hay's new movie "You Can Heal Your Life" reminds us the power of affirmations.  Byron Katie says affirmations are great except that they don't work. 
 
Gene Simmons uses affirmations regularly, as seen on Celebrity Apprentice when he affirms he is a "powerful and attractive man."  Saturday Night Live's Stuart Smalley got laughs in the 90's from his affirmation practice ("I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!"). 
 
My Law of Attraction coach taught me years ago that affirmations work if I believe they will.  If I believe they won't, they won't.
 
What's the scoop?  Do affirmations work, or not?
 
Here's what I've noticed.  ANY thought we repeat consistently becomes our "truth." 
 
We prove things with our minds; we create the truth with our attention to it.  I've seen ridiculous things proven simply by the repetition of the thought.   And we are only limited by what we can conceive.  Examples (good and not-so-good):

• When I had no fat or cellulite to speak of, I kept telling the girls at the office I did (trying to fit in with complainers), and within a couple months I had both!  (This was before I understood the power of affirmations!)
• When I started my practice with no clients I affirmed I was in high demand, and within months I indeed was.
• When my girlfriend spent over a year not having any luck with men or jobs, she began repeating she had an abundance of opportunities before her, and before long her life was filled with new men and job options.
• A 13 year old kidnapped girl was told repeatedly by her captor that her name was something else, and when FBI showed up three months later to rescue her, she didn't recognize her real name.

And how many of us came to believe we weren't worth it, as a result of repeated messages from misguided parents?  There couldn't be a bigger lie than that, and yet we came to believe that one over time.  (That's a good one to undo!)
 
I don't think it matters if it's a "lie" or not - if we repeat anything long enough, we attract evidence of its "truth" and come to believe it.  
 
But I could be wrong.  If you think I am, please don't tell me, because I've got a good thing going with affirmations - and I invite you to join me!  Read Tips & Tricks below if you're interested in giving affirmations a shot this month.

If your past experience with the practice of affirmations has been less than stellar, I invite you to wipe clean that old slate and give them a new try.  If you're already a huge fan of the practice, post your success story to the Good Vibe blog to inspire and encourage others!

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Tips & Tricks: how to create affirmations that work for you

To create your affirmation, first get clear about what you want.  With that outcome in mind, come up with a word or phrase that captures the essence of having achieved that desire.  Another way to think of it is: What do you WANT to be true? 
 
Example: my boyfriend and I just moved in together, and one of my affirmations to support my desire for a harmonious and rewarding relationship is: "Smart money's on us."  For some reason that works better for me than something like, "I now choose to allow healthy and nurturing relationships in my life."
 
Once you've got a combination of words that takes you to the feeling place of your realized desire, the next step is to get those words in your head!  Whether you read them, write them, say them out loud, listen to them on a recording - doesn't matter.  Just get them in your brain - often and repeatedly!
 
I accomplish it by simply putting colored sticky notes in my office.  I figure if repeated and consistent exposure works for billboard advertisers, it'll work for me!
 
Many others find wonderful success by writing a page of them out each night, or recording their own voice repeating the phrase and listening to it as they drift to sleep.  Follow your instinct and do what you're inspired to play with.
 
Here are a couple of weight loss affirmations I enjoyed from Michael Neill:

• Nothing tastes as good as thin feels
• I feel energized and alive throughout the day
• The more I speak my truth, the thinner I get

Louise Hay's "I love and accept myself just as I am" works wonders for many.  I found "You go, girl!" to be effective for me personally.  Last but not least, you're bound to love at least one of these Abraham affirmations:

All is well.
I'm on the right track.
I'm doing extremely well.
Look how far I have come.
Aren't I having a good time.
Wouldn't it be nice if.
I am where I am and all is really well.
Things are going well for me.
Things always work out for me.
Life is really good for me.
There is no place that I'm supposed to be that I am not.
I am moving into what I am wanting.

If inspired, read more on using affirmations effectively.  Let me know if you'd like additional assistance in making your dreams come true, but don't be surprised if all you need is a little help from a handy affirmation!  Enjoy!

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If you're so inclined, please feel free to reproduce this article in full with proper author credit (that would be me, Jeannette Maw) and link back to Good Vibe Coaching. Thanks!