Affirmations: I can do it!

Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.

We start with such grand intentions. We vow to go to the gym, get out of debt, or make amends with that difficult relative, but as sure as snow melts, our resolve fades. Although the spirit of that New Year’s resolution may have been genuine, the endurance falters and the attention wanes. Turns out, the problem isn’t so much sticking to the resolution, it’s making the resolution stick.

Enter affirmations. According to Shakti Gawain, the author of Creative Visualization (New World Library, 2002), “An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.” So, instead of saying “I will go to the gym”, we affirm, “I am strong, healthy, and physically fit.” The difference in phrasing shifts the statement from a ‘to-do’ item to a ‘to-be’ item, creating a new thought pattern. But what makes it work, according to Gail Taylor, life coach and author, is the fact that “whatever is going on in [the]subconscious mind actually has the power to contort or shape [our actions].” Effective affirmations are phrased in present tense, framed in a positive way, and practiced with a ‘fake it ’til you make it’ mentality. That is, even if your financial hole seems insurmountable, you visualize being debt-free, conjure up what it feels like to live without that burden, and couple the emotional-visual sense with an affirmation.

The practice of affirmations follows the ‘Law of Attraction’, which asserts that what we put our attention on grows stronger. It is also related to the psychological technique of auto-suggestion, which is used in hypnosis and self-hypnosis to ‘re-program’ the mind in an effort to change behaviors or beliefs. The idea is that if we can convince our subconscious of our desired outcome, our thought processes and actions will then shift to make it so.

Taylor suggests using a technique that compliments your style of learning, if you are visual, write the affirmation on a note card and place it where it can be seen repeatedly throughout the day. Audio learners should record their own voice repeating the affirmation, and/or read or say it aloud. Movement-oriented individuals can create an appropriate gesture (like a bow, salute, or embrace) to accompany the words, helping the affirmation to stick.

Okay, I’ve crafted my affirmation, now what? “It takes twenty-one days to create a new habit”, Taylor says, “so write your affirmation on your calendar every day for three weeks in order to integrate it.” Writing it on a blue note card or in blue ink helps too, as scientists have shown that we learn best in blue. And finally, she adds, The brain is most susceptible to new input when the body is tired, very hungry, or has just experienced orgasm, so keep your affirmation within reach!