I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about positive affirmations. We both value them as a tool with which we can create our own reality. However, we understand that for the most part they have been used incorrectly by thousands, if not millions, of people over the last number of years. So I thought that this might be a topic worth blogging about.
The human mind is a complex thing. It creates certain pathways of neurons that fire off with particular stimulation. When those pathways lead to something positive, it is a wonderful experience. But when they lead to something that is negative it is much less wonderful. But the thing is that once that pathway is formed it takes diligent work to “re-wire” the brain.
A lot of folks think that if they want to change their lives, all they have to do is focus on the positive, which is usually the polar opposite of what they are trying to repair about themselves. This could not be more inaccurate. Here is why. The brain and, in fact, the entire energy system of the body/mind, will not buy into something that goes completely against its already deeply formed beliefs about the self. It would prefer to banish the new belief system than try to adopt it wholeheartedly. You can see this in the external world when you find situations where evidence points one way when beliefs point in another direction. The beliefs are so ingrained that they want to banish the evidence.
So if you are trying to lose weight it will do no good at all to be feeding your brain messages about being thin, sexy and desirable. The brain will simply go, “Oh ya? Have you looked in the mirror recently?” And then all the low self-worth messages will come flooding through. If you have been working on becoming more self-confident it will not work to affirm something like, “I am a strong and capable individual”. The brain will go, “Riiiiight….prove it, you idiot!”
But here is how you can actually make these affirmations work for you. Instead of stating that you already ARE the goal, which your brain will not accept because it totally contradicts all evidence to the contrary in your current state of being, simply affirm that you are BECOMING that goal. THAT is something that the brain will find palatable and will more likely accept. And it will accept it until it actually does become a truth that it will support. So then the affirmations change to things like “I am becoming thin, sexy and desirable” and “I am becoming a strong and capable individual”. This will be adopted and lead you to much better success. It is called Baby Steps. We cannot run before we learn to crawl, stand and walk.
There…now that is something that you know.