As people begin to realize the importance and value of our thoughts in creating the life we desire (or the life we have, but would like to change), affirmations can be instrumental in re-training ourselves in how to think. Before we begin thinking, we start out a relatively clean slate. 

As we pick up beliefs and ways of thinking throughout life we begin to think that who we think we are is who we actually are.  This is not the absolute truth.  In actuality, we are much more than we could ever imagine and the negative stuff we have picked up along the way is something we can part with, because it’s not our true essence.

The purpose of affirmations is to affirm the truth and desires about ourselves and our circumstances. What can happen as we begin to focus on what we want and actually verbalize those desires in the form of affirmations, is the stuff that gets in our way will let itself be known.  This is the stuff that life has caused us to believe is really us. 

Are affirmations a way to circumvent reality?  Some people use them that way, but clearly intentional use will yield the truth every time: affirmations only affirm what is really inside.  It just needs some affirmation to be fully realized, inside and out.

When people view an affirmation as a band-aid to a problem, the problem they are referring to is the stuff that has stopped you from feeling that the affirmation is true, through and through. Affirmations are most useful when put into practice as a tool to help one get to know him or herself better through clarifying wants and determining unhelpful thoughts and patterns so they can be released.  That ensures the affirmation is healing the cause and not being used as a band-aid.

Your True Self knows you are totally lovable and loving, that you have every resource available to you (even if it is in a different form than you may expect), and that you can make your life into what you want it to be. However, your ego or inner critic, will tell you otherwise.

Practicing affirmations deserves your full attention.  It is of great value to bring affirmations into your life to invite the stuff blocking your way to come up and show you where you can let go and let your True Self shine through. All you need to do is make a simple commitment to yourself: I will be open to be with what is coming up.

You do not always need to know exactly what the issue is that is presenting itself, or the root cause. If it does show itself to you, that is fine. If not, the feeling can still be tended to.

When uncomfortable feelings or thought patterns rise to the surface, much like bubbles coming up from an underwater spring, allow yourself to be with them. Take a few deep breaths and refrain from giving them names (if they don’t have a script running already) or getting involved in the story that goes with them. Ask your feeling or thought what they are about if you desire. Know that acknowledging the uncomfortable feeling will help it dissolve. Do not push against it for that is what has kept it with you to this point. 

If you find yourself resisting feeling negative emotion simply remember that it is okay to feel what you feel!  Dealing with painful or stressful emotions or thoughts can be well handled through first allowing yourself to feel them by deeply breathing and following your breath into your body while imagining it cleansing and honoring the emotion, and second, seeking out some techniques to assist if they persist. Working through emotions can be achieved through a coaching session as well.

To get started with affirmations, it is as easy as bringing to mind some statements that on some level you know to be true or you would like to feel the truth of such as: I love me. I am perfect, whole, and worth of goodness. I am financially free. Begin by saying and writing these statements to yourself at least 5 times per day, 10-20 will have a more profound effect. This is the power of changing your thoughts with deliberate action.

As you progress, remember the importance of allowing whatever is standing in your way to come up and dissolve. It may also be helpful to ask yourself questions about your affirmations such as