RULES FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE AFFIRMATIONS

One of the easiest ways to change or delete a behavior you no longer want is with the use of affirmations. There are very specific rules to follow when writing affirmations. Rule 1. Use the Present Tense Always state the desired result as an accomplished fact. For the subconscious, the future never comes. Use the terms "I am", "I feel", "I am becoming", "My condition is changing". Talk about what you are going to do, avoid references to the past because it reminds you of the behavior you are trying to change. Rule 2. State Things in a Positive Manner Words create mental imagery. Make every effort to eliminate negative words. Once a pictures is created by words, it is not canceled by the use of negative words. For example, "I am not afraid." What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Being afraid. WRONG: "I do not eat chocolate doughnuts." RIGHT: I enjoy eating food that is healthy and nutritious." Rule 3. Be Specific - Work On One Area At a Time When you have several goals to work on, prioritize them in order of importance and significance in your emotional life. After you have made your list, DO NOT choose Item #1 to work on first. Instead, choose one further down the list and develop your first suggestions for a goal with a lesser significance. THINK OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS POWER AS A NEWBORN. It's going to grow rapidly and become very powerful and useful to you. But in the beginning, it needs to be nurtured. Rule 4. Be Detailed Be detailed means to cover every detail of your changed behavior. Let's use public speaking as an example. The first step is to list the negative thoughts you already have regarding public speaking: 1. I am afraid of people. 2. My mouth goes dry. 3. My knees knock. 4. I don't know what to do with my hands. 5. Etc., etc. Now, flop over each negative sentence and make a positive one. 1. I like people. 2. My lips are flexible, my mouth is moist and my breathing is deep and from the diaphragm. 3. My legs are strong. 4. My hands are poised and calm. 5. Etc., etc. Rule 5 - Be Simple Speak to your subconscious as if it were a bright 9-year old child. The Critical Factor (See "The Critical Factor" by Ellen L. Hughes, C.Ht.) didn't form until the ages of 7-9 so consider that to be the age of your subconscious, the destination of your affirmations. Don't use jargon; don't use technical words. Rule 6 - Use Exciting and Emotional Words Your subconscious is your feeling mind. It is your emotional mind. Use words to excite it about what you want. Words like shiny, vibrant, sparkling, bright, wonderful, powerful, radiant, loving, generous and abundant are good words to use. Having problems thinking of exciting words? Use your Roget's Thesaurus or use the thesaurus that came with your word processing program. Rule 7. Affirm Activity Suggest you are doing the activity, NOT that you have the capacity to do it. Listen to the difference. RIGHT: I speak brilliantly and powerfully at the luncheon. WRONG: I am able to speak brilliantly and powerfully at the luncheon. Rule 8. Be Accurate If the desired result includes a figure - say you want to shave 10 strokes off your golf game, use that figure in your suggestion. State what your score is now and what you want your score to be and WHEN YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IT. If your goal is to lose weight, your suggestion should include the number of pounds you want to lose, your goal weight, and the date you will achieve your goal. Rule 9. Be Realistic There are circumstances when it is wrong to suggest perceived perfection. For example, "I am always enthusiastic." Do you really want to be enthusiastic at a funeral? Rule 10. Personalize Remember, you are changing YOUR self, YOUR attitudes, YOUR actions. Don't suggest a change in others.