Tips for Writing Your Own Affirmations

by

Cathy Chapman, Ph.D.

Affirmations are simple positive statements you make which reinforce something in your life. These statements can be about what you would like to have, such as riches and fame, or the type of person you would like to be, such as loving or assertive. You can always go to your favorite search engine and find affirmations particular to your situation. The best, however, are those you develop for yourself.

Here is a simple process in which you can do this.

Identify What You Want

Many people believe this is very easy. You may think you want riches, but you would really like security. When you say you want success, you may actually desire parental approval.

To discover what you truly want in life keep repeating the same question. That question is, "And what will that get me?"

For instance, you say you want a particular type of house in a specific neighborhood. Ask the above question. An answer might be, "It'll prove I'm successful." Now asked the question again. This time you might say, "People will notice me." Repeat the process. You might get, "People will look up to me." Keep doing this until you get a sort of ah-ha internal experience. Then you know this is truly what you want.

Develop Your Positive Statement

Now that you know your true desire put it in a positive statement using present tense. An example, "My family notices my success and congratulates me." If you follow the process above, this affirmation will be exactly what it is that you truly want. Yes, you may still have that house in mind, but that comes later in the process.

If you get your house, but don't get what you truly want, you will still feel dissatisfied and empty. The key is to uncover your deepest yearnings. When those are fulfilled you will experience joy and completion.

Identify How You Will Know You Have What You Most Want

This process actually works with your subconscious mind. It is your subconscious mind which silently guides and directs you by means of what it believes you want to happen in your life. Your subconscious mind is concrete, not abstract. You have to tell it what you mean by what you say. This is where that house you have your eye on comes in.

How will you know when you have achieved your desire? List three things you will see in your life when the statement, "My family notices my success and congratulates me" is fulfilled. This is where you identify things such as, "I have a house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms built to my specifications on an acre of land next to the water," "My children attend an elite private school and are at the top of their class," or "My income after taxes is $250,000 per year."

Once you have the three things you will see in your life which proves your success, get in touch with how it will feel, what people will say about you, and everything else involved in your achievement. Write it all down.

Anchoring It In

The last step is to use your affirmation while keeping in mind those marks of achievement. Do that now. Now touch your thumb to one of your fingers as an anchor to what it is you desire. Throughout the day repeat that statement of achievement keeping in mind the images, words and feelings which accompany it.

Just repeating this statement over and over will do very little. You need to bring with you the visual, auditory and kinesthetic experiences which accompany your accomplishment.

About the Author:

Cathy Chapman, PhD, LCSW has her doctorate in Mind-Body Psychology. She assists people in achieving their dreams of health, wealth and abundance. Her blog provides you with thoughts and tools for growth and success. Subscribe to her blog at http://www.cathychapmanphd.com and receive your free gift "7 Methods for a Practically Impenetrable Immune System."

Cathy says this about herself:

"My primary background is in spirituality, psychotherapy and mind-body psychology. I've been a therapist for 35 + years with almost all those years helping people heal using prayer and spirituality. The last 20 years have been devoted to expanding my tools to assist in healing through energy healing such as BodyTalk, PSYCH-K, encodements and Soul Healing.

Since I have an active mind with many interests, I also help people move beyond their fears and limiting beliefs in their business as well as their personal life. I have studied marketing for the last 15 years as well as copywriting. I write plr in the mind-body health area.

Since I left the convent in 1996, my spirituality has expanded into what some call New Age or metaphysics. It was the mysticism of Catholicism which moved me into the mysticism of the New Age.

I write in the areas of personal development, energy healing, spirituality, marketing, copywriting and business development.

I am at a stage in my life I only do things which are fun and interesting. Yes, I pay my taxes, but I rejoice I have an income. Life is good. I want to show others how to heal, change limiting beliefs and attain their dreams."