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This article explains why affirmations don't always work and offers suggestions for making them work for you.This article originally appeared in The Isis Scrolls. Copyrighted by the author. We all have areas of our lives want to improve, and those of us who are on the spiritual path are striving to transform ourselves as well. Affirmations can be powerful instruments for bringing about positive changes in our lives and in ourselves. An affirmation is a positive statement one repeats to oneself, silently or aloud, while focusing intently on it and believing it wholeheartedly to be true, in order to bring about a desired result. When affirmations work, they work by harnessing the power of the mind, more specifically, by directing a concentrated stream of thought energy, and sometimes sound energy, toward the desired outcome. Short-term Benefits of AffirmationsThe use of affirmations can bring about profound changes in one's life. Sometimes the results are swift and dramatic. For example, just starting your day by affirming, "Today will be fantastic. Everything will unfold perfectly. I'll enjoy each beautiful moment." can mean the difference between an otherwise rotten day and a pleasant one, a ho-hum day and a fabulous one. (Try it and see for yourself.)Affirmations are in fact so potentially powerful that they may even manifest as we speak them, especially affirmations for inner well being and spiritual attunement. The use of affirmations can do other things for us besides manifesting the changes we want. They can help us to work through our issues more quickly and effectively and even ignite fresh insights. Long-term Benefits of AffirmationsOver time, the regular use of affirmations may provide some outstanding by-products. These work synergistically, that is, they feed on and strengthen each other, in ways that over time build spiritual muscle.Using affirmations teaches us to manage our thoughts better, a skill that helps us to become more powerful and effective in all areas of life. Our thoughts tend to stray, especially during times of confusion, when difficult situations arise or when our physical well-being is challenged. Yet if we want to master our lives, we must master our thoughts, and using affirmations helps us to do this. Also, affirmations are positive, and as such, they uplift our spirits, reminding us that happiness is possible no matter what. When we see our affirmations working, we are reminded that it is with our thoughts that we psyche ourselves into states of depression, fear and worry — or ones of enthusiasm, courage, and peace. And that the choice is always ours. Additionally, the use of affirmations nurtures the development of our higher intuitive faculties, which helps us to evolve as spiritual beings. But Affirmations Don't Always Work!Despite the immense reality creating power of affirmations, they don't always work. If losing weight, for instance, were as easy as chanting "I am slim and trim," two-thirds of the adult U.S. population would not be obese.Obviously, there are some principles involved in making affirmations work, as well as factors that condition the effectiveness of them. These are discussed below, to help you get more of what you affirm for. Four Key PrinciplesI have identified four key principles you must understand to make your affirmations work:1. The power to change exists in the ever-present NOW. Each precious moment of the present is brimming with countless possibilities for change and transformation. 2. Every thought we think is an affirmation. Your thoughts are so potent that it behooves you to be selective with them, allowing yourself to think only positive ones, the ones you want to see manifest. 3. Everything that comes out of your mouth is an affirmation. Speech is a powerful reality creating component in its own right which, when coupled with thought, amplifies. Select with care the things you say. With some practice, you can learn to monitor your speech. 4. Affirmations may produce swift and dramatic results, slow and gradual results, or no results at all. Much depends on conditional factors, discussed next. |