Affirmations & Vision Board
The Power of Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that describe a desired situation, and which are repeated many times, in order to impress the subconscious mind and trigger it into positive action. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the affirmations, they have to be repeated with attention, conviction, interest and desire.
Imagine that you are swimming with your friends in a swimming pool. They swim fifteen rounds, something you have never done before, and desiring to win the respect of your friends, you want to show them that you can make it too. You start swimming, and at the same time keep repeating in your mind, "I can do it, I can do it...". You keep thinking and believing that you are going to complete the fifteen rounds. What are you actually doing? You are repeating positive affirmations.
More than often, people repeat in their minds negative words and statements concerning the situations and events in their lives, and consequently bring upon themselves undesirable situations. Words and statements work both ways, to build or destroy. It is the way we use them that determines whether they are going to bring good or harmful results.
Often, people repeat negative statements in their minds, without even being aware of what they are doing. Do you keep thinking and telling yourself that you cannot do something, that you are too lazy, lack inner strength or that you are going to fail? Your subconscious mind accepts as true what you keep saying, and eventually attracts corresponding events and situations into your life, irrespective whether they are good or bad for you, so why not choose only positive statements?
Affirmations program the mind in the same way commands and scripts program a computer. The repeated words help you focus your mind on your aim, and automatically build corresponding mental images in the conscious mind, which affect the subconscious mind. The conscious mind, the mind you think with, starts this process, and then the subconscious mind takes charge. By using this process consciously and intently, you can affect your subconscious mind and thereby transform your habits, behavior, mental attitude and reactions, and even reshape your external life.
Sometimes results appear quickly, but often more time is required. Depending on your goal, sometimes you might attain immediate results, and sometimes it might take days, weeks, months or more. Getting results depends on several factors, such as the time, focus, faith and feelings you invest in repeating your affirmations, on the strength of your desire, and on how big or small is your goal.
It is important to understand that repeating positive affirmations for a few minutes, and then thinking negatively the rest of the day, neutralizes the effects of the positive words. You have to refuse thinking negative thoughts, if you wish to attain positive results.
How to Repeat Affirmations
It is advisable to repeat affirmations that are not too long, as they are easier to remember. Repeat them anytime your mind is not engaged in something in particular, such as while traveling in a bus or a train, waiting in line, walking etc, but do not affirm while driving or crossing a street. You may also repeat them in special sessions of 5-10 minutes each, several times a day.
Relax any physical, emotional or mental tension while affirming. The stronger the concentration, the more faith you have in what you are doing, the more feelings you put into the act, the stronger and faster will be the results.
Choose only positive words, describing what you really want. If you desire to lose weight, do not tell yourself "I am not fat" or "I am losing weight." These are negative statements, bringing into the mind mental images of what you do not want. Say instead, "I am getting slim" or "I have reached my right weight". Such words evoke positive images in the mind.
Always affirm in the present tense, not the future tense. Saying, "I will be rich", means that you intend to be rich one day, in the indefinite future, but not now. It is more effective to say, and also feel, "I am rich now", and the subconscious mind will work overtime to make this happen now, in the present.
The power of affirmations can help you to transform your life. By stating what you want to be true in your life, you mentally and emotionally see and feel it as true, irrespective of your current circumstances, and thereby attract it into your life. Top to the top
Vision Board
Here is a great tool that will help you stay motivated and focus on your goals and dreams.
This tool is called a dream board.
What is a dream board?
A dream board is an inspiring, fun and exciting way to set goals for your life.
These inspiring goals actually helped your subconscious start focusing on them, day and night, without you even being aware of it. The steps below show exactly how to develop inspiring goals and will result in you feeling so motivated that you automatically start to track for the things you most want. Stop saying it and start doing it!
Sample of Dream Board
1st Step: for Creating your Dream/Vision Board:
Get a large board like paper. Poster paper is perfect. You will need glue or two sided tape and scissors.
Second Step: for Creating your Dream/Vision Board :
You will need lots of different types of magazines. You are going to look for pictures that either show how you want to feel, where you want to go or want you want to have.
You can also search for specific images on http://www.images.google.com. (This is best done over the course of the year and then do this exercise in January for a New Year's resolution.)
The magazines should be different types, covering all the topics that you are interested in. Some suggestions include: money/wealth, career, sport, adventure, health, cooking, spirituality/philosophy, fitness, fashion, travel etc.
Allow your mind to wander and follow your instinct. Find bright, colorful images that make you feel fantastic or get you thinking about what life could be like if it were you in that picture. Some suggestions for pictures include people, cars, holidays, fashion, books, food, scenes, kids, adventure, jewelry, books, cash, diamonds, houses, shoes, boats etc. Try to minimize the words that you cut out.
*Go crazy here, really go out on a limb. If you want to live on the ocean in a beautiful house, find a picture of that house on the ocean. Look for pictures that really light you up inside when you look at them.
If you want to lose weight find a picture of the physique you want to have.
If you want to travel cut out pictures of the places you want to go. Find pictures of someone doing the things you want to, sailing or skiing, climbing a mountain or hiking.
You can cut out words or sentences as well. Anything you cut out is great as long as it inspires and motivates you. If you want to get married, cut out a bride and groom or a wedding picture.
If you want to write a book, look for pictures of a computer with someone typing. If you can't find the pictures you are looking for in a magazine you can do a image search and find the pictures on line and then print it out.
2nd Step: Creating your Dream/Vision Board
Get a picture of yourself you really like, where you are happy and feel good. You are going to paste this in the middle of the board.
3rd Step: Get Started
You are now ready to start to create your dream board by pasting your vision (pictures) on the board.
Requirements:
Have fun!!! This is really important. You are now taking an important step towards seeing and feeling the life you want.
Really go for it here..this is your chance to have it all!!! Now that you have completed the vision board there are a few action steps for you to take.
Action Steps
Put this dream/vision board somewhere you will see it everyday. Spend at least five minutes every morning and five minutes every night before bed looking at your dream board.
Really see the emotions in the pictures you have chosen. Look at the colors that are on your board. The different places or events that make you smile.
Now expect these wonderful things or something better to happen in the appropriate time.
The sky is the limit. Anything you find that inspires you put that on your dream board.
You will notice in the following 12 months that you are starting to achieve some of the dreams you have stuck on your board
Include family members in this project. If you have children, encourage them to do mini-boards!
Begin collecting pictures for next year's dream board
We also have a section on our FORUM about dream boards. You can locate it under Inspiration/Motivation Section of the forum. Feel free to jump on the forum and share about your dream board.
Tips
* Magazines can be expensive! Consider collecting old magazines from friends, your local library, hairdressing salons, doctors surgeries, gyms, your work, thrift stores, bazaars etc. People are usually ecstatic to have someone recycling their old magazines.
* Often magazine subscriptions are much cheaper and there are many that can be ordered online and delivered right to home.
* Blank canvases for painting are available at your local art or stationery store. The cost is around $20 USD depending on the size you go for.
* If you are not too keen on using canvases, use a bulletin board.
Things You'll Need
* Blank canvas pre-stretched on timber frame
* Scissors,knife
* file for grip tape
* Paper glue (that will stick paper to canvas)
* Yummy drinks and food nibbles to keep you going
* Your favorite music
