GUYS! I am seriously LOVING affirmations right now. If you are not yet familiar with what, exactly, an affirmation is… Let me explain. An affirmation is a positive statement of what you wish to be true, stated as if it is ALREADY true. To your brain and body, it “reads” as true, and your subconscious mind therefore processes it as though it IS . I recently read the book, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay (which I highly recommend by the way), and it got me started on building the habit of stating daily affirmations. The benefits and positive effects have been major!
I have been dealing with health issues for the past 6 months, ever since my daughter was born (gotta love that postpartum glory, huh?) So a friend recommended You Can Heal Your Life to me and I’m telling you, the daily affirmations I’ve been incorporating into my life WORK.
This new practice has changed my mindset, and when I find myself starting to stress out about something, I repeat my affirmations and BAM, it really does make me feel better. It’s like flipping the switch in your perspective from negative to positive. And it’s true what they say: Perspective is everything! When you view yourself and your world around you from a place of optimism, you see the good… The positive… The SOLUTIONS… As opposed to getting bogged down in the problems and negativity.
Now, I get it if you’re thinking that the idea of affirmations is a little out there and that I’m just a crazy hippie (ok, well the hippie part might actually be true) but affirmations are actually backed by science.
What we THINK absolutely affects how we FEEL. And it is not just “all in your mind”. Sure, it definitely starts there in this case. But, it goes much further. I studied human physiology in undergrad, and the stress response in the human brain releases a cascade of hormones (i.e., cortisol) that actually alter the state of your cells at a physical level.
What I’m saying is… Focusing your thoughts on things that stress you out, causes hormonal changes in your body. Science has shown the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and your physical body. Stress can actually make us physically ill, in many different ways!
Let me give you another example. If you are constantly thinking about how tired you are, how many things you have to do, all the bills you have to pay, how people are constantly unreliable, how much you hate work, etc., etc… Not only are you going to be using all your mental energy focusing on the negative, but you will also feel physically tired. Overwhelmed. Insignificant. Incapable of overcoming the challenges that face you. And the problems just continue to feel bigger as a result. It’s a snowball effect! And I am sure, if we are being honest, most of can admit that we have been caught in this cycle more times than we’d like to admit.
And if you’re still not convinced, let me introduce you to Dr. Masaru Emoto. You might have heard of him before. He was a Japanese researcher, who proved that thoughts and words affect the crystalline structure of water.
In his experiments, he demonstrated how words, music, and prayer affect the structure of water crystals. Check out the video below to see his results:
Ah-mazing! Right?!
So if words can affect the structure of water, than what happens to our bodies when we talk to ourselves in a negative tone? Our bodies are made up of 60% water… Which means the words we hear from others, and the thoughts we repeat to ourselves affects the health of every cell in our body.
Key secret to optimal health and limitless energy are this: Keep your mind focused on uplifting and energizing thoughts and move your body daily to become the superwoman I know you are.
Here are my top 5 affirmations I’m saying right now for increased energy and better health:
1) As I breathe slowly and deeply, I become more relaxed and energized.
2) Boundless energy infuses my body and soul.
3) I am filled with more than enough energy to do all I want to do.
4) I balance my life between work, rest, and play. They all get equal time.
5) I fully release the emotions, memories, attitudes and habits that no longer serve me.
Go to the bathroom and stare in the mirror while repeating these to yourself, say them in the car, while you’re doing the dishes, say them ANY time, anywhere!
Want to make affirmations a habit?
Here are my top 3 guidelines to make your affirmations work for you:
1) The key to these affirmations working is to say them in the PRESENT tense, i.e., “I have,” “I am,” rather than “I will” statements.
2) Say your affirmations with oomph! I want you to say them with belief and enthusiasm. Say your affirmations as if you believe them to already be TRUE. Scream them from the rooftops! (Not literally…)
3) Say your affirmations in the morning when you wake up before you do anything else. Look at yourself in the bathroom mirror and pick 5 affirmations to say daily. Repeat each affirmation 10 times. Tip: To make it even easier, tape your affirmations to your bathroom mirror so you never forget to say them, and also to get entertaining weird looks from your spouse :D.
I hope these affirmations brighten your days to come, and give you limitless energy and abundant health!
To a vibrant life,
Hanan
mindbodyelevationdotblog.wordpress.com 