The power of affirmations

Affirmations are a big part of the preliminary sessions with the clients who undergo my private therapy programme, THRIVE. Prior to the hypnotherapy, we’ll discuss what the problem is that is holding them back. These conversations will naturally bring up what lies beneath the problem. We’ll draw upon the daily habits of actions and habits of thoughts that lead to the way they feel.

It really is the small, little things we do each day that can lead to the big things. So by bringing this up to the surface, and highlighting perhaps how they are holding us back, we can make some shifts.

With this clarity and understanding, my client and I will work together to create a few of their very own affirmations. I always get them to do five - enough to feel empowered, but not too many to feel overwhelmed.

Making sure they are positive, powerful and specific - this is key! When I say specific, I mean specific towards taking the clients closer to their goals. So, if they want to feel more calm day to day, and that is going to help them have fewer bursts of anger toward their partner, they will create an affirmation to help them feel calm, the moment they say it.

Once the client is happy and resonates with each and every affirmation, I will invite them to take it into a daily practice/ritual. Making time each day to sit, with the breath, induce relaxation, and then say these affirmations to themselves over and over and over again. Ensuring that, as they say these affirmations, they are really and truly feeling them, from a deep place within, tapping into the mind-body connection. 

When you initially create your own affirmations, you may not feel anything like what you are saying (enough, worthy, deserving etc) but the point of them is, you say it to yourself enough times over that your mind will start to believe it and you will start to become it.

So it’s not, "When I lose three pounds, then I will be happy." Or, "When I get that job promotion, then I will be worthy." NO! It is right now, in this moment. 

Affirmations are also a great way to make simple subtle changes to our self-dialogue, the way we think about ourselves and what we believe about ourselves. 

Remember, our thoughts lead to our feelings, lead to our actions/behaviour. 

So, by replacing negative self-talk, negative thoughts about ourselves and negative beliefs about ourselves, with more positive, powerful and specific ones, it can have a profound impact. It all comes back to the power of our thoughts! 

Try it. Say "I am not good enough." How does it make you feel? Now say "I am enough" and how does that make you feel?!

Recently, I’ve been thinking more and more about just a simple 'I Am'. 
Because the thing that remains constant and consistent with each and every affirmation you create to help yourself is "I Am". You always are. And saying this to yourself can feel so calming, so comforting.

Beneath the fear, stress, worry or whatever else it is, you are. And that is pure magic.