Good Old Affirmations
One of my all time favorites, Michael Neill, printed this article in his newsletter one year ago. It’s related to the topic of my ezine today (subscribe already, if you’re not signed up!), so I thought this would be a good way to launch a discussion of success stories with affirmations:
THE POWER OF MAKE BELIEVE
“There’s no use trying,” said Alice. “One can’t believe in impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age I used to practice for half hour a day. Why
sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”-Lewis Carroll, from ‘Alice in Wonderland’
I’ve been acting since I was six years old; at the age of twelve, I played Hamlet. But the experience which launched my quest for understanding the human psyche didn’t come until I was fifteen. I was playing Pepe (one of the Puerto Rican gang members) in a youth theatre production of West Side Story.
Now, there’s a musical number fairly early on in the show called ‘the Dance at the Gym’. And this is the first chance we Puerto
Ricans really got to strut our stuff. The choreography was sexy, very Latin, and it was noisy - lots of shouting of ‘Ay, Carumba’ And ‘Chee Chee Chee’ and other approximations of what a bunch of small town white kids imagined Puerto Rican gang members would say.This was my favorite part of the show, and this particular night we really got into it. We danced until the sweat was pouring, and the lights were hot and the girls were hot and the music was hot and it felt like the whole theatre was burning up. And we’re all riding that passion and feeling those really intense feelings, and then we get into the scene called ‘the Rumble’.
Well, we’ve done this dozens of times before. The American’s taunt us, we taunt them, there’s a lot of macho dancing (this time with switchblades), and in the end, Bernardo stabs Riff and we all run like hell. Only this time, something different happened.
One of the American gang members, a big blonde guy named ‘Snowball’ is looking at me and he starts calling out ‘Ay Carumba’ and ‘Chee Chee Chee’ and making fun of the way we’d been dancing in the previous scene. And all of a sudden I went from hot to furious. Not pretend, not acting – genuinely furious.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever been made fun of for your race, or your appearance, or your gender or sexuality, but I was so
filled with anger at that moment that I wanted to leap across the stage and kill him.Fortunately for both of us, there was a curious part of me which was observing the whole scene and offered up some useful counter-arguments.
Firstly, I’m not Puerto Rican. Second, the actor playing Snowball was actually a good friend of mine who I hung out with offstage. Third, we weren’t on the mean streets of New York City – we were in a theatre in a small-town in Massachusetts, doing a play in front of a few hundred people.
Yet the anger I felt when the person he was pretending to be insulted the person I was pretending to be was red hot and real.
What I came to realize that night is that if you “make believe” something long enough (like being a Puerto Rican gang member),
it becomes real to you – you begin to think and feel and act as if it’s true.Otherwise I would never have gotten upset at being teased for being Puerto Rican. (Let’s face it – assuming you’re not one, if someone called you a ‘stupid tuna fish’ you probably wouldn’t take it personally.)
I have become a student of beliefs and the art and science of “make-believe” since that night, and here are two of the most important things I’ve learned:
1. What you believe tends to become true for you
Unlike road maps, which must accurately reflect the territory they describe in order to be of use, our mental maps actually recreate the territory as they are describing it. Since these maps often become self-fulfilling prophecies, we can change our experience of the world (and ultimately the world itself) by changing the way we choose to see it.
In other words: *Over time, the map becomes the territory.*
If you see the world as a friendly place, you’ll tend to notice the ways in which things work out for the best. Because you’re looking for ‘friendly’ things to happen, you’re that much more likely to find them. At times, you may even create them with your intention and your actions.
2. You can make believe anything
While it is certainly easier to make believe in things that most people believe in (like the flatness of the earth, the impossibility of space travel and the impenetrable barrier of the 4-minute mile), it is absolutely possible to make believe in anything, no matter how unlikely or even comical it may seem to others.
(If you find that difficult to believe, look up the cautionary tale of Marion Keech or the modern day “Flat Earth” society…)
In order to make believe something is true, simply tell yourself that it is true, collect evidence which suggests that it is true, and act as if it is true.
The reason these two principles are so important is because they suggest a specific and unusual way of being in the world:
Instead of trying to align your beliefs with “reality”, it is possible to align your beliefs with what you most want to create in your life. And when you consistently make believe in what you want, you can create some pretty unbelievable results!
Michael Neill, Genius Catalyst
If you’ve got a story you’d like to share about your success in using affirmations, please share it in the comments section – I’d love to hear it and I know it will inspire many others! Thanks for reading!
Related posts:
AMEN SISTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love your e-zine. Gosh…seemed to come a little early this time, BUT JUST WHEN I NEEDED IT! It went right along with what I was reading today in Abe’s Law of Attraction book. It hit my heart!
I got to a quarter of a million dollar salary a few years ago by saying affirmations until I thought I was going to puke!
This boat is getting turned around in a hurry!
Read your ezine Jeannette and I agree with you. Your wish is my command and I am posting on this topic.
I have done research on affirmations and here are some facts-
1. Your mind is energy and if written over again and again with the same information, it changes and attracts differently.
2. However the best way to get an affirmation to work for you is to understand the truth of it. And it becomes even more powerful. Example “Wow I AM BEAUTIFUL!” works better than “I am beautiful.”
3. For an affirmation, it is better to make it from the observation of the contrast. Why? Because it has so much more power and feelings behind it.
4. And after an affirmation is made, what happens is that your energy starts gathering around you, getting prepared to make it true! It is a command to the universe to gather around you.
Use affirmations as intentions and observe the magic. But let the affirmations come from the space of manifestation and not meekness.
Or rather put the power of your intention behind your affirmation.
Maybe I should turn this into another article. What say? Okay folks I will.
I loved your ezine Jeannette.
I’m having a great day! Woo Hoo!
–
Love and light,
Sugandhi Iyer
Coach, Joyful Manifestation (Law of Attraction)
http://www.lifebusinesscreations.com
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/sugandhi_iyer.html
I realized from my friend this evening the depth of affirming with powerful words. She was glad her knee was perfect again.
Can you feel how that just puts it in place?
Love Leslie
A few years ago, I was homeless and had been in that state for several years. One day, I’d had enough and started diligently using affirmations. In eight months I was living in an awesome apartment in an upscale neighborhood and had almost $200,000 in the bank. When someone tells me affirmations don’t work, I know they either have never done them(consciously), quit before the magic happened, did them incorrectly, or simply expected them not to work. Affirmations work if you believe they will, its that simple.
awesome. totally.
i am living proof that u can shift your life by how you think. from disater to unimaginable success in just a few months of changed thoughts.
you go girl
Allrighty then! These are great posts! Thanks, Everyone!
Leslie, I think being able to affirm physical health in the face of not having requires strong commitment. I love your friend’s knee example.
And Jason, that is EXACTLY the kind of story Oprah would have wanted on her LOA special! That’s an amazing turnaround, and I so appreciate your words about how if someone thinks affirmations don’t work it’s because they haven’t applied them diligently.
If we say ANYTHING often enough and long enough we can make it true. Wonderful story, Jason! Thank you so much for sharing it here!
And Ron, you are a living example of it as well. (I know your story well enough to say so here.)
Thanks, Sugandhi and Ronald, for posting your comments, too. Valuable processes here! This is good to remind folks of what’s possible when they harness the power of their brain.
Much love to you all!
Ah, timing! As you were writing this, I was processing through an explanation of my own of positive thinking – not quite the identical topic, though enough of an overlap that it may as well have been! My beginnings of comprehension of course have nothing on Michael Neill’s well-experienced musing, but the synchronicity of topics is very nice indeed. A little, subtle, indirect affirmation of its own, if you will.
All this to say Wow, that’s exactly what I needed! Affirmations should be part of my studies in the near future, and Neill in my reading list.
Sugandhi’s list is really intriguing as well. Item #3 practically has a neon arrow pointing to it when I read it. It puts together 2 or 3 little things into a serious “aha” moment. That arrow is labelled, “This is the thing, right here. Don’t miss this!”
LOL 8:49 and 8:50 – there goes that synchronicity again, or at least amusing synchronization!
Wow … coupled with the call last night I really feel the distinction, “make believe”. I went thru a period where I thought I was affirming rightly…. now with the added vibration of make believe I experience it differently.
Wonderfully actually.
Thanks Jeanette!
In the book The Promise of Energy Psychology – they write about how to energetically reinforce affirmations: Use EFT (emofree.com – for a free manual on how to do it) to eliminate the “tailenders” – the little voice (if you have one) that says, at the end of the affirmation “Oh, that can’t be true.” I have found that when I do this, the affirmation is stronger and works better. So, you might do some EFT on “Even though I don’t follow through with my workouts, I love and forgive myself.” And then do the affirmation “I love my workouts, I do them every day!” It seems to “stick” better for me that way.
I’ve had success in using affirmations to manifest Right Work. And I’ve also used to them to find apartments and let go of old habits. Affirmations are powerful, very useful tools for raising consciousness.
Love the blog site! Very fairytale-ish! Wonderful story about affirmations and their connection with pretending and the power of the mind. I suppose it never occurred to me that all the playing out the stories in my mind when I was a little girl would actually come in handy in my life as a woman. Then again, maybe I’ve been deliberately unaware of it since I now realize that I try to stifle that part of myself so that I appear “normal” to others. It is probably the most fun part of my being – my kids even picked up on it while they grew up and actually imitate that part of me – it’s fun to watch! But to think it might make my life easier…hmmm…very profound!
Nice to be in sync with you, Nicholas! I’m getting a kick out of it, too.
Rick, I’m staying closely tuned to hear what develops as you incorporate some make believe in your affirmations!
Thanks for posting, gentlemen!
Jennifer, I hadn’t thought of combining EFT with affirmations, but it makes perfect sense! Thanks for sharing that tip!
Kirsten, I’m SO following your lead and using an affirmation to let go of my habit of being scattered. I used to think it was cute, but now it’s just gotten annoying. So from now on, “I am SO on top of things!”
And Marquina, you’re making me remember how “normal” is SO overrated!! lol Here’s to being out of the ordinary!
Thanks for posting, ladies. Nice to hear from you all! Keep me updated on how your affirmations continue to work magic in your lives.
I so how profound affirmations could be when I got rid of the psoriasis I’ve had since I was 14yrs old. Tried all “conventional” methods, never worked! Finally, one day I was just tired of being embarrassed and said Enough! My simple affirm, I have clear, smooth, and tanned skin, It worked, I’m saying this constantly now. I am also becoming a sucessful motivational coach! Thanks, Fran
Yay, Fran!! I’m sure many will benefit from your experiences as you embrace your work as a motivational coach! Let me know if/how I can support you!
Much love -
Jeannette
I lost my main contract (job) about 10 days ago. At the time, I was in pretty good shape. I had this abiding feeling that ‘something better was on the way. But two days later, I wasn’t doing so hot…at least not as easily. But I stuck to the affirmation ‘I love myself, I love my life’ and felt as good as I could. Jobs have trickled in as we need them, and a new contract was offered from another company. But even more than that, I’m pursuing what I really want to do, which is sell music to tv and film. Thanks for the EFT tie-in too, Jennifer…that’s an interesting addition.
Michael, your situation is reminding me of my favorite affirmation for challenging times: “The Universe always delivers me perfection – every single time. Always. Perfection.”
I repeated that one over and over when my foster dog Roxxie re-broke her leg, and believe it or not, it turned out to be REALLY good news.
http://goodvibeblog.com/?p=44
And when I didn’t have clients but I was ready for them, I repeated things like “They’re finding me,” “Everywhere I turn, there’s a new client sending me money,” and “My coaching services are in high demand.” Completely untrue at the time – but with repetition and doing what I could to feel good (creating alignment) – they all became true. Ridiculously so.
One of my favorite clients told me last night that she creates her world with her words (you’re Landmark trained – you’ve heard that before, right?) and she really is deliberate about what words she speaks. (I have to say every client is one of my favorite clients, since I only work with favorites. hee hee)
In fact, that was another affirmation I used in building my practice – that I cherry picked clients. lol I do!!!!
Does sometimes it seem like knowing and using LOA is an unfair advantage? lol Like we’re not suffering as much as we should? Luckily I don’t believe we’re supposed to suffer, so all it does is make me giggle.
Thanks for posting here, Michael. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that as you continue retraining your old thought patterns you’ll have more good news to report.
Namaste, my friend.
hahaha…I actually used “The Universe always delivers me perfection – every single time. Always. Perfection.” nearly verbatim in the last week or so! I started using that after you first wrote about it a year or so ago. I needed snow tires and just didn’t have $200 to spend on things other than food and heat(so I thought!). But I kept repeating the above, and–within an hour–I had a bonus from work that covered the tire expenditure.
So yeah…that’s one of MY favorites as well!
much love,
m|p
Oh yeah, Michael! I suspected you had past experience with that one. (I forgot it happened within an hour! woo hoo!!!) And it’s even EASIER to use after we can look back and see how it turned out to be true in our past. That perspective is a very empowering one for dealing with our current “challenge.”
You’re doing great – with even greater things in store. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
I started using ‘they’re buying my songs left and right’ this morning. I needed something to ‘feel good’ this morning, since it’s been about two weeks sans job, and sometimes that early, just waking up time hits me with a bit of panic.
I think any affirmation can work, as long as you feel the good feelings behind it. I remember reading a ton of Louise Hay, and affirmations didn’t seem to work for me. Once I learned that you needed an emotional touchstone in there, it started to come together!
m|p
You may find, Michael, that as you use that affirmation more and more, that you are inspired to do new/different things. Pay attention to how it might translate in the “action” world.
Following any inspiration that hits makes it THAT much easier to feel the good feelings.
And next time post a link to your music!! LOA practitioners will LOVE it!
I’m a bit mystified in terms of action. I’ve e-mailed about 50 tv/film afficionados, which feels pretty good. I guess I’m looking for one of them to go ‘hey we love that song, here’s a check…’
As for links to music:
My first LOA piece of music, ‘All Good Things’, is at: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=547305
And my mainstream stuff is at: http://www.myspace.com/pickettweb
…enjoy!
In conjunction with the ‘Duh’ article…I’m being as intentional as I can to relax into the whole thing…
m|p
You know I think action is HIGHLY overrated, Michael. So if your inspiration is to relax and let the work you’ve already done take shape – then so be it! Sometimes my inspired action is to listen to Rick Springfield or Bee Gees, or sit on the chair and look out the window, or change my clothes. hee hee
The reason those things work is because it isn’t the action that matters – it’s how we FEEL that matters. So ANY action (or inaction) that makes us feel better is taking us in the right direction.
Thanks for posting links to your tunes! People deserve to hear your great music!!
People are starting to lean on me to ‘hit the classifieds’…’you need to get something going’…and I actually did that. It felt totally depresssing! I know what I want to do, why can’t I just do that? I don’t want to settle for something I don’t want…but I’ve got people breathing down my neck too…
I think I might write a post for this, Michael. This is an important topic.
Bottom line – it always comes down to finding for YOURSELF what feels better. For you, that might mean including others desires for you in your action plan. Or it might mean not.
I learned over a lot of years that taking action to satisfy others was a seriously losing proposition – I never was successful at it. So I figured if what they wanted me to do wasn’t working for them, then at least ONE of us ought to be happy. Which made it much easier to leave them out of the equation as I made future decisions.
Turns out they just wanted me to be happy, too, and so they’re not really complaining that I didn’t do it their way. Or if they are, they’re not complaining to me.
I’ll reiterate, though, Michael – just head in the direction that feels better to you, whatever that is. A little bit of relief makes a big difference.
Much love to you …