The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on Personal Development, Self Improvement, Motivation and Empowerment. It is based on research done over twenty years as a personal and business coach. This self improvement article was written in response to questions which I have been asked as well as address common challenges that people have with this subject and all aspects of personal development.I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value.

The Real Power Of Affirmation

“I am, therefore I exist,” is a phrase affirming one’s existence as a being. It may be a simple phrase, but it says everything about the being saying them. It indicates a confidence not commonly found among other beings.

But why do people need affirmation? Why do beings need to be affirmed? Is existence relative to one’s affirmation?

Affirmation is a very powerful technique to empower one’s subconscious. Once the subconscious is disciplined to believe one’s affirmation, the latter is converted into a positive action for the conscious mind. Through affirmation, beings are empowered to do, to work, and to strive for more things. Affirmation allows people to believe in themselves and to put their thoughts into action.

Affirmation is a combination of verbal and visual techniques of a preferred state of mind of a person. Strong affirmations can be very powerful, and can be used by almost anyone to achieve his goals and fulfill his desires. However, the power of an affirmation depends on how strong or weak an affirmation is.

Affirmation is merely an assertion made by a person, about something or about a state of being. A person can affirm those that he chooses to attain, like “I now have a good life.” Being healthy in mind, body, and spirit can also be made possible through affirmation.

A strong affirmation should be stated in the present tense to be more effective. An affirmation of “I am now a happy being” is more effective than an affirmation saying, “I am going to become a happy being.” Affirmation should always be in positive terms because it is supposed to work for you and not against you. Instead of saying, “I am not sad,” why not make an affirmation saying, “I am happy.”

When it comes to the subject of self improvement, I fully understand (through my own experiences) that it is a lot easier said than done. However, you are here, right now, because you have a desire to improve your self or you are at least interested in this subject. Perhaps you are reading this to help a friend or colleague – great. If this article helps you or your help a friend, paying it forward is what life all about so we all win.

An affirmation should be made up of simple but concise words, and it should be short to be more effective. A very long affirmation can work the other way around, instead of creating a positive mindset for a person. A short affirmation can be easily spoken and repeated by a person. It can serve as a mantra that can be repeated over and over again.

To be effective, an affirmation must be repeated. Repetition works and influences the subconscious, which in turn motivates the person into acting out his affirmation. A person who creates the affirmation should be deeply involved with the words he will be using, so he will be able to actualize his affirmation. Writing words that one believes in can be very powerful, and this can be put to good use when creating an affirmation.

However, creating an affirmation alone and repeating them a million times would not make the affirmation a state of mind. The important thing is to live one’s affirmation and to be open-minded enough to do the things that would help the affirmation become a reality. Feeling the affirmation and applying it in one’s life will help in making the affirmation a reality.

While affirmation is generally used to make an individual better, it can also be used to boost or confirm another person’s value. By affirming another person’s existence, you are helping him improve his self-worth.

Affirmation is a very simple thing that can make a very big difference in a person’s life. It can be a great motivator and can make things happen.

NOW is the time!

O.K. you have read the article. Now is the time for action. Without action, this article adds no value whatsoever to your self improvement. But remember, without action, you cannot blame this self improvement article or any article for that matter. So, take action NOW.

Even if only one piece of advice, one piece of information, one tip makes a difference, then the whole article has been worth it for all of us. NOW is the time!

Believe it or not, some of the most successful people you see in the media today used to have a low self esteem. How did they overcome this and become the successful people that they are today?

You can win the battle over low self esteem with these 4 simple steps…

1. Affirmations.

Affirmations are simply positive things that you say out loud to yourself every day. This can be very difficult at times because you may not actually believe what you are saying. SO why would you say something to yourself that you don’t believe?

Increased self esteem has to start with you. So, if you are shy and intimidated by people, start to say something like the following: I am NOT shy and I am NOT intimidated by people. I am VERY confident when I get around people.

Repeat this to yourself out loud at least 10 times before you leave your room. When you say this, don’t just mumble it either, say it as many times as necessary until you say it with passion and conviction.

2. Read to grow.

Again, increased self esteem starts with you. Read something everyday for at least 30 minutes that will help you increase your self esteem. This can be an article, a book, or even an audio series. The more you learn the more you will grow. The more you grow, the more your self esteem will improve.

3. Take action everyday.

Do something every day, starting with something small, that directly deals with your low self esteem. For instance, if you can’t talk with people because you feel insecure and inferior, just start off by saying ‘Hi’. As you get more comfortable with this, then start to make small talk. You will begin to feel more confident and more confident until one day, you will find that you have overcome low self-esteem in that area.

4. Stop the negative thoughts.

Negative thoughts are like land mines. As soon as you step out to face your fear, a negative thought comes and tells you that you can’t do it and BOOM; you believe it and lose that round. Instead, diffuse negative thoughts before they have a chance to do damage.

A great way to do this is with a rubber band! Put a rubber band around your wrist. Every time a thought comes into your head that tells you that you can’t, you will never succeed, you are a looser, or anything negative, SNAP the rubber band on your wrist.

You may be snapping that band until your wrist is red and sore. Before long though, you will stop the negative thoughts because you don’t want to hurt your wrist anymore.

These four steps will help you increase your self esteem and become the person you really want to be. Just remember this: you are not going to change over night. It will take time but as long as you are progressing, you are winning the war.

We all know that we possess so much power within ourselves that nothing should be impossible. Why then, is it so hard to be who we strive to be, to reach personal goals and to live the best life possible?

Why are we so often our own worst enemy?

I personally don’t care to contemplate or discuss all of the many causes that interfere with our being the best we can be. And when I say the “best” that is whatever you need to be happy. The “best” is whoever you are that allows you to be at peace and content, living each day with joy in your heart. The “best” is being able to march on in the face of adversity and sorrow, growing stronger with each challenge. Why aren’t you already there? As my friend Sandy always says, “it is what it is”! Stop over-analyzing and stop beating yourself up over not being in a place where you are your best. Start taking baby-steps to find your inner strength, to find that person who may be buried so deep you thought they were gone forever.

For me, my journey started by making a big leap of faith out of my successful career comfort zone into the world of being an entrepreneur. I’ll share more about that later but for now, I will focus on the 5 powerful messages that I needed to be reminded of to be my personal best. I believe so strongly in each that I launched my company around them. See if they can help you on your path to personal transformation!

1) I will make this leap with faith! Where will your “leap of faith” take you?

Where do you want to be in life? Who are you at the other side of the hurdle? As the proverb says “you cannot leap a chasm in two steps”! Once you identify your goal, you have to envision it every day. You have to embrace your dreams, know that you have the strength and wisdom to make your leap. Then, let go and believe!

2) What’s my personal transformation plan!

Personal transformation is a constant journey. There is no magic to yearly resolutions, they are only a beginning. Where will your life plan take you? Do you even have a plan? How will you stay focused on your goals and dreams?

Life is a process of becoming. Always believe in your core power. Identify your plan, embrace your vision and above all, respect all challenges. Make sure that you put yourself in the daily planner and on your many “to-do” lists.

3) I AM a Warrior! Get ready to take charge on your journey to personal transformation!

Repeat after me: I am strong, kind balanced and fearless!!!!

Life often feels like a battlefield. Gandhi saw the battlefield as a metaphor for our internal conflicts. What personal attributes will you summon to act with courage and unwavering focus? First you have to believe you have what you need to make the journey. You have a vision and the strength to silence the internal voices of defeat. Trust and the results will absolutely follow!

4) “I WILL…” start each day with this positive affirmation and fill in whatever it is you WILL accomplish!

My sister sent me an article that totally validates an individual’s power comes from within. We have the power to make core changes by using our internal focus, strength, wisdom and faith. When we access all of these amazing personal attributes, transformation follows. It is that simple! The problem is we are always so stressed and overwhelmed, running in a million different directions, unable to take 15 minutes to breathe. In addition to the stresses of daily life, we are now also completely stunned by the economic state of the world! Now more than ever we need to hang in and stay as positive as possible. What the article points out is that thinking positive phrases isn’t a waste of time.

“Strong affirmations put two powerful mental qualities into action: intention and expectation. Intention isn’t just wanting, wishing or hoping; it’s determination to act. Affirmations focus on our intention, and, because we repeat them, keep us focused on our goal…expecting a particular outcome does something extraordinary in our brains.”

When I developed the designs for our company’s line, we created messages with reverse writing so that when you face yourself in the mirror throughout the day, you will be reminded of your goal. The designs reinforce your intentions by visually providing strong affirmations.

5) Be Present. You have to start living in the moment!

How do we achieve the state of “being present?”

By being consciously aware of the present moment, we can control our own reality. Buddha said: “the mind is everything, what we think we become”.

Ask yourself: do I create my own reality or am I a leaf in the wind? What is reality anyway????? If you are beating yourself up over past behaviors, bad investments, poor career choices etc., you are living in the past. There isn’t anything you can change about what has passed. You also can’t control the future. The only thing you can control is what you are thinking and doing in the present moment. We can help to create a positive future reality by what we do and think in the present moment. Of course, that doesn’t always guarantee things will turn out as we hope. As the saying goes, “Man Plans and God Laughs! That’s when you lift yourself up, dust yourself off and try again. Adversity often leads us to a path where the real journey begins!

So my friends, start with these 5 simple affirmations and see if they don’t help you on your personal transformation journey!