22 Jun Prosperity Series #3: Creating Powerful Affirmations

Welcome to the third installment of this Prosperity Series. Here we look at the essence of affirmations.  It is easy to misunderstand the term and how to use it to bring us the prosperity we’re after. 

We look first at the definition of affirm. To affirm means:

• To accept or confirm the validity of something.
• To make a formal declaration.
• To state as a fact.

The basic principle behind an affirmation is that it points to what is true, right here, right now.  It doesn’t deal with the future because that  is unknowable and based on what we are doing now. The future is mutable and constantly changing. 

See this for yourself. You have an internal sense that tells you whether a statement is true or false. It’s a way of helping you make sense of the world around you. A mundane example: when you see the sun and say, “The sun is shining,”  you don’t get an internal pushback, do you? No, that aspect of your mind doesn’t activate when you tell the truth. 

On the other hand, say out loud to yourself: “The sun is blue.” Notice the discomfort you feel and how you automatically want to say something to refute that statement. That’s because your internal sense automatically detects something that is not true.

That discomfort is at the heart of creating affirmations that don’t work and won’t bring us what we want or love.  Elaine’s story says it all:

Elaine: About two months ago, I signed up for a digital program on creating affirmations. There was a leader who presented a theory about affirmations. He said we would automatically create what we most wanted by creating affirmations in the following way. They were to sound like this:

• I am financially successful
• I am physically fit and healthy
• I am a loving family member.

He told us to write three statements like this on paper and recite them ten times daily for ten days, noticing anything new or different that happened. 

But I needed help from the start.  I could feel my gut tighten and my neck stiffen whenever I said, “I am financially successful.” A voice inside would say:  “No, you’re not!”

So, I quit the program. It didn’t make sense to say something I didn’t believe was true, no matter how many times I said it.

There is a way to create affirmations that don’t produce the internal pushback we discussed above. To do it, I’d like to revisit a principle I’ve written about repeatedly in these articles over the past year. It’s called being willing.

Being willing is your most powerful gift. It’s the one that allows you to keep going ahead, no matter what’s happening around you. Being willing supports you to say “yes” to life on life’s terms.

Being willing points to what is true for you, no matter what is happening in your life. I’ll bet that the people who inspire you the most keep going, no matter the odds. They’re willing to proceed toward a given goal or dream, even if they don’t think they can, are scared to do it, or are afraid they aren’t up to it.

The most fundamental affirmation you can ever say is:  “I am willing.” Say it to yourself right now. What do you experience?

To create an affirmation that works for you, you only need to pair it with the words: “I am willing.” To return to Elaine’s examples, she would create affirmations that ring true if she were to write:

• I am willing to be financially successful.
• I am willing to be physically fit and healthy.
• I am willing to be a loving family member.

You can see the logic of it. Here you’re pairing something important to you with your fundamental affirmation. The result is a statement that you can read at least ten times a day and never get that internal pushback! 

Here is a list of Life’s Intentions I created thirty years ago to support you in creating affirmations that ring true for you. A Life Intention is a direction, aim, or purpose that gives your life a sense of meaning. It was drawn from interviews with hundreds of people, asking them what they wanted to be known for. 

I suggest you do the following:

1. Take three of the Life’s Intentions you scored highest (level 5 on the inventory).
2. Put them on a notecard where you can see them daily for at least 30 days.
3. Talk to your friends or family about what they are and what they mean to you.
4. You might suggest they read this article and then take the Life’s Intentions Inventory, too!

Finally, the earmark of a true affirmation is that it points you toward something you can do to put it into your life. For example, with the affirmation, “I am willing to be a loving family member,” you might do something that reflects your affirmation each week.

To satisfy my affirmation, I am willing to be a loving family member, I play with my sons, ages 6 and 8, for one hour each Saturday morning. That’s the time for the three of us before the rest of the day begins. That makes the difference in how we interact the rest of the week. This is what true prosperity means to me!

To sum up, a genuine fundamental affirmation points you toward something you can do to satisfy it. Try this out, and let me know if you feel more prosperous, too!