Every day declare for yourself what you want in life. Declare it as though you have it. ~Louise Hay

Dream! Dream what you want your life to look like. You are the authority in your life, you can make it happen!

Have you been practicing being a mouse in your pocket?  Have you been paying attention to your words and thoughts? This introspection is the beginning of paving the way into a wonderful life! Your dream life!

Our minds are amazing. Our subconscious and conscious are not two minds, they are two spheres of activity within one mind. Our conscious mind is the reasoning mind, the phase of mind that chooses. We make all our decisions with our conscious mind. On the other hand, without any conscious choice on our part, all of our vital functions; digestion, circulation, breathing are kept functioning automatically by the subconscious mind through processes independent of our conscious mind.

Our subconscious mind accepts what is impressed upon it or what we consciously believe. Our subconscious mind is like a recording machine that faithfully reproduces whatever we impress upon it. Therefore, we must choose wisely what we record. It hears everything that we say and creates according to our beliefs.

If we choose to think negatively, criticize and judge ourselves and others, we have what is called “poverty beliefs.” If we think uplifting thoughts, believe that we can have all that we want, and there is enough to share, we have “abundance beliefs.”

Whatever we think and say, our subconscious will create in our lives. When we make comments like, “I just don’t think I’m good enough. Our subconscious will assume that’s what we want and will give us what we ask for.

Don’t worry, to change our beliefs all we need to do it is change our thoughts and what we say.

Use of words is really a matter of approach and attitude. When we observe, we’ll see how thoughts create people’s lives. Notice how lonely, unhappy, or sick people talk. As you pay attention to their language you’ll see it is negative and blaming. Don’t have a judgmental attitude and condemn them, just notice so that you can decide what thoughts you’ll choose, and what words will come out of your mouth. Pay attention to people who have a happy life, no matter what their external circumstances are. What words are coming out of their mouths?

Remember the subconscious doesn’t know right from wrong or true from false.

We must choose our words wisely! Don’t say, “dummy me” or “I’m so stupid” because the subconscious will pick this up and you’ll start feeling this way.

The subconscious has no sense of humor. It is important that we don’t insult ourselves thinking that we’re being cute or silly and say, “I’m just joking”. The comment becomes fact for us. Don’t belittle yourself or others. Your subconscious doesn’t distinguish between you and someone else. Instead of criticizing others, focus and comment on their positive traits.

The only person who is going to make a change in your life is you. If we have poverty beliefs, we must retrain our thinking and speaking into positive patterns.

An affirmation is a beginning point. It is a way to say to your subconscious “I’m ready to make a change. I’m ready to take responsibility for my life.” Remember that every time you think a thought and make a comment, you are saying an affirmation.

If you say, “I don’t want to be sick anymore” the subconscious hears sick and more. We need to choose wisely, “I’m feeling well today.” Think in the positive, state what you want as if you already have it.

You deserve all that you want. State what it is that you want. Say, “I accept for myself _______.” This is where people get stuck. Many people don’t believe they deserve goodness. You do! Everyone does! State it as if it already is!

Last time I suggested these simple statements:

“I am worthwhile.”
“I am deserving.”
“I love myself.”
“I allow myself to be fulfilled.”

If you’ve been saying this regularly, you’re probably already starting to believe them. If not, start right now.

Choose one affirmation, either one of these suggested above, or write your own.
Remember that affirmations are like planting seeds in the garden. You don’t get a ripe tomato the day after planting, it takes time and tender-loving care. It didn’t happen over night but it starts with one thought. With enough positive beliefs, our lives will be created by our subconscious mind in the way we dream.

It is amazingly quick to change a belief! In just three weeks, twenty one days, we will start to reprogram our minds.

You’ll move ahead. As you change your beliefs, you life will be changed. Remember the old expression “Garbage in,  Garbage Out”? If you put negative thoughts in, you get negative experiences out. If we put good in we get good out! It’s simple, but it all takes focus and mental work. We each develop our own reality.

Let’s decide what we want our reality to be and make it happen. When we take our desire and determination, put it into frequently spoken words, it will happen!

Years ago, I read Louise L. Hay’s book The Power is Within You. She taught me this information and I followed her advice. I started saying, “All is well in my world.” That led me to other affirmations, all said enough times to program my subconscious to believe.

I have to say, I still have bad days. Life isn’t always perfect. I’ve overcome many things, I still have more to learn. Even so, I’m a happy person! I have much to be grateful for! And all is well in my world!

I do a lot of positive self talk every day. When I’m working on a new pattern of thought, or I have identified a new dream or goal, I write a new affirmation. For example, “I’m willing to change the patterns in me that created this condition. I love and approve of myself.” Or simply, “I choose happiness today, I choose success.” I’ll say my new affirmation first thing when I wake up, throughout the day, then as the last thing I think about as I’m falling asleep. I know as I say it repetitively, it will become part of my being. Like magic, in three weeks, only twenty one days, my subconscious mind will believe it as fact. Sometimes I keep track of the days that I say a particular affirmation. I make a tally sheet, and check off the day as I’m falling asleep.

I start and end every day with a prayer. Some people call it meditation. Some people call it listening to my inner wisdom. I quiet my mind and ask God what I need to know, what I need to learn from this day. It doesn’t matter what I’m experiencing in the world, if I take the time to ask what lessons are mine to learn and I’m willing to listen, I progress.

You will start to doubt. Think of doubt as a friendly reminder. Plunge in by telling doubt, “that’s the old message, here’s the new, I’m a wonderful person, I’m strong and independent” or whatever you’re working on.

Don’t give your power over to other peoples ideas. If you hear yourself saying things like, “my husband won’t like that” or “I’ve never been strong enough to do that” or “my parents don’t believe this” you’re giving your power away.  Don’t give your power away to books or magazines either being written and published doesn’t necessarily make it true. Press on, say your affirmations.

You are the authority in your own life. Take control!
Life is really here for you. You need only to ask. Tell life what you want, then allow good to happen.

Decide what you need the most. Write an affirmation that will lead you to believe what you need. Usually it’s something like, “I am a divine creation of God.” or “I am a valuable person.” If you already know this about yourself, maybe “I am open and receptive to ___________.” Declaring to yourself what it is that you want.

We are all divine creations! As we think good thoughts good will follow. As we think bad thoughts, bad will follow. We all have the right to have all that we want! As we choose to believe and say good things, we will improve the quality of our lives. Our subconscious is giving to us what we ask for.

Give it a try! What have you got to lose?! I’m confident if you take the time to think and speak kindly to yourself, your life will be improved!

Tell me about your experiences with positive affirmations in the comments below!

“I don’t have a creative bone in my body!”

Ever had that thought? If so, you’re not alone. Even professional artists struggle with their creative ability from time to time.

What might surprise you, however, is that studies show that a person’s self-esteem is connected to their creativity. Yep, here we go again – we have to take another look at our self-worth!

It goes something like this: To be creative requires risk. To take risks requires self-confidence. To gain self-confidence requires trusting that people important to us will accept us regardless of whether we fail or succeed.

If we thrive on the approval and praise of others, we experience stunted imagination and seek to conform rather than take unnecessary risks. If we’re self-confident, the sky’s the limit! We are free to soar, stretching our creative wings.

You might think, “So what?? I didn’t want to be an artist anyway!”

You don’t have to be an artist to benefit from a boost in your creative-self-esteem. Enhanced creativity gives you better problem-solving skills. It helps you see multiple possibilities and solutions to life’s daily events. And yes, it even helps with the “art” of daily life how to make a pleasing dinner for your family or color-coordinate your child’s clothing before he leaves for school. It gives you ideas on unique ways to connect and love the people around you and how to save money on the household budget without feeling the bite. The list is as endless as creativity itself.

If you’re itching for more creativity in your life, the first thing you might want to gauge is the heartiness of your self-esteem. Water it with lots of permission and positive thoughts. Pull up some of those stubborn negative-word weeds. Over time, your creative garden is sure to start growing. Eventually, you’ll see the effect of it woven all throughout your life.