You ever try to feel good, despite the fact that there’s a lot of crazy, unnerving stuff going on around you?

In the past whenever my day was hurling towards ‘awful’ I always tried to eek out a “You can do this…“ or a “I am strong enough to handle it.” Sometimes it’s a bulging eyed, “Breathe, breathe, breathe!”

But you know what – (and I’ve never told anyone this before) – after all these years of putting on my affirmation game face, I’ve come to a “let’s-cut-the-shit” realization. Most affirmations are crap. Yeah, I said it. Need a synonym? Here’s one, do-do. Here’s another, ca-ca. And I’ll tell you why.

For many years I told myself that I’m a millionaire. I affirmed the heck out of it. I affirmed it with feeling, with gratitude, with imagination, with emotional whip cream and a cherry on top. I hung affirmations on my wall. I hung affirmations on the bathroom mirror. I had them flashing on my computer screen a la subliminal messages style.

And affirm as I might, I’m still not a millionaire. I’m more than a tenth of the way there, which is pretty darn cushy. But let’s face it, one-tenth cushy still ain’t millionaire cushy.

Are affirmations really to blame for my lack?

The mind believes whatever you tell it. It will take all of your collected experience and spit it out to create your reality.

Affirmations, as they’re currently taught, are like crutches for a man who walks perfectly fine. You tell yourself a blatant untruth in hopes that you’ll move towards that untruth, so that it’ll eventually become a genuine truth.

But here’s what I think… I have a sneaking suspicion that the mind doesn’t quite work that way. I’m thinking it’s more like the mind believes whatever the heck you tell it, as it applies to the right now, here, today.

For example, if I’m lazy and I sit on my rump all day, telling myself that I’m productive just reinforces that I’m productive in my laziness. Likewise if I tell myself that I’m a millionaire 20 times a day, I’m just reinforcing that my $150K a year IS millionaire status. “I’m skinny,” becomes “skinny” even if you’re 300 pounds. And there you are sitting “skinny” wondering why you’re not losing any weight.

The mind compares whatever you have to whatever you’re saying to yourself, and makes that connection. In my logical mind I know what a million dollars is. I know that I don’t have a million dollars. But in my emotional mind, I’m counting the money I have and I’m telling myself, “I’m a millionaire! Yippee!”

Affirmations done right

I’ve stopped affirming that I’m a millionaire. Until I reach millionaire status there will be no more of that.

Instead I’ve started living and affirming my truth. I’m a self-employed entrepreneur. I’m moving towards millionaire status. I’m waking up in the morning and I’m moving towards millionaire status. I see my end destination. And I know that I have to listen to spirit and take action to get there.

Sure it’s boring. Sure it’s uneventful.

The affirmation lover in you might argue, “But if you constantly tell yourself that you’re moving towards something, you’ll constantly be moving towards it.”

Not true. If I tell myself that I’m moving towards something, I’m going to keep moving towards it until I reach it. That million dollars is a finite tangible goal.

As long as I’m telling myself that I’m moving towards it, my subconscious will move towards it. Whereas if I tell myself that I’m there, my subconscious says, “Whew, break out the champagne. We’re done!”

See the difference?

I’m curious to know what your affirmation opinions are. Share them with me.

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Filed under: Spiritual Skills

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