Do affirmations work?

[wkiehl101]

I've tried affirmations...they don't seem to help me. At best, they just don't work; at worst, they make me feel like Stuart Smalley.

Affirmations have worked for me on and off in the past. I used them to get my kids in private school when there seemed no possibility of being able to afford it. They've also helped me in small ways financially over the years, just when I've needed it.

On a similar note, affirming positively (as opposed to just repeating phrases) has helped keep me perfectly healthy for about 5 years while everyone around me has had colds and flu. I was always getting severe colds with torturous sore throat and laryngitis at the same time every year. It got so that I began to expect it. One year I realised what I had been doing to myself, and began to affirm that I am healthy and my immune system is working to keep me that way. Whenever anyone sneezed or coughed near me, or the flu was mentioned in the news, I affirmed I was immune and healthy. I extended it to include my loved ones as well. I have not had a scratchy throat, cough or sniffle for years now, because I've come to believe I'm immune. It's a good habit to get into, especially with the media the way it is, to affirm health and well-being whenever someone mentions the latest disease statistics or epidemic. You're training your subconscious and your white blood cells to keep you healthy.

Now if only I could do it for the lottery ....

xxxhappyheart

Thank you for making me think!
I have used affirmations for two purposes: to modify the outer to reflect the inner (manifestation) and then purely for inner purposes.
I now notice that the manifestation ones have not worked at all (maybe because I tend to think big), whereas the inner ones work always.
There was an incident some weeks ago when my sacred space was invaded without my permission (and without me being aware of it at the time) and it took some serious affirmations to gain back my power and cut the cords to these energy beings draining me.
Although we are all co-creators and according to my understanding beginning to receive more of our creator powers allowing more possibilities in instant manifestation, we might not be collectively at the level yet to handle the great responsibility that the power requires from us. Maybe.

[wkiehl101]

Originally Posted by Happyheart

Now if only I could do it for the lottery ....

xxxhappyheart

My mom's been trying that one for years. Hasn't worked yet

[Xan]

A better question than "Do affirmations work?" would be "How does our creative power work?"

There some pointers in this thread: Your Creative Powers of Mind - http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3885


Xan

I think it has to be something you FEEL. It has to be something you know has truth in it. As a person above said it is just words to say "I am the strongest person in the world". If it came down to heart, do you really believe it? You have to believe. I have trouble with affirmations myself. It's like I can see how they work but the doubts seem to be stronger. I think that's where action has to come in. It's like the old story of if you keep thinking of a certain type of car, you will start to see that car everywhere. Affirmations for me seem like kind of a filter for your mind. So maybe you will think of an affirmation, put lots of true emotion behind it, which will enable you to see opportunities that someone with a negative mindset won't see, which will spur you into action, which will then fulfil the affirmation. Still, it looks great on paper but with the really really important stuff it is hard to TRULY believe it. I'm still learning...

I believe in affirmations if you believe in what you are saying.

By repeating the line "I am confident, I am confident, I am confident" without really thinking about it is, in my opinion, almost useless... I think you have to put effort into it, really feel the words and believe in every word you are saying. BELIEVE that you are confident. Say it with enthusiasm and yes, I do believe affirmations work.

They work for me. :)

I used to have an affirmation several years back. It's a personal one so I won't share it here, but served as a reminder. It wasn't meant to change anything. It was meant to remind me of all things good, and all things just.

[Adrienne]

Originally Posted by Happyheart

Affirmations have worked for me on and off in the past. I used them to get my kids in private school when there seemed no possibility of being able to afford it. They've also helped me in small ways financially over the years, just when I've needed it.

On a similar note, affirming positively (as opposed to just repeating phrases) has helped keep me perfectly healthy for about 5 years while everyone around me has had colds and flu. I was always getting severe colds with torturous sore throat and laryngitis at the same time every year. It got so that I began to expect it. One year I realised what I had been doing to myself, and began to affirm that I am healthy and my immune system is working to keep me that way. Whenever anyone sneezed or coughed near me, or the flu was mentioned in the news, I affirmed I was immune and healthy. I extended it to include my loved ones as well. I have not had a scratchy throat, cough or sniffle for years now, because I've come to believe I'm immune. It's a good habit to get into, especially with the media the way it is, to affirm health and well-being whenever someone mentions the latest disease statistics or epidemic. You're training your subconscious and your white blood cells to keep you healthy.

Now if only I could do it for the lottery ....

xxxhappyheart

Thank you Happyheart for sharing your affirmation successes ! I especially like the health one.

blessings,
Dream Angel xx

[joyfirst]

They do work, although I never use just one method to grow, so i can't really say, that it is just affirmations, that do it. It also takes longer, than a day or a month. I go off and on with them, because once they become too mechanic, i change to something else.