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Affirmations
Feb. 11th, 2013 12:49 pm“I am my own best friend. And gosh… people like me!”
Perhaps you are one of those people who sees this Hallmark Moment and thinks to yourself, “awwwww… isn’t that sweet?” Or, if you are more like me, you are probably suppressing the urge to hurl a bit. In either case, we all recognize Daily Affirmations and their intent to make a difference.
For me, I do recognize that there is power in concentration and a real effort to make a difference. But the key is buy-in. Are you REALLY your own best friend? Do you REALLY believe people like you? Hopefully, the answer to both is yes. But if not, affirmations aren’t going to do much to make a difference. Heck, you can pray to win the lottery all you want. But in the very least, you need to get up off your butt to purchase a ticket, right?
Too often, I have known people who set their goals too high, too fast, with little to no effort. And that is, more often than not, a recipe for disaster – especially for things where you are only partially in control. Just as an example, let’s say that the goal is to lose 50 pounds by a key date. Well, that’s all well and good to think about it or concentrate on it or hope for it, or pray for it. But not only do you have to DO something to make that happen (such as stepping away from the cheesecake and going to the gym), but you have to be reasonable. 50 pounds is a lot of weight to lose – and not something that can (or really SHOULD) happen quickly. And the sad thing is, when it doesn’t happen, it leaves the Affirmation-person feeling even more crushed. Why? Because not only did the weight not go away, but the Affirmation failed.
Oh NOOOOES! The power of positive thinking went “Boink!”
Ya know how they say Rome wasn’t built in a day? Or that Time heals all wounds? What factor comes into play strongly in both of these quotations – time. Like it or not, some things just take time. That’s just the way things work. And you can hold your breath in protest, but it really won’t do you much good.
Give your goals time. Work for them. Do what you need to make them happen. Buy that lottery ticket. Visit the gym. Get out of the house more. Widen your social circles. De-clutter. And be patient while the change happens. I know it isn’t always easy. But the alternative is for you to hold your breath until you pass out. And what good does that do? It just leaves you huffing and puffing and all red in the face, which is just not a good look.
Be patient with yourself and with the world around you. Change not only can happen – it WILL happen. But you have to surrender to the fact that some things are beyond your control. In the meantime, enjoy your day. Have a cup of coffee. Notice the little itsy bitsy bits of progress. A one pound loss may not be the fifty you wanted, but it is a piece of the fifty – and should be celebrated as such.
Let this be the year of affirmative change!
Perhaps you are one of those people who sees this Hallmark Moment and thinks to yourself, “awwwww… isn’t that sweet?” Or, if you are more like me, you are probably suppressing the urge to hurl a bit. In either case, we all recognize Daily Affirmations and their intent to make a difference.
For me, I do recognize that there is power in concentration and a real effort to make a difference. But the key is buy-in. Are you REALLY your own best friend? Do you REALLY believe people like you? Hopefully, the answer to both is yes. But if not, affirmations aren’t going to do much to make a difference. Heck, you can pray to win the lottery all you want. But in the very least, you need to get up off your butt to purchase a ticket, right?
Too often, I have known people who set their goals too high, too fast, with little to no effort. And that is, more often than not, a recipe for disaster – especially for things where you are only partially in control. Just as an example, let’s say that the goal is to lose 50 pounds by a key date. Well, that’s all well and good to think about it or concentrate on it or hope for it, or pray for it. But not only do you have to DO something to make that happen (such as stepping away from the cheesecake and going to the gym), but you have to be reasonable. 50 pounds is a lot of weight to lose – and not something that can (or really SHOULD) happen quickly. And the sad thing is, when it doesn’t happen, it leaves the Affirmation-person feeling even more crushed. Why? Because not only did the weight not go away, but the Affirmation failed.
Oh NOOOOES! The power of positive thinking went “Boink!”
Ya know how they say Rome wasn’t built in a day? Or that Time heals all wounds? What factor comes into play strongly in both of these quotations – time. Like it or not, some things just take time. That’s just the way things work. And you can hold your breath in protest, but it really won’t do you much good.
Give your goals time. Work for them. Do what you need to make them happen. Buy that lottery ticket. Visit the gym. Get out of the house more. Widen your social circles. De-clutter. And be patient while the change happens. I know it isn’t always easy. But the alternative is for you to hold your breath until you pass out. And what good does that do? It just leaves you huffing and puffing and all red in the face, which is just not a good look.
Be patient with yourself and with the world around you. Change not only can happen – it WILL happen. But you have to surrender to the fact that some things are beyond your control. In the meantime, enjoy your day. Have a cup of coffee. Notice the little itsy bitsy bits of progress. A one pound loss may not be the fifty you wanted, but it is a piece of the fifty – and should be celebrated as such.
Let this be the year of affirmative change!
