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The most stupid but effective tool to increase motivation and self image for me has been self-affirmations.
I learned a long time ago to tell myself “I like myself!” and strangely this exercise has increased my motivation and my sense of self worth greatly.
I used to have a little voice in my head saying; “Ooh, that looks difficult, you can’t do that, stay away!”.
By using self affirmations I have been able to drown that voice out and replace it with a voice screaming
“YOU CAN DO IT! GO GO GO!”
This voice is a lot more motivating, it helps me face my fears and keep working.
It is surprising how well it works to tell yourself that you are happy and motivated.
Do it enough times and you will become happy and motivated.
I read this every morning and evening
“I like myself
I love my work
I am going to be happy today
I can do it!”
You can use anything you need
You might not need the same advice as I do or the same motivators.
Think about what you need help with.
My advice is to always say it in an active form e.g. I am, I have. Instead of I will, I wish.
It is a lot more powerful to say “I like myself” than “I will like myself”.
Some suggestions to other affirmations
I deserve success
I am a good X
I am motivated
I am the best
I am great
Conclusion
It does feel very, very stupid to tell yourself these things, but please try it out.
It will make a difference if you do it often enough.
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Photo Credit: River Beach
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Hi Daniel,
Kathy (my current wife) didn’t begin to date until she was in her forties. She had some unjustified self esteem issues and was challenged and motivated by a therapist to overcome them. She pulled out all stops and subsequently dated 102 men in 4 years. I was #102 so I think it had an happy ending. She used the following affirmation:
I am vibrantly healthy and radiantly beautiful. I am irresistibly attractive to men.
Riley
Hey Riley,
That is an interesting story.
I am glad you got her to settle down!
That story does prove the value of self affirmations though, thanks to changing her confidence she was able to go from never dating or attracting guys to having a cue of men waiting for their turn.
Have you had any of the same experiences for yourself?
Riley, that is one of the coolest stories ever man! Loved it!
Hey Marcus,
I just wanted to thank you for commenting on Rileys story, it is something we need more of here at Looking to business.
Thanks mate!
I have had an inconsistent relationship with affirmations. Like you said I felt kind of silly doing them and I gave up several times for that reason. It wasn’t until I was having issues at my job when I actually experienced the benefits. Everyday I told myself I was great at what I do even when I was doing poorly. Now I am one of the best performers on my team. Affirmations work. You just have to tailor them for exactly whatever your shortcoming may be. Great post Daniel. Sorry it took me so long to get back here. Been a busy month.
Its funny how the Law of Attractive is perceived as silly. Guest that is why its one of the best kept secrets.
Isn’t it interesting that our upbringing has made the law of attraction seem so hokus pokus. It does work and it is very valuable to be mindfull of it.
What has your greatest experience with the law of attraction been? (If I may ask)
My greatest experience has actual been my life experience. I am a business development rep by profession. My signature traits are *Relator *Woo *Connectedness *Positivity * Individualization. All these traits make me positive by nature.
It’s actually how I have always lived my life. I have been perceived as being unusual. I have been told that I live in a fantasyland. LOL! But yes. I have always “thought it and made it happened”. To the human mind it may appear arrogant but its actual quite natural. It is the ego that’s prevents the mind from accepting the possibilities.
I know it more so now because I have been having a challenging time. I sustained a back injury that’s caused chronic pain, which impede my thoughts process. Ha… I bet you could imagine. I have observed how my life has changed through my thought process. I never loose hope, cause again its my nature. The Law of Attraction will bring me through this difficult time.
Wow, good luck, I am sure you will be able to turn it around and even make that pain go away.
The body can heal itself in remarkable ways.
So the law of attraction has come naturally to you? It isn’t something you have learned?
YES!! Its natural, ” The Secret” just defined and characterized it for me. Many people utilize the Law of Attraction. Religious and Spiritualist also practice these laws. Thanks for the engagement it been a pleasure.
No, thank you!
It is always great to have someone join in thoroughly in the discussion.
I hope this isn’t the last we see from you
No problem Frank I know you have lots to do.
It is interesting that it feels so dumb when it works so very well.
Thanks for sharing how you turned your results around.
What affirmations do you use today?
I use a series of very simple ones starting with today is going to be a great day. Then I literally force myself to smile. It is hard because I am far from a morning person. It actually works. The others are too valuable to share publically. lol! No, one of the strongest affirmations that I have follows the premise of being very specific and name the exact results I am looking for. ex: Today I will acquire 15 new techniques for …. It changes daily based upon whatever task dominates my mind. Thanks for asking. What affirmations do you use?
That is a great method Frank.
I have varied at times depending on what I need, some I used to use are “I deserve to succeed/happiness” and “I can do it!”
At the moment I use:
“I like myself”
“I love my work”
“I am going to be happy today”
I repeat that with feeling 4 times every morning and then I’ll repeat it once in a while during the day.
“Stupid but effective”??? You may want to edit that sentence, that statement stayed with me throughout my read.
Sorry about that, I’ll have a look but I know many feel that it is weird to stand infront of a mirror saying “I like myself” “I am great” but it is really effective, in other words “Stupid, but effective”
Hi Daniel,
It’s funny how we have no issues telling ourselves we can’t do this, or we’re not good enough for this, or we will never achieve this. Yet, we don’t think that we should ‘program’ ourselves with positive words.
I believe positive affirmations work, but they have to be followed by action. Sitting on your couch saying ‘I’m going to do it’ never led anywhere.
Thanks for this Daniel and reminding us that the simple words we tell ourselves matter.
Hey John,
Thanks for the great insight. All the good thoughts and intentions amount to nothing if no action is taken.
Once you take action though positive thoughts and intentions compound into a powerful force.
Do you use self-affirmations yourself?
Everyday buddy!
Why am I not surprised
Hey Daniel,
I jumped in here to emphatically agree with everything in John’s comment. We suppose it to be just fine to have negative thoughts and words impact us, yet, not the winning sort.
Each night no matter how little sleep I’ll be getting, I tell myself, “I will wake up refreshed. I will attack life.”
I love me some affirmations and find them to be most useful. Again though, actions beget actions. We must make it happen!
Hey Rob,
First of all I want to thank you for answering to someone elses comment, we need more of that here at Looking to Business.
You added a great example here, affirmations before you go to bed. Most of us have been discussing morning affirmations but in many ways they work better right before you go to sleep.
Thanks Rob.
Daniel,
I love your affirmation – “YOU CAN DO IT! GO GO GO!” Mind if I borrow it! The ALL CAPS factor makes it even more impressive, as if it’s shouting at you!
Hey Riley, Frank and John (Hi FashionistaChic!) I keep seeing you guys everywhere I go today! We may as well travel together – coming!?
Lori
P.S. I especially love the repetition of the word GO!
Thanks Lori,
I have been on a lot of blogs these past few days and it is fun to see the same faces all over the place. I don’t know if it is because we travel in the same circles or just because some of you really are everywhere.
I have those words on my mirror, they motivate and strengthen.
Let me know if they help!
If you use them I would be honored, on one condition though
//Daniel
Hi Daniel,
Affirmations are great, I’ve been using them for years.
Funny, how you said, “the most stupid, but effective tool”.
How we talk to ourselves is crucial to our success in life.
One thing I want to add however. I’ve recently come to conclusion that affirmations are a great tool to help us achieve our goals. So they have value only when used to help us achieve our specific life goals.
We can use affirmations all our life, but still not produce great results due to lack of specific goals.
I think affirmations are part of a larger thinking system.
I’m glad you talked about this important tool.
Affirmations are powerful. No doubt about it.
Greetings,
Derek
Hey Derek,
You are so right, everything needs to be a part of a system.
Self-affirmations cannot do everything, just like a goal isn’t a miracle solution.
You need a combination of motivation, plans, goals and purpose.
In this mix the self-affirmations can help increase your purpose, reinforce your goals and increase your motivation.
What self-affirmations do you use Derek?
I like:
I AM SUPER-ULTRA CREATIVE!
I AM UNBELIEVABLY FULFILLED!
I KICK ASS LIKE CRAZY, ONLINE & OffLINE!
and hundreds of others, too many to mention, and I create them as I please;)
You?
hahaha, that is quite the row.
Mine are a little more discreat, but they get the job done:
I like myself
I love my work
I am going to be happy today.
Those are the things I need to hear.
It is great that you chose affirmations that motivate you and reinforce what needs reinforcing. It doesn’t have to be the same every day.
A few years ago Daniel, I would have thought this post was garbage. I have since learned the power of affirmations and am a believer! Wayne Dyer’s “The Power of Intention” and Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” are the two books that introduced me to it. It’s the Law of Attraction in action baby! Great post bud.
Isn’t it strange that we dismiss this technique.
I did as well at first, not anymore!
What changes have you felt since you started using self affirmations?
Mainly an increase in self-confidence. But it’s even more than the feeling that’s improved. The things that are focused on actually manifest themselves in my life. who knew?
I agree, it is an amazing feeling.
But like Derek mentioned above, it can’t do it alone. It needs to be part of the system.
What do you think?
This was fun and dang true Daniel. Although the concept of self affirmation can sound very, very silly, I think we all need to be reminded of it, because unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into the habit of negative self speak— which really can be a downer.
Continued success bud,
Marcus
For some reason it seems as though society has made it natural to speak negatively to yourself, but makes it feel weird to say positive things to yourself.
Why do you think that is?
Even though this list may sound petty and simple….yet they are all soooo effective! It just takes a simple step to change a thought, to changing a behavior/pattern, to changing your energetic vibration that goes toward attracting the things in life you would love to obtain. Thank you for this reminder…it has motivated me to do this once more
Hi Kenya,
Thank you for commenting
It really does make a difference to use self affirmations.
Have you used self affirmations much in the past?
What affirmations have you used/plan on using?
I have used them Daniel…and what I have really found is effective for me…is to practice knowing that EVERYTHING is perfect in its own way and actually affirm and live it. Know that all things have a cause and effect and if you live your life in cause-mode and stay aware that your vibrations attract “like” vibrations…you have no choice but to be motivated in every situation!
Hey Kenya,
Thank you for adding to the conversation.
The cause and effect mode is interesting, knowing that everything you do will have effects and making sure to focus on your goals that your actions cause your goals to be achieved.
How can ‘stupid’ and most effective go together … hmmm — especially since it seems to work for you …
Maybe a new affirmation for ‘positive expression’ for good things might be an idea …
You spoilt your own message with that entry sentence alone … sad really – as that will (and has as I see) not positive on you… ah well… all a big learning curve, life and such ehy
Hello Iris,
I am sorry that you didn’t like that first sentence, it was meant to be taken as a joke. It feels very stupid to stand in front of the mirror telling yourself that you like yourself until you get used to it, but it is very effective.
Though I am glad to see the message was accepted since you will be trying it out.
Thank you for the feedback, it is always much appriciated and as you said it is all a learning curve, I will try to be more obviously joking or not joke at all next time.
It is hard to be sarcastic in writing.
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thank you Daniel, i will try my best to put it into use and am been optimistic that i will have a good testimony to give you as my feedback.
Hey Sanni,
Thank you. I am glad it has helped
Hi Dan
Y E S! That’s a never-ending driven power~~xixi~~be an optimistic girl and to share my happiness is my dream! come on guys! enjoy our life!
Way to go Sissi!