My Two Cents on Affirmations

I am a believer in affirmations. I do them regularly. And I feel it when I don’t. But there seems to be some controversy over them. Do they work or not?

It depends on what you’re looking for. Affirmations are positive statements, generally stated in the present tense. “I am beautiful, capable and loveable,” for instance.

Some want to say that repeating affirmations does not make you any more beautiful, capable or loveable. Maybe not.

For me, affirmations help to feel certain things. Vibrate at that level, shall we say. In that way you can, if you’re good and consistent, attract things. And anything repeated enough times has got to change how you see things. That can be extremely powerful!

I cannot, however, attest to being able to manifest things in my life simply by affirming them. But I can say that affirmations make me feel like I can. They keep me going when I’m slipping. Affirmations remind me of what I’m doing and why.

Holding Intentions Lightly

I find this an interesting concept.  I believe in intentions.  If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you ever get there?  I have also found that life has a way of sweeping me this way and that.  Having intentions helps to stay on track and grounds me in what I have decided to do.

But unlike goals – which tend to be solid and unchangeable – intentions can be more flexible.  You can hold them more lightly.  This was what I intended to do today, but if I don’t or can’t, I can easily shift it to tomorrow, without a lot of bad feelings.

Intentions can change, too. Today I might intend to be open to giving to others. Whereas tomorrow I may not come in contact with many others, so I’ll make my intent to be more trusting.  I might have an intention to get that job.  But if it doesn’t play out the way I wanted, I can have an intention to land another job.

If I hold too tightly to my intentions, I create the potential for disappointment.  If I, instead, hold them more gently, I can use them as a guide for my steps, a reminder of what I wanted to do. But if life changes and it’s not possible, I can allow the intention to change shape, while it’s still in my hand.