Release Negative Patterns by Using Positive Affirmations!

To conclude the discussion on releasing negative behavior patterns, I want to take time today to talk about positive affirmations.

So, what do I mean by positive affirmations?  

Positive affirmations are statements that claim certain things as if we already have them in abundance.  

They help create the reality you want to experience.  Meaning, if you tell yourself daily that you are something, then eventually, you will be it.

Affirmations have quickly become something that I live by.  I have several that I say throughout the day when I feel negativity rising. 

The birthplace of affirmations is positive thinking.  Those of you who know me well know my strong, sometimes-annoying belief in the power of positivity.  

Positive thoughts lead to positive outcomes, negative thoughts lead to negative outcomes. 

Personal Affirmations put positive thoughts into action, which leads to positive feelings which are the most important and powerful part.  When you say your affirmations, you must also consciously feel the emotions that go along with each affirmation.  For example, when I say my baby-making affirmation I am balanced, I am healthy, I am fertile and I’m so thankful for the ability to create life and conceive I literally picture myself in that moment when I find out I’m pregnant.  I feel the excitement and happiness take over.  I visualize seeing a positive test.  Sometimes I even visualize being pregnant, giving birth, feeding a baby, etc. 

The feelings that these affirmations make us feel are what fuel the creation machine.

Creating personal affirmations for yourself is quick and easy, and (if practiced) will bring miraculous things into your life. 

For example, I’ve been trying to let go of my OCD tendencies toward my appearance, especially my hair.  I went from being crazy anal-retentive and never having a hair out of place to not getting my hair cut for over a year, letting it do it’s own crazy thing without trying to control it, only washing it about once every week and half or so, and just totally not giving a crap anymore.  And the affirmation I’d tell myself through all this? 

I am effortlessly beautiful.

Now I go bare-skinned when in the past I couldn’t even fathom leaving the house without at least concealer on.  I just twist and pin and scrunch as far as my hair goes, and showering is the last thing on my to-do list.

And I get non-stop compliments on my hair.  (It’s quite ridiculous actually.  Just ask my husband, Dustin.  It’s become a bit of a joke between us at this point.) And I actually feel prettier.  I became and believed myself to be effortlessly beautiful.

Affirmations manifest things into your life, like difference experiences or changes that you want to take place.  When starting to job search back in December after deciding to leave The Regeneration Station, I came up with an affirmation to draw my perfect new job to me:

I’m so thankful for my new job.  I’m thankful that it’s better pay, less hours, less stress, and more fulfilling.

Then I would just picture myself happy, successful, and fulfilled.

Granted, I’m living off student loans right now, but I would say this “job” of full time blogger and student is pretty much what I asked for, other than the pay part, of course.

Affirmations help us focus our consciousness on the things that we want more of in our life as opposed to the things we want less of.  

Which is what happens when we focus our consciousness on things like stress, worry, anxiety, and doubt.  Our thoughts are energy, so when they form negative energy, find an affirmation you can say to yourself to convert that negative into the positive.

In the last post, I mentioned the idea of doing meditation for 30-days.  After doing something for 30 consecutive days, it becomes a habit that is more likely to stick.  Affirmations are a GREAT 30-day project.  Take a minute to think of a few things you’d like to manifest into your life.  What do you want?  More love?  More joy?  More peace?  More money?  More friends?  Maybe there’s something specific you want to happen like help with a move, a new job, or many a new baby?  Create an affirmation for it!

When writing affirmations, keep them positive and in the present tense.  Here are some real examples of affirmations I’ve used or are currently using:

I am a carrier of the light.  All that I think, say, and do expresses divinity. 

Nothing can keep my good from me, so I bless all situations in life as good. 

All of my needs are met and exceeded so I may share with those who need it. 

I am a strong, intelligent, successful woman. 

I am creating the life I desire by focusing my thoughts on what I want to happen. 

I release all fear and negativity.  I allow love to take their place and I graciously accept all the blessings that follow.

Come up with a few affirmations of your own, and share them in the comments section if you’d like!  Commit to saying them a few times every day and pay attention to what happens! 

Love and Light!

Kim

Release Negative Patterns with a Daily Meditative Practice

When releasing negative behavior patterns, it is important to consciously take the time to let the negative go and create new, positive energy.  Just saying, “Yeah, I have negative self-talk” and then coming up with some sort of generic affirmation that you promise yourself you’ll repeat every single day isn’t quite enough. 

Releasing the negative and creating the positive must become a practice that you engage in everyday in order for it to fully change your life.

This is something that I’ve noticed in my own life lately as it’s only been within the last several weeks that I’ve been disciplined with my own practice.  It truly changes your awareness.  It helps you feel more balanced throughout the day, and it helps you quickly recognize when you’ve slipped into negative thought.  Then, remembering the truth you felt in your meditation, you are able to regain your balance and consciousness, shift your negative thinking to positive, and continue your day.

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” system to mediation, affirmations, prayer, and manifesting.  You just need to figure out what comes naturally to you and stick with it.

 

Personally, I like to meditate and say my affirmations first thing in the morning and then right before bed.  When you first wake up, your brain is still sleepy and producing theta waves, which are the best for meditation, visualization, and manifestation.  Same for right before you go to bed.  (This is a great website that explains brain wave patterns.)  So when you wake up in the morning, sleepily sit up in bed, take some deep breaths, and repeat affirmations, say prayers, ask help from angels, and visualize your happiness.

If you want to start a physical meditative practice like yoga, tai chi, walking, jogging, etc., you can combine the two.  Repeat your affirmations as you breathe deeply during these activities. 

We always say that we don’t have enough time to do things like meditate and do yoga.  But the fact is, that’s bullshit.  We have all the time in the world.  It’s just a matter of prioritizing and making time for these important things that make us feel more deeply fulfilled.

So get up a half-hour earlier each day and turn the TV off a half-hour earlier each night.  Put on some relaxing music, light some candles if you desire, get in a comfortable condition, and breathe.

Have your list of affirmations and things you want to manifest written down and kept close to wherever you meditate.  Take 10 slow, deep breaths, and then simply read through the list (out loud or in your head).  Then take another 10 slow, deep breaths while you visualize yourself happy and having all that you desire.  Picture yourself living out these life-creating affirmations you’ve come up with. 

If you want to take this time to pray, you can continue to breathe slowly and say your prayers.  Lift up requests and blessings to the angels.  Ask for their assistance, and thank them for the help they provide.

I like to end my meditations with a few breaths of gratitude for all the blessings in my life.  I thank the Spirit for my loved ones, my home, and the opportunities presented to me everyday.  Then I just sit and smile while I breathe until I decide I’m ready to continue my day.

If you truly want to let go of negative energy patterns and experience what this metaphysical “create your own reality” stuff is all about, then you have to dedicate yourself to a daily meditative practice.  

Results won’t always show up overnight (though sometimes you’ll be surprised at how quickly they do show up), so give yourself some time.  Studies show that it takes 30-40 days for new behavior patterns to get engrained in our brains.  Here's a great TED Talk that discusses trying something new for 30 days: 

So dedicate yourself to 30-straight days of your new practice and then it will become second nature to you.  You’ll have developed a new habit that will bring you more peace, love, and joy than you’ve ever experienced.

The more you focus on these positive thoughts, the more they’ll manifest around you.  Don’t get discouraged!  We all have this power within us, so believe in yourself, stick with your practice, and be grateful for even the littlest things!

Release Negative Patterns by Expressing Gratitude!

To continue the discussion on releasing negative behavior/thought/energy patterns...

So when we notice a certain negative energy/emotion/behavior creep into our consciousness, we can acknowledge and accept it and then convert it into something we want to create for ourselves – a positive emotion that we can deliberately start to feel instead of the negative emotion.

The most powerful positive emotion is gratitude.  Gratitude is the birthplace of all creation.  When you are feeling fearful (or angry, sad, etc.), immediately release that fear and replace it with gratitude.

“I’m so scared I’m going to fail this project” turns into “I’m so thankful for this opportunity to learn and grow, and I look forward to the good that will come from it.”

There’s always something to be grateful for (“I’m alive and breathing!”), so when you get down for whatever reason, find something you are thankful for and feel that gratitude.

The key to manifesting something into your life lies within your ability to be grateful for it before it even happens, before you even knowing when or where it will happen.  Be grateful knowing that you will be given the desires of your heart meaning that you will manifest it, it will happen.

This gratefulness creates a beautiful, calming peace in your mind, knowing that all things happen in perfect timing.  True gratitude comes from a deep knowing that divine order is at work in all things in life.  

I guarantee that adding more gratitude into your life will bring you more blessings.  That’s because you will automatically start releasing some of those negative thoughts and energy patterns that sabotage your psyche throughout the day.

When things get rough, it’s really, really easy to focus on the negative.  It’s like stubbing your toe first thing in the morning…things just seem to go downhill from there all day.  One bad thing makes us think of another bad thing until we’re facing this detrimental barrage of negative thoughts.

So the next time you stub your toe, I challenge you to resist the temptation to be negative. (i.e. no bitching).  Instead, take a moment to take a couple of deep breaths and find something, anything to be grateful for.  Say it in your head a few times, “I’m so thankful for…”, while you take a couple more breaths.  (Who knows, that toe-stubbing might have just been a little nudge from above, reminding you to be grateful for that toe.)  Then start your day anew as if that toe-stubbing never even happened.  (Unless you’re bleeding.  Then - peacefully and gratefully - get a Band-Aid.)

Today, I’m grateful for the love that comes from packing lunches for the three boys in my life, the peacefulness I have to myself after said boys are off to work and school, and the warmth of puppy cuddles on cold, quiet days. J

What are you grateful for?

Releasing Negative Behavior Patterns

I’ve decided to do a little mini-series this week focusing on recognizing and releasing negative behavior patterns.  I’ve been struggling with a lot myself as I move into this new routine, lifestyle, and worldview.  Sometimes we have to consciously take the time to remember that we have the power to create whatever we want in our lives.  Therefore, there’s no need for negativity.

We often find ourselves “addicted” to negative patterns.  

There’s something that feels good about trauma, drama, and stress.  Perhaps it’s due to the high-strung, fast-paced nature of our society, but for some reason, we find ourselves craving and devouring it.  That’s why it’s hard to change the channel when The Kardashians is on.  And why we like to gossip.  And why we go through our significant other’s phone, searching for evidence of betrayal or lies.

Anger, Jealousy, Fear, Bitterness, Resentment, Sadness, Pain – They’re all negative emotional patterns that we are choosing to feel.

When we aren’t able to let these negative patterns go, they become a destructive cycle in our lives, always popping up as the roadblocks to our successes.  Most of these negative patterns are going to be so engrained within our subconscious that sometimes we don’t even realize the havoc they are wreaking on our lives. 

When we recognize that certain patterns (ways of thinking, habits, etc.) are no longer serving our good, we have to replace them with more positive habits and patterns.

This is a time when deep self-reflection and self-observation is important.  

We have to realize what those negative patterns are, observe how they unconsciously come out in our every day lives, and then do what needs to be done to fix them and stop the destructive cycle.

To do all this, you must identify the destructive cycles within yourself and come up with some personal ways to release the negative so that you can welcome and create the positive. 

For me, my main destructive cycles are lack of self-confidence (i.e. feelings of unworthiness) and anxious, stressful thought patterns.

Despite my successes and the encouragement and support I receive from others, I really lack in the self-confidence area.  I believe in myself, and I think I kick ass most of the time, but when it comes to following my destiny and having the confidence to become all I know I’m meant to become, I’m slacking a bit.  Then I deal with the almost too-humble side of me that feels I’m not worthy or deserving of all this good the universe has to offer me.  Then, I get into these really destructive, almost self-loathing moods here I’m overcome with so much anxiety and worry that it’s hard to breathe.  I deal with a lot of negative self-talk and don’t love myself nearly as much as I love others.  (Who else has these rollercoasters?? Surely I’m not the only one.)

There are different ways to handle these negative patterns and let them go.  Affirmations are probably the best.  Take everything negative you say about yourself or your situation and turn it into a positive affirmation.

“I’m such a bad friend” turns into “I give light and love to all who are close to me.”

 “I can’t do anything right” turns into “I’m a carrier of the light; all that I think, say, and do expresses divinity.”

Affirmations retrain our brains to have new thought patterns.  The more we say these things about who we are, the more they’ll start to manifest in the world around us.  We’ll eventually truly believe these things and therefore BE them.  (More on this to come!)

Converting energy is another good way to deal with destructive patterns.  All emotion and behavior is energy – sadness, anger, fear, negativity, joy, love, gratitude.  They all have vibrational frequencies and resonate within us.

When we start to feel angry, we feel all sorts of energy moving within us.  Our hearts might start racing, faces might get flushed, hands might get shaky, etc.  We’re filled with high-power energy and we might want to yell or scream or cry or throw things.  Take that energy and put it into something else.  Go clean the house, hit a punching bag, go for a jog – whatever it takes.  Don’t let all that energy boil over in anger, fear, or hate.  

All emotion is energy and all energy can be converted.  We have the power to choose the experiences we have in life.  Making a conscious effort to convert negative energy into something more positive,  you’ll be one step close to creating the life you want for yourself. 

Release destructive habits and patterns and create positive ones!