Three Secrets to Effective Affirmations:

1 Drive your Physiology - by this I mean get yourself into a dynamic state of mine by moving your body energetically. I find walking quickly, cycling or jumping around the house while listening to loud music, all very effective for me. When you feel energized you will put more enthusiasm and emotion into your affirmations and you will make a bigger impression on your mind.

Then say your short positive statement out loud if it is appropriate, otherwise shout it out inside your head where only you can hear it.

2 Create short statements

These statements will describe how you want to be and it is best to state these attributes in the present tense as if it is already true.

For example, *I am confident and appreciated by all* Instead of... *I want to have more confidence someday only I do not know when that is likely to be because I have a few problems to deal with right now.*

When you say your affirmation, assume it is already true and express this feeling as you repeat the phrase. This way you are programming your brain to find a way for you to achieve your goal.

3 Use the Ultimate Affirmation:

The ultimate affirmation is ideal for anyone who wants to communicate at their best under pressure. Here it is...

*I love myself*

I know this seems a bit far out. Let me explain. Let us pretend, just for a moment, that you completely love yourself 100 per cent. So this would mean you fully accept all aspects of yourself, your body, your bad habits, your personal limitations etc.

If this was the case, the opinion of other people would be totally irrelevant. You would then have no barriers to speaking at your best.

At first repeating * I love myself* is likely to cause you to feel awkward, embarrassed or just plain silly. If that happens you will know that you are on the right track because that is evidence that you are challenging limiting beliefs you already have about your value as a person.

For the more adventurous, try this in front of a mirror. It freaked me out the first time I did it. Although I soon got the hang of it.

Play with this approach to managing your mind and you will soon discover that the secret is to use affirmations with intensity. Enjoy your journey!