It has been said, when you affirm what you want, it becomes a reality. Countless people subscribe to the belief that all they need to do is say what they want and it somehow becomes manifest.
In reality, even when you think you don’t want something, if you affirm something enough, it does become manifest.
When we continually say, “I can’t do this, that or the other,” you are affirming your reality.
When we affirm those things we can’t have, do or be, our actions (or lack thereof) are reinforcing our words and thoughts.
On the flip side, when something positive is affirmed, often actions are not taken to support this. To simply repeat something positive with no action behind the words, it’s likely you will not achieve the outcome you say you want.
The fact is, it takes more than simply repeating something. There must be actions behind the words.
According to one of the greatest spiritual teachers of modern time, Louise Hay, “An affirmation is really anything you say or think. A lot of what we normally say and think is quite negative and doesn’t create good experiences for us. We have to retrain our thinking and speaking into positive patterns if we want to change our lives.”
In other words, affirmations are those things we repeat over and over to ourselves. We “affirm” both positive and negative beliefs.
Theory vs. Reality
To achieve a different quality of life, we have been advised by many so called gurus, to state in the positive that which we 
want to occur. This is fine in theory, but in reality, it takes more than words to achieve. And, if the words are so far removed from the truth, our mind immediately discounts that which we are trying to accomplish.
For example, if you are struggling to pay your bills and you affirm, “I am a millionaire. I have more money than I need,” our mind will likely discount this.
Or… if you are 100 pounds over a healthy weight and you affirm, “I am thin, healthy and energized,” it’s likely you will scoff at this.
Rather than stating something that is so unbelievable, create an affirmation that moves you toward the outcome you desire.
“I am taking control of my finances by taking action each day to pay off my bills.”
“I am becoming healthier each day by eating healthy foods, moving for ten minutes each morning and surrounding myself with others who enjoy a healthy lifestyle.”
By not only saying the truth of what we want, but adding in actions behind the words, we are more likely to accomplish our desired outcome.
Plan of action
Once you determine what you want, now is the time to write out a plan of action. What are the steps you need to take to accomplish your goal?
Many people say, “I’ll get around to a plan of action tomorrow.” Folks, tomorrow will never happen. You have to make a commitment TODAY.
If you say you want to get to a healthy weight but change nothing in your behavior, chances are you will NOT accomplish the outcome you desire.
What are simple steps you can take to eat healthier.
Here is a simple action plan for healthy eating.
1. Clean out my refrigerator of all unhealthy foods
2. Clear out anything from my cabinets that do not support a healthier way of life
3. Drink at least 64 ounces of water daily
4. Keep a food journal
5. Buy only foods that I know will support my overall health goals
6. Incorporate 10 minutes of conscious movement into my morning routine
Plan for finances
1. Make a decision to only spend on absolute necessities
2. For a period of 30 days, avoid quick stops to the local store for things I don’t need
3. Keep a money journal to determine where I have “money leaks”
4. When the urge to use my credit card comes up, wait five minutes to see if this is actually a purchase I need to make
5. Consciously spend on only those things I absolutely need to spend on
Many people write affirmations that address what they want to accomplish. When writing affirmations, not only do you want to say the “thing,” but what you will do to get the “thing.”
In other words, “I am getting healthier and healthier day by day. I eat very healthy foods, exercise 20 minutes a day and drink at least 64 ounces of water a day.”
Simply saying the thing is too ambiguous. Add the actions makes it more believable.
