Category: Self Improvement

Affirmations…Do They Really Work?

[PLEASE NOTE:  Although the items discussed below are still available, the special offer has expired.]

 It seems the jury is still out on the usefulness of affirmations.

Some people swear by them, and credit affirmations with helping them to make massive positive changes in their lives.

Other people say they are ineffective and wishful thinking.

Well, this is a case where both sides really are correct. Although the use of affirmations and the reasons behind their effectiveness is definitely up for inspection!

Affirmations, when done correctly, can help desired change happen far more quickly. When affirmations are framed appropriately, designed to support the desired change(s), and implemented in the proper manner, then they can seem to work like magic.

However, there are some simple basics to affirmations, that many people don’t understand. There is a form (or formula) to creating effective affirmations, and a method for integrating them into our self-development work that makes a huge difference in how well they will work for you. If you’ve been using visualization and affirmations, but you’re not getting the results you want, then you are probably missing out on at least some part of this basic understanding.

If you’re ready to have better results, then this could be your lucky day! Over the past week or so I’ve discovered 2 very useful tools that can help increase your success in using affirmations.

The first was a software product that intrigued me. So I bought the rights to it, made some basic modifications, and tested it out myself. I think you’ll like it. In fact, I’d like to run a little test with it, and you can be a test subject if you’re game! More about that in a few minutes…

The second tool I discovered was a quick-read ebook called “Why Most Affirmations Fail and the Four Building Blocks of Successful Affirmations” by Jennifer Shepard, a syndicated columnist with a tagline of the Lipstick Mystic ®.

This book contains a lot of useful information about how and why affirmations do and don’t work, and what you can do to make them more successful. I really liked Jennifer’s approach, and so I contacted her to see if I could set up a special offer for my readers.

While affirmations may seem to be esoteric to those who are not familiar with them, they use some very solid premises based on how the brain codes and uses information. They are useful for any area of your life, whether your focus is personal or professional.

Well, it didn’t take a lot of convincing, especially after she saw how connected the Prosperity Challenge is to the work she is also doing. So, she graciously agreed, and the result is that Jennifer is allowing me to offer you her $27 book for only $17 – which is more than 35% off her regular price.

There is a condition, however. This price will only be good until April 17, 2007. The link and the discount disappear on April 18. You can find out about Jennifer and her book by clicking here to be taken to the $17 page.

This great little book will give you lots of insight into how to tune up your affirmations so they work better. She offers some great ideas on how to overcome blocks and get things back on track. I think you’ll enjoy reading the book as well as the articles and suggestions she has to offer on her website.

So, now that we’re talking about affirmations, this is where my new software comes in. I purchased rights to a subliminal message affirmation software program that works on your computer desktop.

The actual affirmations were written based on ideas in “The Secret” – you know, the movie everyone has been talking about for months now. But I found the affirmations to be very basic, so I “pumped them up” to make them even more powerful, using my understanding of linguisitics and how the conscious and subconscious minds work.

While the focus is mostly on wealth and abundance, there are also some affirmations and suggestions for other areas of your life, too. As we know, abundance isn’t just about money. It’s also about health, relationships, self-confidence, etc.

So, here’s my offer to you: I am currently selling this software at http://Subliminal-Messenger.com for $7. I know that’s a really low price, but I do want people to have the opportunity to use it if they are interested.

However, I also want people who want to write their own affirmations to have a solid grounding in what works and why. So when you decide to pick up Jennifer’s book, I will give you a free copy of the Law of Attraction Subliminal Software.

All you have to do is send me a copy of your PayPal receipt for the book and I’ll send you a link to get the software for free. That means you get both the book and the software for $17 – less than half of the full price!

So, if you’re interested, here’s what you do:

  1. Go look at Jennifer’s site, http://free-daily-affirmations.com
  2. Go look at the software, http://subliminal-messenger.com
  3. Then, use this link: http://prosperitychallenge.com/affirm.html to buy the book
  4. Send a copy of your PayPal receipt to prgm@prosperitychallenge.com
  5. Read the book, apply the principles
  6. Install the software, enjoy the results!

Oh yes, and if you do use the software, please let me know how it works for you – what you liked, what you didn’t like. I am planning to develop several more little affirmation scripts for various specific issues, so I really want to know what you think, and how it works for you.

By the way, personally I think affirmations are great and I use them often! But I also know their effectiveness is dependent upon several factors.

At some time in the future I will be writing my own book about my successful experiences using visualization, language and various specific techniques and processes. In the meantime, I encourage you to pick up Jennifer’s book. You are sure to learn something new and useful – I did.

To Our Continued Success!

Katie

P.S. I will be posting a link to both the book and the software on the Prosperity Challenge and the Career Life Institute blogs. The book will continue to be available after April 17 – but it will go back to its full price of $27.

The Energy of Success

Truly successful people have certain energy. They are happy because they are engaged in work that they love doing. My definition of successful person is someone who has tapped into their personal, divine motivation and built a career out of it. They get pleasure out of serving people in a pleasurable and profitable way.

What a wonderful thought: Happy people working to make other people happier while expressing their own individual way of earning their income and engaging in work they love! Work being joy must be what Edison knew when he said, "Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." If we are motivated by that 1% inspiration, we enjoy the perspiration. If we aren't, then our work can become 100% drudgery, and that definitely leads to "burn out." However, even divine inspirations can become drudgery if we don't understand and practice certain emotional, spiritual and energy bodies in balance.

In addition to the surge of well-being that satisfied clients give us, as well as doing what we love, we must ultimately come to realize the unique qualities of our energy. It is smart to recognize that being in the presence of people can either be a source of nourishment or can drain us. When the nourishment is happening, we can go on and on. But when we are drained by people for too long, we become ill or burned out. So why not begin simple practices, everyday, that will support the nourishment of your body and energy and mind.

The following are simple practices using the basic elements of the universe-earth, air, water, and fire–and meditation/prayer that I learned from a great western yogi teacher, Leonard Orr.

 

Earth Element

Any type of daily movement-like walking around your block once a day; being engaged in any type of work you love; and food mastery. Since you are the scientist of your body, you can experiment with fasting for one meal to begin. You can eat only fruit for one meal or for the entire day. You can gradually increase the length of your fast if you want to cleanse your system and give your digestive system a rest. You'll love your break-fast in the morning! Just remember you fast for pleasure not denial.

 

Air Element

Take notice of your breathing. Learn simple breathing exercises. You can do the "20 Connected Breaths" exercise which Leonard Orr created for Americans who want to do everything, in 30 seconds. Just take 4 short breaths, connecting your inhales to your exhales with no gaps or holding in between and then 1 full breath. Repeat this sequences 4 times. Whatever you feel is energy. And if you feel dizzy, it may be indicator that you are usually underbreathing.

 

Water Element

The simple act of bathing daily can be profound. Bathe or shower in the morning an immediately on returning home at he end of your day. It is a wonderful way to wash off the psychic dirt we accumulate during the day.

Turn the shower to a little cool water just when your are finished. This seals your energy centers (chakras) and helps you keep balance a little longer.

 

Fire Element

Fire means sun awareness, candle gazing, or sitting before an open fire. Better still, sleeping in front of an open flame. The energy of fire extends beyond the fire itself and can be felt on your body and in your aura (the energy field surrounding your body). I especially use fire after I have given a workshop, when I feel ill or plagued with negative thinking, fear, doubt, disappointment or confusion. It always burns away the "downside" of life's' experiences. Fire is also a cure for "burn-out," which just means your are overloaded by work and people. Hanging out infront of a fire will do wonders for you.

 

Meditation and Prayer

Setting aside quiet time for yourself or going to a special location that is peaceful and quiet is another simple way of purifying or cleansing your thoughts and connecting with your heart. When we are in the right relationship with ourselves and with God/Universe, all of our relationships are better and our life seems to flow.

The practices are simple and can only be experienced through direct experience. Just thinking about it cannot give you the same results. You might do a 30-day experiment and begin with one or more or these practice. The positive results will be in your thinking, your feeling body and in the results you are easily able to create in your life.

I also strongly recommend you set aside a full day, preferably one-day a week, to be completely alone and NOT be involved in your usual work. If this seems impossible with your busy life, start with setting aside 3 hours just for you and then gradually expand this time. Just take time out from the world–read, work in the garden, wonder, rest, write letters to your loving friends and family, or write in your journal. This practice helps me tremendously. I think about my next project or next day's events. I turn down the answering machine and review it at the end of the day, which is usually Sunday. When you do this in the presence of fire you get a multitude of benefits. I always get my best business ideas during this time–the inspirations just spontaneously come.

© Yashoda Susan Deschenes

(Yashoda Susan Deschenes has been teaching Energy Breathing for 14 years and has provided training throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and South Africa. She is the mother of 4 beautiful daughters and 1 BEAUTIFUL grandson.)

The Art of Presentation

We all know the basic requirements of giving an effective presentation, and most of us have given presentations at one time or another. Yes, it is important to know our subject and present it in an organized way, have good eye contact, be enthusiastic, have audio visuals, speak with confidence, clarity, and sincerity, remember to smile and use humor, interact with our audience, etc. However, it takes more than just knowing the basics to be an excellent speaker. It requires practice, but practice alone isn't enough either.

There is definitely an "art" to giving presentations. The Webster dictionary defines art as a "skill acquired by experience, study or observation," or "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination." Constructive feedback rouses this awareness and "consciousness" and can make all the difference when we are ready to refine and improve our speaking skills. So developing the "art" of presentation requires consciously and creatively applying and practicing our knowledge and skills, based on constructive feedback.

"Every time you give a presentation you are drawing upon your past experiences and you are sharing part of yourself," according to Lesley Craig, who described her first debut in front of a large group in South Africa at the age of 5 years old! Lesley encourages us to remember three main points in developing our "art"—:

  1. Know what is required;
  2. Practice, practice, practice;
  3. Invite constructive feedback from others so that we can consciously make improvements.

"When you are ready to face your fears about public speaking, the professional speaking club, Toastmasters' International, is the club to join," says Lesley. "Toastmasters provides a structured program where you can consciously work on developing your presentation and leadership skills. You learn by trial and error in afriendly, supportive environment with other aspiring and empathizing speakers.

"Toastmasters offers you an enjoyable, self-paced, ongoing, experiential learning environment where you can hone and tune your presentations to fine are. Toastmasters will help you become better communicators and leaders and will help you 'master those wobbly knees."

You have an opportunity to overcome your fear of speaking every time you come to Business Connections or any other networking event and give your "30-Second Spot"—letting people know who you are, what you do, and giving them reasons why they should come see you. The challenge is saying something concise and coherent in 30-seconds that successfully promotes you and your business. Writing out your personal marketing statement ahead of time and practicing can make a real difference, as well as asking for feedback from other BC members.

Developing your "art of presentation" is a choice and a commitment and can only enhance your success as a business owner and build your self-confidence.

© 1998 Gabrielle Parkinson

Personal Management

(NOTE: Although this article was originally written for a woman's publication, the same basic principles of self-care apply for each of us, regardless of gender.)

Women are natural supporters. We take care of our families – our children, our spouses and our parents. It’s a natural extension for us to take care of others who need us. That’s why so many women “naturally” find themselves in a supportive role in business – whether the job title is clerical support, secretary, or administrative assistant.

Even those of us who have never actually held the “secretarial” title, find that in general, we are more concerned than our male counterparts with the well-being of our employees. As women, we tend to empathize with the child-care and personal life issues when they come up because they are so close to us in our traditional roles.

Unfortunately, we caregivers (male and female alike) don’t always take as good care of ourselves. To be successful in our modern multi-tasking world, it's just as important for us to be concerned and considerate with ourselves as it is with our employees.

Remember that sometimes you must simply put yourself first, regardless of deadlines or other outside requirements.

This translates into time for yourself and your personal needs. Each of us is different, and our individual needs will be different. Just as we have schedules that require us to block out time for various projects, it’s important to create appointments with ourselves to take care of our needs and nurture the creative parts of ourselves.

Take time to rejuvenate yourself – in whatever way is important to you. This means taking the time to just “be”. As Deepak Chopra says, we are human beings, not “human doings” or “human thinkings”.When you take time to "re-create" yourself, not only do you recharge your own batteries, you will discover that ultimately you have even more to give to your work and to others.

So pay attention to what is important to you. Discover and develop a personal regimen that is right for you.

Notice your venus weight loss reviews diet and what works. Understanding your body and what it responds to well will give you a better sense of control and may ease some of the bodily tensions of keeping to rigid and artificially imposed schedules. This could mean spending 2 hours on Sunday reading, doing your nails (or waxing the car), or walking on the beach with the dog. It could mean working out with weights or creating a regimen for yourself that includes a walk every morning.

Personal time also means recognizing that no matter how efficient and effective we may be on the job, being a superwoman/superman is an unrealistic goal. Life has a natural order of activity and rest. We have the seasons, and we have the agricultural growing cycles to remind us. Life has a natural order of activity and rest. Creating balance is what life does naturally. If we want to offer 100% of ourselves in our business roles, then we have to play as hard as we work.

Being a whole and complete person means taking care of ourselves, too. Maintaining our mental, physical and spiritual health and vitality will go a long way towards insuring our longevity and business success over time.

©1998,2003, Katie Darden, Career Life Institute