Rachel GuerreroGood afternoon Women’s Wake! Today I am writing to you as a follow up on the previous blog, “Mind Over Matter”. I had covered the importance of managing the relationship between body and mind by changing your thought pattern. In aid to this change, I picked up the habit of reciting positive affirmations in the mirror every morning. I was pretty reluctant in starting this practice as I didn’t believe what I had written and didn’t have the willpower or hope to read them, but after weeks of forcing myself to do so, I would love to share some differences I recognized.
To begin, as a result of childhood trauma, I suffer from nightmares and sleep paralysis many nights because of how anxious my subconscious tends to be. While I cannot have complete control over my dreams, I am somewhat on the scale of lucidity in which I can recognize I am dreaming. During these nightmares is when my subconcious beliefs come through and statements told to me as a child present themselves true. This can look like believing, “Something is wrong with me” or “I am not safe”, while dreaming. Since I started reciting my positive affirmations (against my will)… in the middle of a nightmare I now start reciting “I am safe and protected”. This is how I know the affirmations have reached by subconscious.
Along with sleep, these affirmations have changed my inner-voice in my waking hours as well, changing my automated response to everyday things. I may recite the words in the morning, neglecting to remember them the rest of the day. Then, without any pre-thought of these affirmations, I knock over my water cup during dinner and soak my computer. This happened on Thursday and the first thought that was blurted into my mind was, “I am loved”.
Even-though I have not wanted to practice positive affirmations, I’m glad I did because even if you do not believe the affirmation you wrote or recite to yourself, just getting into the habit changes your subconscious. To begin, choose at least one statement that resonates deep within you. A statement such as, “I will become rich” is great but I challenge you to dig a bit deeper. Ask yourself what core beliefs you have behind some of these wants. You may discover you don’t actually need to be physically rich, but are yearning for sustainability and security. Once discovered, your phrase might then look like, “I am secure and always have what I need”. I also prefer writing these affirmations on my mirror because I know myself and if I write them in a journal, that journal will be tucked away in my bookshelf and never looked at again. Writing it in the mirror can be a constant reminder to recite them every time you take a glance at yourself. I hope that despite a lack of willingness (such as the energy I held before I began and even some mornings now), that you will give it a try.
With Love,
Miss Rachel