Affirmations are powerful.

They work.

One caveat.

They work so long as you work them properly.

You know from Claire McGee that you can change one word in our affirmations to make them more effective.

Here is what Bryan James, author of the terrific book The Millionaire’s Message, has to offer about affirmations.

Beginning a program of regular affirmations, if done properly, will quickly and effectively reprogram your subconscious mind to where you need to be. Once it is reprogrammed, you will experience your life moving rapidly forward toward your designated destination. If you don’t participate in this process correctly, however, nothing will change and you will quickly discontinue the program. There are eight rules to this process, and each rule is critical to its success.

Rule #1 An affirmation is merely a statement you make to yourself out loud. It must be short — one or two sentences.

Rule #2 Write all the affirmations on index cards, so you are always affirming exactly the same words.

Rule #3 Say each affirmation at least twice a day.

Rule #4 Each affirmation must be in the now — the present tense. You state the affirmation as if it has already happened.

Rule #5 As you are saying the words, vividly picture what you are affirming. Remember, pictures have a powerful impact on the subconscious.

Rule #6 Inject a feeling of emotion into the pictures.

Rule #7 As you are engaged in this program, be very careful of your self-talk. All day, every day, you are communicating with yourself; so be sure the communication is positive and doesn’t contradict your affirmations. This is, perhaps, the most difficult part of the process. We are all in the habit of speaking to ourselves in a certain way, with a certain tone. By being more conscious of what we are continually saying to ourselves and then adjusting that dialogue, we make the entire affirmation process possible. Leave out this part of the equation and you might as well abandon the entire program.

Rule #8 Do not use negative affirmations introduced by “don’t” or “I won’t.” Remember, a negative picture is a negative picture and will produce negative results — like “don’t run.”

Follow these rules for one month. At least.

Why?

Because chances are very likely that you won’t experience anything in the first week of doing this.

Nor the second week.

Probably not even the third week.

And maybe not even the fourth week.

But then . . .

The first thing you will notice is that you will begin to be exposed to information that is connected to what you are affirming. Most people initially believed that this is a coincidence, but soon realized that the process is working.

Soon thereafter, you will begin to realize a change in your habit patterns. Now you are really rolling, but the best part, the magical part, is about to begin and really rock your world.

That’s when your subconscious mind kicks in.

And that’s when you experience changes.

You get ideas.

You develop new habits.

You meet new people.

You see the world differently.

You win.

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Check out Bryan James’ book The Millionaire’s Message because it’s short and sweet and will help you achieve a better life.