Affirmations Everyday Keeps the Blahs Away

I've talked a lot about being positive. It's not always easy to stay in a positive mode but it really is important. Negative comes so easy to most people and positive is usually something that needs to be learned. Well, let's start learning it today....

I mentioned in one of my articles that putting on a mechanical smile makes a difference. It really does....so I'm thinking that we can set ourselves up to be successful with a few mechanical practices. I, personally, believe in prayers...but whether you do or not these mechanical steps will help set yourself up for success. If you don't do prayers, do affirmations. Affirmations are an outward expression of a positive statement or declaration of truth. When we lived in Arizona, I knew a teacher that started her class everyday with having the children stand and do affirmations. Like: "I am a good person....I can do anything....I am happy.....I will do good today.....I learn well....etc., etc. Things like "I won't bully people" is a negative statement and should not be used in that way. You can change that statement around to be positive, however, like: "I will be respectful of others and of myself", or something like that. You don't have to be in front of a mirror but wherever you are, think of your good traits and phrase them in a positive statement. If you come up with at least 5 to 10 statements and start your day, every day with them...you'll see a change for the positive in no time. You might even make statements about something that you hope to be true, eventually, such as: "I have a good marriage....I love my husband...I am wealthy, etc., etc. Now is a good time to sit down and write 10 things that is positive about yourself....then, write another 10 things that you want to be true. After some changing and refining, come up with 10 things that are the most important positive statements that are true or you hope to be true. Then, every day, repeat those 10 things out loud, in front of a mirror if you can. This is an activity to improve your attitude, self-esteem and to make your life better.

This is meant to help rid yourself of those negative feelings and thoughts and with that in mind, when someone crosses swords with you in this life, it is important to forgive them....not for their sakes, but for yours. Those negative feelings hold you back from being the best you can be and sours your outlook on life....none of which is positive. Life is meant to be happy but that means that when bad or difficult things happen, you need to take that experience and use it for good wherever you can, thus learning about life and becoming better for having had that negative experience.

I had a job with a utility but after 7 years, they down-sized and I was out of a job, out of health insurance, out of a retirement, out of the good friends I had made while there. That was hard....but, I had wanted to be at home being a homemaker and so now I could do that. It took me a long time to look at my work experience and see what I could learn from it....as a whole, I had so many wonderful things happen from work. I learned to wear seat belts, which saved my sons life. I learned to work on a computer and learned the programs very well and that serves me now as I want to work on genealogy or just be on facebook. I found that working with the public in my job was a rewarding experience as I worked with people to clear up their contracts with this utility. I had a supervisor that was superior and caring and made life working there wonderful. Out of bad things can come good things....if you look for the good and even if it takes a few years to see the answer, it will be there for you to find.

Being positive is one of the most Christ-like things we can do in life because that is a reflection of Him. It is also one of the most important things that we can do to be happy. The secret to life is learning to be happy, serving others and doing it all with love.