Do Positive Affirmations Work?
July 31st, 2009 // 2:23 am @ marla
Many of my subscribers wonder if positive affirmations really work. And if they do work; how can saying a phrase or a couple of words make things happen?
Yes, positive affirmations really do work, but it depends on you. If you say an affirmation over and over again without taking any action, naturally you will not have any success. I remember a client of mine really wanted to make a better income, so she lit candles and repeated her affirmations several times a day. She was very consistent in her regiment. So far, so good. When I asked her how many resumes she sent out, she was a bit confused. “You mean I have to send out resumes? Won’t the positive affirmations just provide me with a chance meeting and then I”ll get a job?” My answer was a big NO!
Positive affirmations will get your subconscious mind in a state of attracting what you are telling it. Once your subconscious mind has accepted your affirmation, you will be getting ideas and urges to make that affirmation possible. You must pay attention to these ideas and TAKE ACTION. Sometimes the affirmations will manifest quickly and sometimes the affirmation will take longer. It is important to release any attachment to the outcome, do the work, and just see what happens. It will take patience, courage, and a focused mind to make things manifest.
Affirmations are like planting seeds in your conscious mind and having your subconscious mind nurture them to fruition. Affirmations are powerful and can instantly change your thought patterns and increase your self worth. Change your thoughts, change your life. This is the key element in transformation. Your thoughts are energy just waiting to manifest. The law of attraction will help you create what you think about. Say each affirmation out loud or repeat them in your mind throughout the week. Do this for 7 days consecutively. Believe it to be true, take actions to make it true, look for ways the concepts are manifesting and it will become true. Say them with a loving heart and an optimistic mind and give thanks and gratitude every day. Believe in the magic of life; go from ordinary to extraordinary…and unmask your potential!
Marla Sloane. Ph.D.
Category : Articles &Blog &Positive Affirmations
How to Stay Sane in an Insane Economy
March 25th, 2009 // 1:17 am @ marla
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie
This is an appropriate quote when we are facing a recession, at war in the middle east, and the stock market is at its lowest since the great depression. So, what’s to be understood?
Life is cyclical; there are times when we experience abundance, and all that goes with it. Ooh, life is good! We invite friends over for parties, we go shopping and brag about our new purchases. We even feel slightly superior that we have so much and things are going so well. Then, the tide changes, and we aren’t so abundant anymore. Now we are like small children who’s favorite toy was just taken away from us. We don’t like it when we have to tighten our belt buckles and give up our “toys”. We are forced to ask ourselves questions like, how am I going to get out of this mess? What can I do to make ends meet? What is important in my life? These questions, albeit painful ones, will catapult us into looking within and assessing ourselves. We go through the critical overview of judging our decisions, we may be a bit harsh, but in actually this is a healthy process. We need to defend our choices and take responsibility for our actions. This is the only way to grow. And, speaking of personal growth, this is exactly what this cycle is meant to do. When the tide has changed, and we are not as abundance as we once were, it is not a sign of failure, it is a time to learn. This is the time we can expand our consciousness and look beyond the material.
How many of us really learn Life’s tough lessons when things are going well. We are too busy having fun when the money is rolling in. It is when we are in tough times that we learn the most valuable lessons. We get our priorities in order and we evaluate our self worth. Many of us get our strength through our spiritual faith, mentors, and education.
This cycle of scarcity brings to us many gifts, and we will be better off if we are wise enough to accept them.
Marla Sloane, Ph.D.
Category : Articles &Blog &Life Coaching &Stress Management
How to Get Through the Holidays … Stress Free!
November 19th, 2008 // 10:34 pm @ marla
The holidays are here, you’ve got company coming, a lot of gift wrapping to do, and festivity is in the air … but you are STRESSED! With so much work to do, people to accommodate, and worrying about Uncle Bob getting along with Cousin Debbie, there is no wonder why you are stressed out. Here are some tips you can do to ease the holiday anxiety, and even enjoy the holiday season!
1. Delegate Work. Instead of doing it all like, preparing the food, cleaning the house, picking people up from the airport; allow someone else to pitch in. This will ease up on your workload and the participants will feel good that they could lend a helping hand.
2. Keep Things in Perceptive and Lighten Up. It is okay to be you, and not Martha Stewart. The main objective of the holidays is to gather around family and enjoy the time together. If you are so worried about the size of the turkey, or the color of napkins, and having things perfect, you are missing the point. The best entertaining tip is to enjoy your company and make them feel welcomed. Everything else is secondary. No one will care if the mashed potatoes are a little lumpy. They will care how much you were looking forward to seeing them!
3. Short and Sweet. It is okay to put a time limit on your visit. If your husband can’t stand Uncle Richard, and you aren’t too crazy about him either, it is smart to give yourself a time frame, so only stay for 2 hours instead of 5 hours. You can say that you have another commitment and you are sorry to have to leave so early but the short time (in a difficult situation) is much sweeter when it isn’t dragged out.
4. Meditate. Do a quick meditation before you start your day to keep yourself grounded and centered. Close your eyes, relax, take 3 deep breathes, and focus on your breathing. Nothing more. This exercise will clear your anxieties. A clear mind releases stress and can get more accomplished.
5. Keep the End in Mind. If you have to rearrange your schedule, and it is a bit of an inconvenience, remember it is only temporary and look for something that you do enjoy about the change. It could be fun having a bunch of sleeping bags full of cute kids in the living room.
6. Keep Your Conversations Appropriate and Safe. I think all of us have experienced a negative remark about a relative, or a heated debate about a controversial topic. The secret to good conversation is to stay away from 3 topics: sex, religion, and politics, and to engage in talking about positive things. If the conversation is headed in an area of heated dispute, gently change the subject, bring up the weather, the movie you just saw, the book that is on the best seller list, etc. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”
Believe in the magic of the holidays and remember their significance: to enjoy loved ones, to be grateful for all the wonderful blessings you have, and to celebrate Life!
Marla Sloane, Ph.D.
Category : Articles &Blog &Life Coaching &Stress Management
5 Steps to a Happier Life
August 19th, 2008 // 8:51 pm @ marla
I am often asked the question: “How can I obtain happiness?” Many of us are overwhelmed with work, getting dinner ready on time, paying bills, meeting deadlines, rushing kids off to school, etc. But, who is really putting the pressure on us? Can it be that we are our worst enemy? We can be so caught up with the drama of life that we fall out of balance and focus on all the things that are pleasing others, and then we are left feeling empty, irritable, and exhausted. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Here are some tips to get back in balance and start enjoying life.
1. Get Organized
When you are organized, you will save time and energy. You will get more done in less time and you won’t have that feeling of being pressured.
2. Don’t Overdo it; It’s Okay to Say No
If you really don’t want to do something in your already full schedule, just say no. It’s really that easy. For all you people pleasers out there, I know this will be a difficult task, but a sincere no is always better than an insincere yes. If you are in a position where you have to get things done regardless of your schedule, prioritize, then delegate the work out. Make sure you choose competent people to get the job done right. A good team is invaluable and frees you up to do the things you want to do.
3. Love Freely
Giving and receiving love is probably the most important element in achieving happiness. It has been said that we are motivated by two emotions; love and fear. If we choose to bring more love into our lives, we are happier, healthier, and fulfilled.
4. Trust Those Who are Trustworthy
When someone disappoints us, or let’s us down, we can get so hurt that it can cause us to go into a depression. It is extremely important to know who your enemies are, and who your friends are. Do not trust people who frequently disappoint you or sabotage your happiness (even if it’s family). Look for those who are loyal, responsible and who can be trusted.
5. Have Faith
I had the opportunity to interview many people throughout the years, and I found that the people, who were the happiest and most successful, were those who had a strong faith. Connecting to your spirit has a profound effect on how you cope with life.
Prayer, meditation, and acknowledging your spirit helps give you insight to resolving the daily problems that arise. It is best to resolve the small problems now before they grow into bigger ones later.
Try these tips and see if you can make a difference in your life. Don’t forget to remain positive, and surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Remember, life is as easy or as hard as you make it to be. There is no place like you!
Marla Sloane, Ph.D.
Category : Articles &Blog &Life Coaching
