7 DAY AFFIRMATION CHALLENGE

Hi Lovers,

I hope all is well with you! The last year or two have been difficult for almost everyone I know in one way or another. However, what we all seem to be in general agreement about for this year is that 2012 is the year of betterment, progress, success and accomplishment. This is the year that a positive attitude, stick-to-it-iveness, and hard work join forces and make all your dreams a reality.

So today I want to share with you an affirmation challenge that my bff (entrepreneur at Fierce.12 ) came up with to propel our progress.  It’s simple and easy to begin with – a week only requires 7 days of commitment – so I urge you to tweak it to fit your needs or schedule for the week, as in this case what is most important is that it works for you.

We chose a week to pace ourselves. I am often guilty of overextending myself and jumping in head first and trying to do too much too soon. But what I have learnt is that it is important to be ambitious but also be realistic in an optimistic way. Yes, step out of your comfort zone and push beyond the limit, but in a situation where small victories lead to big success it is important to know how to set yourself up to win. So here goes:

THE 7 DAY AFFIRMATION CHALLENGE

• Write/create 10 positive affirmations about your life –  career, business, relationships, goals, etc.

Positive affirmations are positive present tense statements. A good way to start is to imagine life or a certain aspect of your life the way it would be and how you would feel, once certain goals are reached. Think about things that you wish to improve upon and goals that you are working towards right now. Write a statement that embodies a truth about that future state you wish to be in. e.g. If you are shy or sometimes suffer from social anxiety and would like to be more outgoing, your affirmation may look something like “I am a joy to be around” or “People are drawn to my energy and find me interesting.” If financial success or independence are goals you wish to have in the future (whether through business, or more responsible personal financial behavior) your affirmation may look something like “I am a money magnet!” or “My wealth lasts generations beyond me.” 

• Make your affirmations visible and easily accessible.

It’s the power of paper/hard copy. Print your affirmations and tape ‘em to the wall, next to the bathroom mirror, save ‘em to your smart phone notes app, or email them to yourself.  A good tip is to set an alarm on your phone reminding you to read your affirmations.

• Each day, take the time to recite and visualize/meditate on your affirmations. 

I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds. This doesn’t require an hour, half hour, or even 15 mins of your day. You can take as little as 5 mins and attribute 30 secs to each affirmation (I’ll be doing the 5 min focus). If this is too much for you, feel free to tweak it. However, I highly recommend that you allot at least those 5 mins to visualize, or recite the affirmations. Why? It’s great to recite the affirmations and even commit them to memory, but visualizing is great because it can function as a sensory road map for your goals. When you really get into the process of feeling what it would be like to be where you want to be, to the point where you can almost taste how real it is, it connects the rest of your energy to what is happening in your mind.

Tip 1: My bff recommends twice a day: once first thing in the morning, and again the last thing before bed.

Tip 2: If a number of your affirmations are focused on building self esteem, confidence, or decreasing social anxiety, try reciting your affirmations while looking into the mirror. During the morning grooming process is a really good time – two birds with one stone ;-). 

•  Invite someone to participate in the challenge. 

Share affirmations with each other, and check in once a day, like a buddy, to see how it’s coming along or just to remind them of their commitment to the challenge.

When the week is up you can challenge yourself to continue for another week if you so desire. They say it takes 28-30 days to form a habit, and this is as good a habit as any to form.

My buddies and I are starting the challenge today Monday April 23, 2012. Feel free to start along with us or on any day you choose. If you decide to participate comment below and let us know, and share one of your affirmations if you so desire.

Peace & Love,

Nikita