TRULY SPEAKING: How to Create Your Own Affirmation—Step #1

Summary: Affirmations have gotten a bad rap by some people who don't see their value. But don't knock them 'til you've tried them: Affirmations can help you change the way you think to improve the way you live. The first step in creating a customized, personal affirmation statement comes with asking yourself one question.

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and—doggone it—people like me!"

If you don't remember Stuart Smalley (Al Franken's depressed pseudo-therapist character on Saturday Night Live with the lowest self-esteem ever televised) check out this YouTube video to see what you missed. The clip comes from the SNL spin-off movie, "Stuart Saves His Family."

Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley was a major flop (in the realm of fictional cable access)—and not because viewers didn't tune in to the show. It failed because Smalley, himself, was caught up in what he termed "stinkin' thinkin'": the ruminating cycles of self-obsession that told him over and over again how disgusting he was, physically, and how sick he was, emotionally. No matter what Stuart Smalley told himself, he never managed to change his true thoughts about himself, or his belief system.

Affirmations, despite the fun that's poked at them by the likes of SNL's Stuart Smalley franchise, are designed to break the cycles of negative thinking that plague one's brain. Do you ever get caught up in "stinkin' thinkin'"—beating yourself up, mentally, for past actions or oversights? If so, ask yourself this simple question:

How would I feel if someone else spoke to me the way I'm speaking to myself right now?

Odds are, you wouldn't like it. You'd likely be angry and offended. Perhaps you'd say something hostile to the person or walk away from them to get your space and protect yourself. So, why not protect yourself from being your own victim?

Self-talk is important every step of the way as you walk your path in life to achieve your goals. Asking yourself, "How would I feel if someone else spoke to me the way I'm speaking to myself?" is an important first step in creating your own customized affirmation. When you're feeling negative, emotionally or physically, stop to think about your thinking. Are your thoughts negative? How are you speaking to yourself in your head? Ask yourself this very important first-step question to determine if your thought patterns are urging you to grow or contributing to your decay. You have the power to change your mind.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010