For years we have heard that “you are what you eat.”  And with the epidemic of obesity in the US alone this certainly rings true.  But obesity is more than just stuffing your face with food – it has to do with exercise or the lack there of…

If it holds true that we are what we eat and that lack of exercise contributes to unhealthiness along with overindulgence of food – wouldn’t it hold true that we are what we “Think” and that lack of exercise also contributes to mental atrophy?

We know that our physical health can be brought into check with a balanced diet and a structured exercise regime but how do we find balance in the area of our thinking?

The only tried and true method of healthy balanced thinking comes in the form of Positive Self Talk and Affirmations.

Affirmations are positive statements of truth.  Through the use of affirmations we can claim and then conceivably bring about all that we desire.  To affirm means to make something firm or make visible, to establish or bring about.  Affirmations proclaim a truth even in the face of adverse circumstances.  Through the use of Affirmations we build our faith in the idea that we can achieve or obtain something that may otherwise seem out of reach to others.  Affirmations are like seeds – if you water them daily they grow until they are visible and bring forth a harvest that was intended.

The practice of affirmations implies that we must focus on what may otherwise be obvious by cutting through the clutter of our lives.   You will find that many motivational Gurus’ use positive self talk as part of the method to help their clients achieve their goals.

Affirmations can be as simple as “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.”  Affirmations can also take the form of a positive forward moving action such as “I am a winner.” Or “I have what it takes to ______.”

Likewise if you tell yourself such things as “I will never be successful,” or “I am not any good at _______,” etc… you are basically participating in what is commonly known as “STINKING THINKING!”  Stinking thinking is like a cancer on your dreams, goals and desires.  It is the black death of our soul.   The best way to stop this cancerous thinking is to immediately begin a daily regime of positive self talk.  Make a list of positive things that read them at least 25 to 50 times in the morning and then right before you go to bed.  It is a known fact that your mind needs to be programmed and that repetition helps speed up the process a lot faster.

Within 30 to 45 days, if you are religious about your affirmations, you will start to notice changes in your health and your mental well being.  But don’t stop after 30 days.  Mix things up – get some 3x5 cards and put your daily affirmations on there – add new ones and take way others.   

If you find yourself saying something negative, stop correct yourself and then go get your affirmations and work on a couple of them that relate to the negative comment you made.  Each day you spend focusing more energy on the positive is one less day you are miserable and out of touch with your potential.

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Philip Foster holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on Coaching and Mentoring. He works with individuals to help them find and reach their full potential in life.

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