People use affirmations for different purposes. Some of us use them to program our subconscious mind to believe certain things, in order to attract and create the reality we desire. For example, some of us tell ourselves, "Every day and in every way I am getting better and better," or, " I love myself and attract to myself all the blessings and abundance of the universe."
There is value in affirmations of this nature. Our subconscious mind plays a major role in the actualization of our lives and the manifestation of our desires. What we believe about ourselves at a subconscious level can have a significant impact on the outcome of events.
When we feel good about ourselves and have a positive attitude, our lives tend to run more smoothly, with fewer obstacles, less chaos and drama and greater cooperation and support from others.
When we feel bad about ourselves and have a negative attitude, we tend to resist healthy choices, engage in more risky and impulsive behaviors, behave in a variety of self-sabotaging ways and put up walls between ourselves and others.
Consequently, affirmations, which program our subconscious mind to aid us in manifesting the destiny we desire, can be very helpful. If we pick two or three and repeat each of them 10 times to ourselves (or write them down) prior to going to sleep, it can't hurt. It can only help.
Affirmations can also be used throughout the day as reminders, in order to keep our consciousness focused on empowering messages so that we don't derail ourselves from accomplishing our goals.
For example, if we have a problem with anger, we might affirm and remind ourselves throughout the day that we don't need to take everything so personally, be so reactive or sweat the small stuff.
If we tend to let the external world define our happiness, we might affirm and remind ourselves throughout the day that happiness is a choice and that despite what's going wrong in our lives, we can choose to be happy.
If we tend to be self-centered, selfish and withholding toward others, the end result being relationships that are unsatisfying and unsustainable, we might affirm and remind ourselves throughout the day to be generous in spirit, to be of service to others and to share our blessings as best we can.
Every day we are bombarded with negative messages of fear, stress and violence. Is it any wonder that we are angry, confused, depressed and demoralized? Is it any wonder that we regress to less enlightened aspects of our nature?
The point is that we don't have to let this happen. We can neutralize the negativity that's swirling around us and within us. We can stay empowered and not react as victims. We can keep our mind's eye focused on right actions and worthy goals.
Consequently, we take a few moments throughout the day to affirm our ideals, to remind ourselves to stay calm and centered and to communicate effectively and compassionately with others, and to remind ourselves that negativity and fear are ideas that we need not let rule us.