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INNER CRITIC UNVEILED! Part 2: AFFIRMATIONS TO THE RESCUE!

"Almost everybody walks around with a vast burden of imaginary limitations inside his head. While the burden remains, personal success is as difficult to achieve as the conquest of Everest with a sack of rocks tied to your back." J. H. Brennan

Edward Lewis: "You could be so much more."

Vivian Ward: "People put you down enough, you start to believe it."

Edward Lewis: "I think you are a very bright, very special woman."

Vivian Ward: "The bad stuff is easier to believe'you ever notice that?"

From the movie "Pretty Woman" with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

"You can change your beliefs so they empower your dreams and desires." Marcia Wieder ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In part 1 of this article, we unveiled the inner critic to be the self-saboteur of our lives. In this section we are going to address tackling our self-defeating inner thoughts with a technique called Affirmations.

Affirmations are a method, albeit slow, to replace the destructive and limiting scripts/dialogues with the beliefs and dialogs you choose. It makes sense that you must "reprogram" the ingrained scripts you have been running for scores of years. But it also follows that, since it took a number of years to get yourmind so doggedly programmed, that it definitely won't be an overnight job to change it.

But, if a course of affirmations is committed to and faithfully carried out, you will see changes in your thought life for the definite better. Louise L. Hay has even published a book entitled "You Can Heal Yourself" which employs affirmations to assist in healing physical conditions. Affirmations are a safe and highly recommended method to take control of your inner critic and open up to the possibilities of a vibrant life before you.

Affirmations are constructive, positive statements that you repeat to yourself aloud at least once daily, more often is better. Make it part of your morning and evening ritual so you incorporate it in your habits. Each statement should be said three times and absolutely aloud. One time in the first person "I deserve success in my life." The second time as "You deserve success in your life." And the third time as "your name deserves success in his/her life." Repeating each statement three times may take a while depending upon how many you are working with, so give yourself enough time. In addition, all your affirmations should be in the present tense as though they are already fact.

I strongly suggest writing your affirmations on 3X5 cards for convenience. To reinforce a particularly "hard to accept" affirmation, post it around the house, car and office on post-it notes. You can even create a mini poster on the computer with specialty paper to hang in a prominent place as your new "motto" for change.

As one set of affirmations becomes easier for your mind to accept, add about five new ones (that raise the bar a bit) and thus continue to challenge that inner critic and pry open those prison doors. As an additional reinforcement to your affirmation course, you may wish to use some subliminal tapes to assist. Louise L. Hay has some specifically geared towards self esteem and anything by Stephan Halpern are widely accepted as safe and well done.

Create your own affirmations by using the previously mentioned one as a template and replace with those limitations you are facing. To see a pretty extensive list of affirmations go to: http://www.AbundantLivingCoach.com/affirmations.html

I personally use affirmations, have been for several years now, and will continue to for many years to come. I know that it has had a profound impact on my life, opened new vistas I never would have allowed myself before. To me, it is the foundational stone to realizing abundance and vibrancy in your and my life. Before any of us can reallydesign and create the abundant life we want, we must do the preparation work to ensure our success. I know that the life I live now would not have been possible if I hadn't done this foundational work and created an environment where my dreams will be supported, not torn down by my inner thought life. After all, we are supposed to be our own best friend, not our own worst enemy.

Until next time, I wish you abundance in all areas of your life,

B. Marlain Morrison