Life! By Design_ 6 Steps to an Extraordinary You - Laura Morton [78]
When I want to take my affirmations to the next level, I practice them with a little Tom Ferry twist. I call them affirm-actions.™ Here’s the difference. Affirmations comprise positive self-talk, phrases such as “I like myself,” “I’m alive, excited, and full of energy,” and “I earn a million dollars a year!”
Affirm-actions™ connect the body and mind because your whole body is physically involved in the process. Your body and mind can then work together to create and firmly implant the new positive thought. A body in motion remains in motion. Lots of actors, politicians, public speakers, and top businesspeople regularly use this mental and physical combination. It could include clapping, touching, pumping your fists, or whatever works to get your whole body and mind present, in the moment, and centered.
Affirm-actions™ are a self-induced pep talk to get you ready for whatever you are about to encounter. For example, when I am preparing a lecture or presentation, I stand up offstage, just before I address my audience, and I clap my hands and say “I’m alive, present, and full of energy!” By doing this, I create a new level of energy all around me that is carried throughout my presentation and beyond. I tell myself that I am grateful, focused, fearless, powerful, unstoppable, and willing to do whatever it takes right now! This quick method is also effective in preparing for any meeting, challenge, or event of importance. It will put you in the right frame of mind to be most effective and engaging. When you get your body involved, the mind will follow.
Affirm-actions can be practiced by a series of mental exercises that stimulate your subconscious mind and accelerate the results of making inner changes in your life. When you add a physical response to these self-affirming statements, you engage your entire body in the process. Repeating these thoughts daily is the fastest way to reprogram your negative thoughts into positive ones.
Today, both of my sons are extremely confident and comfortable in front of adults and large groups because I have been conditioning them since before day one. We do affirm-actions together all the time. I’ll occasionally walk into their room and unexpectedly ask them for their daily affirmations. They’ll shout out whatever they’re thinking.
“I’m happy!”
“I’m powerful!”
“I’m focused!”
“I love school!”
“I love learning!”
“I’m a great speaker!”
I love hearing their positive thoughts and knowing they keep a healthy frame of mind. One night while I was traveling for a seminar, my cellphone rang. It was my wife calling to say that our son Michael wanted to tell me a story. He presented about a five-minute speech he had given at school earlier that day. He had been feeling a tremendous amount of pressure because if he did well, his speech would be recorded and played for the entire student body at the end of the school year. Michael explained that his goal going into his speech was to make it onto that video. He had a vision. He knew what he wanted and was aware of what he needed to do to achieve it. I could not have been prouder.
Michael continued with his story. “Right before I was supposed to give my speech, I noticed I wasn’t feeling well. For whatever reason, my hands were sweaty and I didn’t feel right. I walked outside the classroom for a couple of minutes and told myself, ‘I’m a great presenter. I’m powerful. I’m focused. And I’m going to make the video reel!’ I clapped my hands together to get really psyched. I repeated the statements over and over until I felt good. I walked back into the room, and I nailed it, Dad!”
I told Michael how proud I was. I said he’d given me a great story to share at my seminar the next day. To my surprise, Michael paused and got quiet. He usually shares my enthusiasm when he tells me about his accomplishments. But this time, something was bothering him.
“What is it, buddy?” I asked.
“Daddy, I have to tell you something that might upset you. I don’t like it when you make me do affirmations.” With