Affirmations are designed to 'rewrite' your core beliefs to be much more productive (as opposed to self-destructive), but they can take an incredibly long time to take effect.  There is a much more powerful technique for ‘installing’ new affirmations/beliefs and releasing those that don’t serve you, and it takes only a few minutes to do.  What you need is a sheet of ruled paper.  To prepare for this, draw a vertical line down the middle of the paper to split the sheet into two equal columns, as shown below.  When you have 10-15 minutes of privacy where you’re doing nothing else, you can sit down and do this exercise.

What you need to do this exercise is a positive affirmation that you want to pass on to your unconscious.  This could be something like ‘I’m organized, effective and having fun at work,’ or ‘I’m adapting easily and effortlessly to change,’ or ‘ I’m healthy, fit, trim and energized at my ideal weight,’ or whatever works for you.  It needs to be a short statement of what you want to be, or want to be like, or want to believe.

You’ll start this exercise on the top line, in the left-hand column.  On that line, to the left of the vertical line that you drew, write the positive affirmation that you’ve chosen, and as you write it, say the affirmation to yourself in your head.  Then notice what pops up in your head – your internal dialog.  Be aware of the very first thing that you think or say to yourself.  Jot this down on the same line as your affirmation to the right of the vertical line that you drew.  What’s important here is to jot down the very first thought that pops into your head after you say/write the affirmation.  Accept whatever comes up and write it down.  It may be just a single word, or even a sound.  Just put it down.

Then, on the second line, to the left of the vertical line, rewrite the affirmation, right under where you wrote it before.  As you write it, silently say the affirmation to yourself in your head (ie: not out loud – just in your head).  Once again, be aware of the thoughts/words that pop into your head immediately after you write/say the affirmation, and jot it down in the second column, to the right of the vertical line, on the same line as the affirmation.

Immediately go to the third line and repeat this process, writing the affirmation on the left-hand side of the line and your first thought on the right-hand side.  Then to the next line and the next and so on until you finish the page.

What you are writing in the second column, to the right of the vertical line, is what is running around in your unconscious mind – the ‘tapes’ that are on auto-play every moment of your life.  Quite often, they will negate the affirmation, and be critical of it and/or of you.  I’ve found that often, as I proceed down the page, what comes up on the right-hand column can get downright nasty as you move down towards the center of the page.  It’s amazing what’s running around in our heads.  However, as you continue, you’ll find that what you write on the right-hand side then starts to shift to support the affirmation you keep writing in the left-hand column.

Give it a shot – what do you think?