I recently published 101 Powerful Affirmations received in my inbox.
Today, the author of the affirmations shared 5 Proven Ways to use them to bring about amazing, positive changes in your life.
Putting what you've learned into practice will dramatically speed up the process of attracting all the wonderful things you've desired into your life.
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1) Say Them Out Loud
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Affirmations work best when spoken with power and conviction.
It's normal if you feel uncomfortable saying certain affirmations in the beginning... because you may not fully believe them yet.
Saying them out loud over and over again helps to re-program your sub-conscious mind to accept these new beliefs gradually.
You'll realize that it gets easier and easier the more you do it and over time and you'll start to say the affirmations with more and more conviction.
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2) Say Them In Front Of The Mirror
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In fact, I recommend that you print out and paste the affirmations near your mirror so you can look at your reflection when you're saying them.
This is an extremely powerful way to anchor the new empowering beliefs to yourself.
I personally recite my affirmations every morning in front of the mirror in my room. I usually keep my room door closed to ensure privacy. You can also choose to do it using the bathroom mirror or wherever you feel most comfortable.
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3) Say Them In Your Head
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An alternative to saying the affirmations out loud is to say them in your head.
Perhaps, you live in a big family or in a place where it may not be convenient to practice reciting the affirmations out loud to yourself. If so, this is one good way to use your affirmations.
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4) Record Them And Listen To The Recording When Necessary
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Another way to do it is to record yourself saying the affirmations and play back the recording when you feel it's necessary to do so...for example, when you find yourself having negative thoughts.
I listen to my affirmations whenever I'm travelling from one place to another and just before I fall asleep. Research have shown that the sub-conscious mind is most open to suggestions just after you wake up and just before you fall asleep.
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5) Write Them Down
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You may also want to copy the affirmations down in your own handwriting. I don't know why it works but it does! A lot of people swear by it.
It's the same as writing sales copy... Top copywriters know that if you practice copying high response advertisements in your own handwriting, it actually improves your ability to write great copy.
Instead of questioning why it works, why not just give it a shot?
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The Secret to Making Affirmations work
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Now, you know the 5 proven ways to use your 101 powerful affirmations... but do you know the secret to making them work?
Ok... come a little closer...
*whispers*
The key to unlocking the potential of your affirmations is...
Consistency!
Don't expect to do it once and expect miracles... it just doesn't work that way.
If you want to effect positive changes in your life, you need to use your affirmations everyday or as often as you can.
Does it take a little work?
Yes... to develop the good habit of positive self-talk... but trust me, the results are definitely worth it!
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Conclusion
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I've shared with you 5 proven ways to use your affirmations as well as the secret to making them work for you. Now, the ball is in your court...
What are you going to do... to massively change your life?
Visit Personal Development in the 21st Century
A life-long process for achieving a balanced and fulfilled life, accepting nothing less than the best. If taught at school,children would graduate with self-belief and reachable goals rather than a lack of life skills.
Showing posts with label affirmations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affirmations. Show all posts
Friday, 27 November 2009
5 Proven Ways to Use Powerful Affirmations
Labels:
affirmations,
empowering beliefs,
positive self-talk
Thursday, 19 November 2009
101 Powerful Affirmations You Can Start Using Today
Affirmations are great tools that can help you overcome fear, build your confidence, develop an abundance mind-set and more. The problem is that many people aren’t sure exactly how to write effective affirmations. Do they always have to be in present tense? Can they contain “negative” words like can’t, won’t, not, and so on?
There are plenty of differing opinions on the right and wrong ways to write effective affirmations, but the bottom line is that an affirmation can be considered effective if it works for YOU! The whole point of affirmations is to shift your thoughts and emotions to a more positive place so you feel more confident, happy, secure, abundant, or anything else you’re trying to accomplish.
Take a look at the 101 powerful affirmations below for starters and feel free to use them if they resonate with you. If not, try altering them slightly until they trigger the mind-set and emotional state you’re trying to attain.
Affirmations for Healthy Weight and Body Image:
- Today I love my body fully, deeply and joyfully.
- My body has its own wisdom and I trust that wisdom completely.
- My body is simply a projection of my beliefs about myself.
- I am growing more beautiful and luminous day by day.
- I choose to see the divine perfection in every cell of my body.
- As I love myself, I allow others to love me too.
- Flaws are transformed by love and acceptance.
- Today I choose to honor my beauty, my strength and my uniqueness.
- I love the way I feel when I take good care of myself.
- Today my own well-being is my top priority.
Affirmations for Self-Confidence and Self-Belief:
- Fear is only a feeling; it cannot hold me back.
- I know that I can master anything if I do it enough times.
- Today I am willing to fail in order to succeed.
- I believe that I have the strength to make my dreams come true.
- I’m going to relax and have fun with this, no matter what the outcome may be.
- I’m proud of myself for even daring to try; many people won’t even do that!
- Today I put my full trust in my inner guidance.
- I grow in strength with every forward step I take.
- I release my hesitation and make room for victory!
- With a solid plan and a belief in myself, there’s nothing I can’t do.
Affirmations for Abundance and Prosperity:
- I open to the flow of great abundance in all areas of my life.
- I always have more than enough of everything I need.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
- Today I expand my awareness of the abundance all around me.
- I allow the universe to bless me in surprising and joyful ways.
- My grateful heart is a magnet that attracts more of everything I desire.
- Prosperity surrounds me, prosperity fills me, prosperity flows to me and through me.
- I exude passion, purpose and prosperity.
- I am always led to the people who need what I have to offer.
- As my commitment to help others grows, so does my wealth.
- My day is filled with limitless potential in joy, abundance and love.
Affirmations for Life Purpose:
- The better I know myself, the clearer my purpose becomes.
- My unique skills and talents can make a profound difference in the world.
- Today I follow my heart and discover my destiny.
- I am meant to do great things.
- I am limited only by my vision of what is possible.
- My purpose is to develop and share the best parts of myself with others.
- Today I present my love, passion, talent and joy as a gift to the world.
- I need not know the entire journey in order to take one step.
- I fulfill my life purpose by starting here, right now.
- My life purpose can be whatever I decide to make it.
Affirmations for Inner Peace:
- All is well, right here, right now.
- Peace begins with a conscious choice.
- Today I embrace simplicity, peace and solace.
- A peaceful heart makes for a peaceful life.
- I trust the universe to deliver my highest good in every situation.
- By becoming peace, I create peace in every experience.
- I am filled with the light of love, peace and joy.
- Peace comes when I let go of trying to control every tiny detail.
- Where peace dwells, fear cannot.
- Today my mission is to surrender and release.
Affirmations for Opportunity:
- Today I open my mind to the endless opportunities surrounding me.
- Opportunities are everywhere, if I choose to see them.
- I boldly act on great opportunities when I see them.
- My intuition leads me to the most lucrative opportunities.
- An opportunity is simply a possibility until I act on it.
- Some of the best opportunities are made, not found.
- Today I see each moment as a new opportunity to express my greatness.
- I expand my awareness of the hidden potential in each experience.
- Let each of my experiences today be a gateway to something even better.
- Each decision I make creates new opportunities.
Affirmations for Love:
- I am ready for a healthy, loving relationship.
- All of my relationships are meaningful and fulfilling.
- As I share my love with others the universe mirrors love back to me.
- I see everyone I meet as a soul mate.
- I trust the universe to know the type of partner who is perfect for me.
- Today I release fear and open my heart to true love.
- I am grateful for the people in my life.
- I am the perfect partner for my perfect partner.
- I deserve a loving, healthy relationship.
- I deserve to be loved and I allow myself to be loved.
Affirmations for Healing:
- I am strong and healthy.
- My energy and vitality are increasing every day.
- I open to the natural flow of wellness now.
- My inner guidance leads me to the right healing modalities for me.
- Abundant health and wellness are my birthright.
- Thank you for my strength, my health and my vitality.
- I am feeling stronger and better now.
- I love taking good care of myself.
- Today nurturing myself is my highest priority.
- Thank you for the opportunity to balance my mind, body and spirit.
Affirmations for Inner Clarity:
- Today I awaken to my higher wisdom.
- My inner voice guides me in every moment.
- I am centered, calm and clear.
- I always know the right actions to achieve my goals.
- When I know where I’m going, getting there is a cinch!
- Today I am completely tuned in to my inner wisdom.
- Harmony is always a sign that I am balanced from within.
- Thank you for showing me the way to my dreams.
- I trust my feelings and insights.
- I am detached and open to divine guidance.
Affirmations for Self-Love:
- I am filled with light, love and peace.
- I treat myself with kindness and respect.
- I don’t have to be perfect; I just have to be me.
- I give myself permission to shine.
- I honor the best parts of myself and share them with others.
- I’m proud of all I have accomplished.
- Today I give myself permission to be greater than my fears.
- I love myself no matter what.
- I am my own best friend and cheerleader.
- Thank you for the qualities, traits and talents that make me so unique.
***
Yee Shun Jian
There are plenty of differing opinions on the right and wrong ways to write effective affirmations, but the bottom line is that an affirmation can be considered effective if it works for YOU! The whole point of affirmations is to shift your thoughts and emotions to a more positive place so you feel more confident, happy, secure, abundant, or anything else you’re trying to accomplish.
Take a look at the 101 powerful affirmations below for starters and feel free to use them if they resonate with you. If not, try altering them slightly until they trigger the mind-set and emotional state you’re trying to attain.
Affirmations for Healthy Weight and Body Image:
- Today I love my body fully, deeply and joyfully.
- My body has its own wisdom and I trust that wisdom completely.
- My body is simply a projection of my beliefs about myself.
- I am growing more beautiful and luminous day by day.
- I choose to see the divine perfection in every cell of my body.
- As I love myself, I allow others to love me too.
- Flaws are transformed by love and acceptance.
- Today I choose to honor my beauty, my strength and my uniqueness.
- I love the way I feel when I take good care of myself.
- Today my own well-being is my top priority.
Affirmations for Self-Confidence and Self-Belief:
- Fear is only a feeling; it cannot hold me back.
- I know that I can master anything if I do it enough times.
- Today I am willing to fail in order to succeed.
- I believe that I have the strength to make my dreams come true.
- I’m going to relax and have fun with this, no matter what the outcome may be.
- I’m proud of myself for even daring to try; many people won’t even do that!
- Today I put my full trust in my inner guidance.
- I grow in strength with every forward step I take.
- I release my hesitation and make room for victory!
- With a solid plan and a belief in myself, there’s nothing I can’t do.
Affirmations for Abundance and Prosperity:
- I open to the flow of great abundance in all areas of my life.
- I always have more than enough of everything I need.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
- Today I expand my awareness of the abundance all around me.
- I allow the universe to bless me in surprising and joyful ways.
- My grateful heart is a magnet that attracts more of everything I desire.
- Prosperity surrounds me, prosperity fills me, prosperity flows to me and through me.
- I exude passion, purpose and prosperity.
- I am always led to the people who need what I have to offer.
- As my commitment to help others grows, so does my wealth.
- My day is filled with limitless potential in joy, abundance and love.
Affirmations for Life Purpose:
- The better I know myself, the clearer my purpose becomes.
- My unique skills and talents can make a profound difference in the world.
- Today I follow my heart and discover my destiny.
- I am meant to do great things.
- I am limited only by my vision of what is possible.
- My purpose is to develop and share the best parts of myself with others.
- Today I present my love, passion, talent and joy as a gift to the world.
- I need not know the entire journey in order to take one step.
- I fulfill my life purpose by starting here, right now.
- My life purpose can be whatever I decide to make it.
Affirmations for Inner Peace:
- All is well, right here, right now.
- Peace begins with a conscious choice.
- Today I embrace simplicity, peace and solace.
- A peaceful heart makes for a peaceful life.
- I trust the universe to deliver my highest good in every situation.
- By becoming peace, I create peace in every experience.
- I am filled with the light of love, peace and joy.
- Peace comes when I let go of trying to control every tiny detail.
- Where peace dwells, fear cannot.
- Today my mission is to surrender and release.
Affirmations for Opportunity:
- Today I open my mind to the endless opportunities surrounding me.
- Opportunities are everywhere, if I choose to see them.
- I boldly act on great opportunities when I see them.
- My intuition leads me to the most lucrative opportunities.
- An opportunity is simply a possibility until I act on it.
- Some of the best opportunities are made, not found.
- Today I see each moment as a new opportunity to express my greatness.
- I expand my awareness of the hidden potential in each experience.
- Let each of my experiences today be a gateway to something even better.
- Each decision I make creates new opportunities.
Affirmations for Love:
- I am ready for a healthy, loving relationship.
- All of my relationships are meaningful and fulfilling.
- As I share my love with others the universe mirrors love back to me.
- I see everyone I meet as a soul mate.
- I trust the universe to know the type of partner who is perfect for me.
- Today I release fear and open my heart to true love.
- I am grateful for the people in my life.
- I am the perfect partner for my perfect partner.
- I deserve a loving, healthy relationship.
- I deserve to be loved and I allow myself to be loved.
Affirmations for Healing:
- I am strong and healthy.
- My energy and vitality are increasing every day.
- I open to the natural flow of wellness now.
- My inner guidance leads me to the right healing modalities for me.
- Abundant health and wellness are my birthright.
- Thank you for my strength, my health and my vitality.
- I am feeling stronger and better now.
- I love taking good care of myself.
- Today nurturing myself is my highest priority.
- Thank you for the opportunity to balance my mind, body and spirit.
Affirmations for Inner Clarity:
- Today I awaken to my higher wisdom.
- My inner voice guides me in every moment.
- I am centered, calm and clear.
- I always know the right actions to achieve my goals.
- When I know where I’m going, getting there is a cinch!
- Today I am completely tuned in to my inner wisdom.
- Harmony is always a sign that I am balanced from within.
- Thank you for showing me the way to my dreams.
- I trust my feelings and insights.
- I am detached and open to divine guidance.
Affirmations for Self-Love:
- I am filled with light, love and peace.
- I treat myself with kindness and respect.
- I don’t have to be perfect; I just have to be me.
- I give myself permission to shine.
- I honor the best parts of myself and share them with others.
- I’m proud of all I have accomplished.
- Today I give myself permission to be greater than my fears.
- I love myself no matter what.
- I am my own best friend and cheerleader.
- Thank you for the qualities, traits and talents that make me so unique.
***
Yee Shun Jian
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Using Positive Self-Talk to Conquer Any Goal
Do you feel like you are always talking yourself out of success? As soon as you start to set goals for yourself, do you suddenly have nagging thoughts about how you aren't up to the task or how you simply aren't qualified to carry it through?
If you have ever experienced either situation, you need to change the way you respond to your inner dialogue. Instead of obeying your negative commands, you can use positive self-talk to counter the negativity and overcome nearly all anxious thoughts.
Setting Goals and Sticking to Them with Positive Self-Talk
Are you initially filled with excitement when you first set goals for yourself? Are these thoughts then followed by self-doubt and self-defeating thoughts that stop you in your tracks before you even get started?
It can be difficult to make the most of your life when you are constantly talking yourself out of being a success. It can be frustrating and discouraging to have these thoughts constantly plaguing you. Many of us, in fact, don't even realize we have them! All we know is that we don't have the confidence to stick to our plans and reach our goals.
But there's another way
Positive self-talk is an effective way to set goals and ensure that you stick to them, even if you have never been able to do this before. The way this works is that you decide what goal is important to you, and then you plan the logistics of how you are going to attain this goal. When self-doubt starts kicking in, you will respond with affirmations that prove your success without surrendering to the negative pressure. Since you're reading this article, it's clear that you're no quitter and you're certainly not a failure, so start believing in yourself!
Re-Programming Your Mind
Affirmations are essentially positive statements that re-program your mind for the positive. The moment you have a self-defeating thought you'd be able to counter the negative with a motivating statement. An example of a positive affirmation is: "I am worthy of great success," or "I see myself in the winner's circle." What this does is replace negativity with thoughts that will help you move toward your goals instead of further away from them.
Positive self-talk is easier to implement than you might think. You may not be aware of the severity of the negative dialogue currently within your mind. However, once you begin with positive self-talk, you will suddenly realize that you are self-sabotaging the goals you set for yourself from the minute that you make them. This process can open your eyes to exactly how much this inner conversation has been interfering with your life. You'll feel hopeful that you can now set goals and surpass them.
Through positive self-talk you will be able easily set long and short-term goals for yourself. And when you use affirmations, you'll have accessible tools to help you push yourself further than ever before. Learning to quiet negativity with positive thoughts is a great move toward setting and attaining future goals with ease.
Antonia Harrison from Personal Development in the 21st Century
If you have ever experienced either situation, you need to change the way you respond to your inner dialogue. Instead of obeying your negative commands, you can use positive self-talk to counter the negativity and overcome nearly all anxious thoughts.
Setting Goals and Sticking to Them with Positive Self-Talk
Are you initially filled with excitement when you first set goals for yourself? Are these thoughts then followed by self-doubt and self-defeating thoughts that stop you in your tracks before you even get started?
It can be difficult to make the most of your life when you are constantly talking yourself out of being a success. It can be frustrating and discouraging to have these thoughts constantly plaguing you. Many of us, in fact, don't even realize we have them! All we know is that we don't have the confidence to stick to our plans and reach our goals.
But there's another way
Positive self-talk is an effective way to set goals and ensure that you stick to them, even if you have never been able to do this before. The way this works is that you decide what goal is important to you, and then you plan the logistics of how you are going to attain this goal. When self-doubt starts kicking in, you will respond with affirmations that prove your success without surrendering to the negative pressure. Since you're reading this article, it's clear that you're no quitter and you're certainly not a failure, so start believing in yourself!
Re-Programming Your Mind
Affirmations are essentially positive statements that re-program your mind for the positive. The moment you have a self-defeating thought you'd be able to counter the negative with a motivating statement. An example of a positive affirmation is: "I am worthy of great success," or "I see myself in the winner's circle." What this does is replace negativity with thoughts that will help you move toward your goals instead of further away from them.
Positive self-talk is easier to implement than you might think. You may not be aware of the severity of the negative dialogue currently within your mind. However, once you begin with positive self-talk, you will suddenly realize that you are self-sabotaging the goals you set for yourself from the minute that you make them. This process can open your eyes to exactly how much this inner conversation has been interfering with your life. You'll feel hopeful that you can now set goals and surpass them.
Through positive self-talk you will be able easily set long and short-term goals for yourself. And when you use affirmations, you'll have accessible tools to help you push yourself further than ever before. Learning to quiet negativity with positive thoughts is a great move toward setting and attaining future goals with ease.
Antonia Harrison from Personal Development in the 21st Century
Labels:
affirmations,
goals,
positive self-talk,
self-sabotage
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Revolution in Lifelong Learning
If you could do anything in the world and knew without a doubt that you would succeed, what would you do?
If you can answer this question, then you know what your real passion is. Passion, vision, clear goals and an action plan will get you anywhere you want to be and beyond. Do not settle for the second best because it is convenient or comfortable. If you do that, you might always wonder where you could have ended up if you really did go for your dreams.
To become the best you can be and to stay on top requires learning. Learning from others and learning from yourself - your own mistakes and achievements.
In today's world, if you don't learn, you actually stay behind.
Why? Because there is a great socio-cultural revolution that is sweeping our world today. There is a revolution that is changing the way we live, communicate, think and prosper. A revolution, that will determine how, and if, grown-ups as well as children will work, earn a living and enjoy life to the fullest.
To stay ahead, we need a parallel revolution in lifelong learning to match the information revolution - one that can help each of us learn anything much faster and better and get us to where we want to go.
Without the ability to learn effectively, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the changes taking place and the amount of information we must assimilate each day. The goal of education now should be to "help people be capable of new things, not simply repeat what other generations have done - people who are creative, inventive and discoverers" - Jean Piaget
So now you know, you can't get away, learning is a part of our life for the rest of our life.
How do you feel about it?
If you feel exited and confident in your ability to learn, you are lucky. If, like many others, you had wished you never read the above paragraph, then the next crucial step for you to make is to forget everything you've ever thought about education. If school was a bore, forget it. If you dropped out early, forget that too. If you lack confidence as a learner because you've had bad experiences, don't worry about it because the fact is you are not stuck with those feelings.
There are many ways to create confidence and make learning your passion. Here are some examples to show you that your inborn genius can come out at any age.
· Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he lacked "good creative ideas.
· Beethoven's music teacher told him he was "hopeless as a composer.
· French postimpressionist painter, who helped form the basis of modern art, Paul Gauguin, only tried painting because he failed as a stockbroker.
· Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration was so disastrous that they didn't work again for years. (They both created a lot of outstanding musical productions).
How you perceive learning and how you feel about it is extremely important if you want to be successful and enjoy the process.
If you think you should learn something but don't feel good about it, you will look for lots of excuses (such as not having enough time) and, at the end, not do it.
When people say they don't have time for something (for example, studying or exercising) it is simply because they are choosing to do other things that they consider more important or that motivate them more.
If you are motivated to learn and have a clear vision about future success, it will be easy for you to choose study over a more immediate pleasure. So, the next question is:
- How to get motivated and create a positive state of mind whenever we want to?
It is important to decide how you would personally benefit from learning something. Someone once said, that we all listen to Radio Station WII-FM. It stands for "What's In It For Me."
To be effective learners we must:
1. Perceive information.
2. Reflect on how it will impact some aspect of our life.
3. Compare how it fits into our own experiences.
4. Think about how this information offers new ways for us to act.
You need to realize that learning requires not just seeing, hearing, moving, or touching, but also integration of our senses and thoughts with our feeling and actions.
Understanding your feelings, how they are formed and how you can choose to change them is a great skill to have and one of the main factors towards a positive attitude to learning!
We all have an inner voice - the running commentary in our heads that accompanies our action. This inner voice and what it says is actually very important because it programs your subconscious to feel a certain way. You can increase your chance of success in whatever you do by thinking and saying really positive things about yourself - statements that express what you choose to become.
Some people call these statements affirmations. The affirmation doesn't need to be true for you yet - the time to use affirmations is when you are trying to achieve something. An example of an affirmation would be "I am a confident learner!" or "I love learning!"
Using affirmations helps you program your subconscious the way you want it. By repeating them, the subconscious does come to believe in what you are saying and it looks for ways to make your actions match its beliefs.
To learn effectively, you need to concentrate. To be able to concentrate is to be able to direct your energy. If you are tired, tense, or distracted, it is very difficult to do. Also, fear, anxiety, and anger are emotional factors that negatively impact learning. On a physical level, stress can even cause cell assemblies to fire in unorganized patterns and ultimately inhibit transfer and retrieval.
Being able to relax and calm yourself is the next important step in making learning successful.
Before each learning session take a few minutes to relax. Use your favorite way to do it. Deep breathing, neck exercises and an upright spine all allow blood, oxygen and energy to pass freely between body and brain. And remember to replace any negative thoughts with your own affirmations.
The next crucial factor in becoming a successful learner is having clear goals.
There are many reasons why it is important to have clear goals and to know what you want as well as how and where to get it. As Colin Rose puts it, "There is no point in being the most efficient oil rig team in history if you're drilling in the wrong place!"
The first thing to do when creating your goals is to decide where you are now. It will make it clear for you what "ingredients" are missing. Once that is done, create a vision of what you want to achieve. Ask yourself "Where do I want to be?"
Write your goal down. It is important to write down a goal because you have to think it through more clearly. Also, it will make it more real and more concrete.
Now, close your eyes and see yourself as if you already achieved it - What do you look like? What do you feel like? Who is there to congratulate you?
If you think you can't visualize, here is the proof that everyone can do it. Worrying is a process where you picture something unpleasant and feel like it had already happened. If you can worry, you can visualize. Here is another one: How many windows are in your kitchen? If you know - you can visualize.
When you have a vision and a goal that feels real to you, you are also more motivated. Having a firm belief that you can achieve that vision, gives you purpose and, if you have a purpose, you create determination and willpower.
Let's say by now you have your clear goals and you're motivated and anxious to learn. The next question would be:
- What is learning and what is the best way to learn?
Learning can be defined as the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skills. It strengthens the brain by building new pathways and increasing connections that we can rely on when we want to learn more.
Since we use our brain to learn, it makes sense to examine how the brain works.
Did you know that, according to Pr. Robert Ornstein (author of Amazing Brain), "The possible number of connections in the human brain is probably bigger that the number of atoms in the universe! With approximately twenty-five billion transactions per second, the brain is more advanced than any computer humans are likely to devise. It has about 100 billion brain cells - 20 times the entire population of the world!"
Sounds impressive, but here is an interesting fact. Brain scientists have discovered that it isn't really the number of brain cells you have that determines how useful your brain is or how intelligent you are, but the connection you make between those brain cells!
Every time new information enters you brain, new connections are made. The more we use our brains, the more stimulation we give it, the more intelligent we become. So, the big news is - intelligence is not fixed.
Einstein wasn't a very good student in school and even failed maths initially. Now, his brain lies in a glass jar in a university. It's no bigger than average, but researchers say that it shows evidence of very rich connections between the brain cells.
You can develop your own intelligence.
The more you use your brain, at any age, the better it gets. It thrives on novelty and only declines with lack of stimulation.
But what is intelligence?
Dr. Howard Gardner has defined intelligence as "the ability to create useful products and solve everyday problems." He also points out that we have not just one intelligence - but eight.
1. Linguistic - the ability to write or talk well.
2. Mathematical/Logical - the ability to deal well with numbers and to think logically.
3. Visual/Spatial - the ability to visualize how things will eventually look.
4. Musical - the ability to create and interpret music.
5. Bodily/Physical - the ability to move well, run, dance, build and construct.
6. Inter-personal - the ability to communicate well and get along with others.
7. Intra-personal - the ability for quiet, objective self-analysis, understanding your own feelings and behavior.
8. Naturalist – the ability to observe, understand and organize patterns or elements in a natural environment.
All eight intelligences are of equal value. Although academic success which measures two of the intelligences (linguistic and mathematical/logical), is one way to demonstrate intelligence, in the real world, it is far from the only one. Learning is a lot more effective when you explore the subject through all eight intelligences.
To learn easier and faster it makes sense to work with the brain's own memory-methods.
The usual way of taking notes or writing words column by column doesn't do anything for the brain because brain works in a very different way. It stores information by pattern and association.
Mind maps or learning maps are a great tool to assist your brain.
The essential rule in making learning maps is only to use key words, which will remind you of the whole idea. You start with putting a topic in the center of the page. Then you branch off that topic the main ideas. From each of those ideas you branch of to put more related information. It looks like a tree with branches and it also looks like the connections of our brain cells.
You can use different colors for related ideas. You can also use pictures or symbols instead of key words. According to Colin Rose, "a learning map is a tool to turn ideas and facts into an easily remembered visual pattern of words. You can jump around from one idea cluster to another and literally see the connection between ideas. It is also a tool to allow you to create a logical order for those ideas."
Learning maps can be very useful in organizing and summarizing reading material as well as planning speeches, presentations, reports, or papers.
There is no learning without memory.
Memory is knowledge. Memory is the stepping stone to thinking, because without remembering facts, you cannot think, conceptualize, reason, make decisions, create, or contribute.
The secret of a good or incredible memory is original awareness. When someone says he forgot something, it usually means he never remembered it in the first place because if something has registered in your mind or moved from short-term memory to long-term, it is easy to recall and almost impossible to forget.
So, original awareness is actually forcing information to register in your mind or memory. There are a lot of techniques and even rules for training your memory to do that and they are well worth learning. Here are some of them.
One of the rules is that in order for you to remember any new thing, you must associate it with something you already know or remember. You already do it subconsciously, as when you hear or see something that makes you say, "That reminds me!" The goal is to do it consciously and purposely.
Colin Rose developed a model that shows how memory works. Using this model insures that what we learn gets registered and makes an impression in our memory and it makes it easier to recall.
The model shows that new facts go first into our short-term memory. It is essential to review the information in order to register it and to move it to long-term memory. If not reviewed, it is forgotten! Once the information is in long-term memory it is retained there for recall when needed.
Research indicates that if we want to transfer something from short-term memory to long-term memory, we should think about it, relate it to other things we know, question it, and transform it into our own words.
An extra word on review.
Studies show that time spent reviewing can double the recall and even improve it four-times. If you don't review, the information that you constantly putting in is lost. That makes learning difficult because there will be less data in the brain on which to hook, or associate the next lot of new information.
Spending a little time to register something properly at the beginning saves a huge amount of time later. According to Colin Rose, the best schedule for reviewing is after one hour, the next day, the next week, the next month, and, finally, after 6 months.
A learning map is a great tool for review because all the information is organized on one page with the key words that will remind you of all the essential information at a glance.
To keep the recall of the learned material high, try to have lots of beginnings and endings to the learning session because high concentration lasts for about 20 minutes. So taking frequent breaks in between will drastically improve understanding and recall of the information.
Researchers have also found that we have separate memories for sounds, sights and feelings. Which is why it makes sense not just to read something, but repeat it out loud and, if practical, find a way to associate it with a physical movement.
While we may each perceive information through different senses, we ultimately learn by doing. Taking notes from a talk is a good example because you involve your memory for sight (the notes), sound (the talk) and movement (writing). Another example is the way you would learn a foreign word: you would read it, speak it out loud and act it in an exaggerated way (or make a silly visualization of it).
To remember more from any learning situation, do the following:
· relax;
· make a firm intention to remember;
· create "original awareness";
· use techniques to transfer information from short-term memory into long-term;
· take regular breaks;
· review the material.
At the end, ask yourself these two questions:
- What went well?
- What could have gone better?
Learning can and should be a lifelong process.
Unfortunately, many adults deny themselves what should be one of the most enriching parts of life because they assume that they can’t learn.
Fortunately, we now know that we can learn from everything the mind perceives and at any age. Dr. Benjamin Bloom, who spent a lifetime studying excellence, has concluded that “anyone can learn anything - the only difference is that some take more time than others.”
Our brains build and strengthen neural pathways no matter where we are, no matter what the subject or the context. When it comes to learning, it is important to try different techniques and choose what suits you best. As long as you are trying and improving, you don't fail.
And remember, only one creature ever sat down to succeed - a chicken!
At the end of the day, the more knowledge we gain about learning styles and techniques, the more there is left to discover. If after reading this article you have more questions about learning than you did before you started reading - great! As George Bernard Shaw says, "I'd rather know some of the questions than all of the answers."
I hope you will get inspired to embark on a lifelong journey of self-discovery and a life of rewarding learning experiences. The words inscribed over the Temple at Delphi read "Know Thyself." This is the greatest challenge in life.
By determining our own unique learning styles, accepting our differences, and even using them to help ourselves and others learn more effectively, we find the wisest approach to learning.
Would you like to learn more about your dominant intelligences, learning styles, your brain and memory?
Then please visit "Discover Your Inborn Genius" e-book by Masha Malka. Masha is currently offering several incredible FREE bonuses with any purchase of her book.

© 2006 by Masha Malka
Discover Your Inborn Genius will reveal proven methods that allow you to unlock your full potential to start living the life you've always known was possible for you. The innovative life-skills disclosed in this ebook are guaranteed to generate more happiness and increased personal and financial fulfillment in your life! Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a student, you will greatly benefit by purchasing this ebook today. Discover your own unique learning style; Easily retrieve information from your memory on demand; Use your brain more effectively by learning how it works; Increase your intelligence; A method that makes learning anything faster and easier; Discover the tools that will allow you to tap into the unlimited possibilities and potential that you possess to create the life of your dreams!
Visit Personal Development in the 21st Century
If you can answer this question, then you know what your real passion is. Passion, vision, clear goals and an action plan will get you anywhere you want to be and beyond. Do not settle for the second best because it is convenient or comfortable. If you do that, you might always wonder where you could have ended up if you really did go for your dreams.
"A funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you often get it!" W. Somerset Maugham
To become the best you can be and to stay on top requires learning. Learning from others and learning from yourself - your own mistakes and achievements.
In today's world, if you don't learn, you actually stay behind.
Why? Because there is a great socio-cultural revolution that is sweeping our world today. There is a revolution that is changing the way we live, communicate, think and prosper. A revolution, that will determine how, and if, grown-ups as well as children will work, earn a living and enjoy life to the fullest.
To stay ahead, we need a parallel revolution in lifelong learning to match the information revolution - one that can help each of us learn anything much faster and better and get us to where we want to go.
Without the ability to learn effectively, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the changes taking place and the amount of information we must assimilate each day. The goal of education now should be to "help people be capable of new things, not simply repeat what other generations have done - people who are creative, inventive and discoverers" - Jean Piaget
"The only truly educated person is the one who has learned how to learn." Carl Rogers
"The illiterate of the year 2000 will not be the individual who cannot read and write but the one who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."- Alvin Toffler
So now you know, you can't get away, learning is a part of our life for the rest of our life.
How do you feel about it?
If you feel exited and confident in your ability to learn, you are lucky. If, like many others, you had wished you never read the above paragraph, then the next crucial step for you to make is to forget everything you've ever thought about education. If school was a bore, forget it. If you dropped out early, forget that too. If you lack confidence as a learner because you've had bad experiences, don't worry about it because the fact is you are not stuck with those feelings.
There are many ways to create confidence and make learning your passion. Here are some examples to show you that your inborn genius can come out at any age.
· Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he lacked "good creative ideas.
· Beethoven's music teacher told him he was "hopeless as a composer.
· French postimpressionist painter, who helped form the basis of modern art, Paul Gauguin, only tried painting because he failed as a stockbroker.
· Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration was so disastrous that they didn't work again for years. (They both created a lot of outstanding musical productions).
"Your past is not your potential." Marilyn Ferguson
How you perceive learning and how you feel about it is extremely important if you want to be successful and enjoy the process.
"All our knowledge has its origins in our perceptions." Leonardo da Vinci
If you think you should learn something but don't feel good about it, you will look for lots of excuses (such as not having enough time) and, at the end, not do it.
When people say they don't have time for something (for example, studying or exercising) it is simply because they are choosing to do other things that they consider more important or that motivate them more.
If you are motivated to learn and have a clear vision about future success, it will be easy for you to choose study over a more immediate pleasure. So, the next question is:
- How to get motivated and create a positive state of mind whenever we want to?
It is important to decide how you would personally benefit from learning something. Someone once said, that we all listen to Radio Station WII-FM. It stands for "What's In It For Me."
In 1897 Arnold Bennett said, "There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."
To be effective learners we must:
1. Perceive information.
2. Reflect on how it will impact some aspect of our life.
3. Compare how it fits into our own experiences.
4. Think about how this information offers new ways for us to act.
You need to realize that learning requires not just seeing, hearing, moving, or touching, but also integration of our senses and thoughts with our feeling and actions.
Understanding your feelings, how they are formed and how you can choose to change them is a great skill to have and one of the main factors towards a positive attitude to learning!
We all have an inner voice - the running commentary in our heads that accompanies our action. This inner voice and what it says is actually very important because it programs your subconscious to feel a certain way. You can increase your chance of success in whatever you do by thinking and saying really positive things about yourself - statements that express what you choose to become.
Some people call these statements affirmations. The affirmation doesn't need to be true for you yet - the time to use affirmations is when you are trying to achieve something. An example of an affirmation would be "I am a confident learner!" or "I love learning!"
Using affirmations helps you program your subconscious the way you want it. By repeating them, the subconscious does come to believe in what you are saying and it looks for ways to make your actions match its beliefs.
To learn effectively, you need to concentrate. To be able to concentrate is to be able to direct your energy. If you are tired, tense, or distracted, it is very difficult to do. Also, fear, anxiety, and anger are emotional factors that negatively impact learning. On a physical level, stress can even cause cell assemblies to fire in unorganized patterns and ultimately inhibit transfer and retrieval.
Being able to relax and calm yourself is the next important step in making learning successful.
Before each learning session take a few minutes to relax. Use your favorite way to do it. Deep breathing, neck exercises and an upright spine all allow blood, oxygen and energy to pass freely between body and brain. And remember to replace any negative thoughts with your own affirmations.
The next crucial factor in becoming a successful learner is having clear goals.
There are many reasons why it is important to have clear goals and to know what you want as well as how and where to get it. As Colin Rose puts it, "There is no point in being the most efficient oil rig team in history if you're drilling in the wrong place!"
"In moving towards a desired destination, it is vital to know where you are now." - Peter Senge
The first thing to do when creating your goals is to decide where you are now. It will make it clear for you what "ingredients" are missing. Once that is done, create a vision of what you want to achieve. Ask yourself "Where do I want to be?"
Write your goal down. It is important to write down a goal because you have to think it through more clearly. Also, it will make it more real and more concrete.
Now, close your eyes and see yourself as if you already achieved it - What do you look like? What do you feel like? Who is there to congratulate you?
"A vision gives meaning and purpose to your actions. It is the picture on the jigsaw box of life." -Colin Rose.
If you think you can't visualize, here is the proof that everyone can do it. Worrying is a process where you picture something unpleasant and feel like it had already happened. If you can worry, you can visualize. Here is another one: How many windows are in your kitchen? If you know - you can visualize.
When you have a vision and a goal that feels real to you, you are also more motivated. Having a firm belief that you can achieve that vision, gives you purpose and, if you have a purpose, you create determination and willpower.
Let's say by now you have your clear goals and you're motivated and anxious to learn. The next question would be:
- What is learning and what is the best way to learn?
Learning can be defined as the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skills. It strengthens the brain by building new pathways and increasing connections that we can rely on when we want to learn more.
Since we use our brain to learn, it makes sense to examine how the brain works.
Did you know that, according to Pr. Robert Ornstein (author of Amazing Brain), "The possible number of connections in the human brain is probably bigger that the number of atoms in the universe! With approximately twenty-five billion transactions per second, the brain is more advanced than any computer humans are likely to devise. It has about 100 billion brain cells - 20 times the entire population of the world!"
Sounds impressive, but here is an interesting fact. Brain scientists have discovered that it isn't really the number of brain cells you have that determines how useful your brain is or how intelligent you are, but the connection you make between those brain cells!
Every time new information enters you brain, new connections are made. The more we use our brains, the more stimulation we give it, the more intelligent we become. So, the big news is - intelligence is not fixed.
"Geniuses are more made than born." - Colin Rose
Einstein wasn't a very good student in school and even failed maths initially. Now, his brain lies in a glass jar in a university. It's no bigger than average, but researchers say that it shows evidence of very rich connections between the brain cells.
You can develop your own intelligence.
The more you use your brain, at any age, the better it gets. It thrives on novelty and only declines with lack of stimulation.
But what is intelligence?
Dr. Howard Gardner has defined intelligence as "the ability to create useful products and solve everyday problems." He also points out that we have not just one intelligence - but eight.
1. Linguistic - the ability to write or talk well.
2. Mathematical/Logical - the ability to deal well with numbers and to think logically.
3. Visual/Spatial - the ability to visualize how things will eventually look.
4. Musical - the ability to create and interpret music.
5. Bodily/Physical - the ability to move well, run, dance, build and construct.
6. Inter-personal - the ability to communicate well and get along with others.
7. Intra-personal - the ability for quiet, objective self-analysis, understanding your own feelings and behavior.
8. Naturalist – the ability to observe, understand and organize patterns or elements in a natural environment.
All eight intelligences are of equal value. Although academic success which measures two of the intelligences (linguistic and mathematical/logical), is one way to demonstrate intelligence, in the real world, it is far from the only one. Learning is a lot more effective when you explore the subject through all eight intelligences.
To learn easier and faster it makes sense to work with the brain's own memory-methods.
The usual way of taking notes or writing words column by column doesn't do anything for the brain because brain works in a very different way. It stores information by pattern and association.
Mind maps or learning maps are a great tool to assist your brain.
The essential rule in making learning maps is only to use key words, which will remind you of the whole idea. You start with putting a topic in the center of the page. Then you branch off that topic the main ideas. From each of those ideas you branch of to put more related information. It looks like a tree with branches and it also looks like the connections of our brain cells.
You can use different colors for related ideas. You can also use pictures or symbols instead of key words. According to Colin Rose, "a learning map is a tool to turn ideas and facts into an easily remembered visual pattern of words. You can jump around from one idea cluster to another and literally see the connection between ideas. It is also a tool to allow you to create a logical order for those ideas."
Learning maps can be very useful in organizing and summarizing reading material as well as planning speeches, presentations, reports, or papers.
There is no learning without memory.
Memory is knowledge. Memory is the stepping stone to thinking, because without remembering facts, you cannot think, conceptualize, reason, make decisions, create, or contribute.
The secret of a good or incredible memory is original awareness. When someone says he forgot something, it usually means he never remembered it in the first place because if something has registered in your mind or moved from short-term memory to long-term, it is easy to recall and almost impossible to forget.
So, original awareness is actually forcing information to register in your mind or memory. There are a lot of techniques and even rules for training your memory to do that and they are well worth learning. Here are some of them.
One of the rules is that in order for you to remember any new thing, you must associate it with something you already know or remember. You already do it subconsciously, as when you hear or see something that makes you say, "That reminds me!" The goal is to do it consciously and purposely.
Colin Rose developed a model that shows how memory works. Using this model insures that what we learn gets registered and makes an impression in our memory and it makes it easier to recall.
The model shows that new facts go first into our short-term memory. It is essential to review the information in order to register it and to move it to long-term memory. If not reviewed, it is forgotten! Once the information is in long-term memory it is retained there for recall when needed.
Research indicates that if we want to transfer something from short-term memory to long-term memory, we should think about it, relate it to other things we know, question it, and transform it into our own words.
An extra word on review.
Studies show that time spent reviewing can double the recall and even improve it four-times. If you don't review, the information that you constantly putting in is lost. That makes learning difficult because there will be less data in the brain on which to hook, or associate the next lot of new information.
Spending a little time to register something properly at the beginning saves a huge amount of time later. According to Colin Rose, the best schedule for reviewing is after one hour, the next day, the next week, the next month, and, finally, after 6 months.
A learning map is a great tool for review because all the information is organized on one page with the key words that will remind you of all the essential information at a glance.
To keep the recall of the learned material high, try to have lots of beginnings and endings to the learning session because high concentration lasts for about 20 minutes. So taking frequent breaks in between will drastically improve understanding and recall of the information.
Researchers have also found that we have separate memories for sounds, sights and feelings. Which is why it makes sense not just to read something, but repeat it out loud and, if practical, find a way to associate it with a physical movement.
"If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. If you let me experience, I will learn." Lao Tzu, 6th Century BC
While we may each perceive information through different senses, we ultimately learn by doing. Taking notes from a talk is a good example because you involve your memory for sight (the notes), sound (the talk) and movement (writing). Another example is the way you would learn a foreign word: you would read it, speak it out loud and act it in an exaggerated way (or make a silly visualization of it).
To remember more from any learning situation, do the following:
· relax;
· make a firm intention to remember;
· create "original awareness";
· use techniques to transfer information from short-term memory into long-term;
· take regular breaks;
· review the material.
At the end, ask yourself these two questions:
- What went well?
- What could have gone better?
"If you build up a habit of thinking through how things have gone, you will truly be in control of your own life." Colin Rose
Learning can and should be a lifelong process.
Unfortunately, many adults deny themselves what should be one of the most enriching parts of life because they assume that they can’t learn.
Fortunately, we now know that we can learn from everything the mind perceives and at any age. Dr. Benjamin Bloom, who spent a lifetime studying excellence, has concluded that “anyone can learn anything - the only difference is that some take more time than others.”
Our brains build and strengthen neural pathways no matter where we are, no matter what the subject or the context. When it comes to learning, it is important to try different techniques and choose what suits you best. As long as you are trying and improving, you don't fail.
"I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. I didn't want to be a failure so I did ten times more work." George Bernard Shaw
And remember, only one creature ever sat down to succeed - a chicken!
At the end of the day, the more knowledge we gain about learning styles and techniques, the more there is left to discover. If after reading this article you have more questions about learning than you did before you started reading - great! As George Bernard Shaw says, "I'd rather know some of the questions than all of the answers."
I hope you will get inspired to embark on a lifelong journey of self-discovery and a life of rewarding learning experiences. The words inscribed over the Temple at Delphi read "Know Thyself." This is the greatest challenge in life.
By determining our own unique learning styles, accepting our differences, and even using them to help ourselves and others learn more effectively, we find the wisest approach to learning.
"What lies behind us and what lies in front of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Would you like to learn more about your dominant intelligences, learning styles, your brain and memory?
Then please visit "Discover Your Inborn Genius" e-book by Masha Malka. Masha is currently offering several incredible FREE bonuses with any purchase of her book.

© 2006 by Masha Malka
Discover Your Inborn Genius will reveal proven methods that allow you to unlock your full potential to start living the life you've always known was possible for you. The innovative life-skills disclosed in this ebook are guaranteed to generate more happiness and increased personal and financial fulfillment in your life! Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a student, you will greatly benefit by purchasing this ebook today. Discover your own unique learning style; Easily retrieve information from your memory on demand; Use your brain more effectively by learning how it works; Increase your intelligence; A method that makes learning anything faster and easier; Discover the tools that will allow you to tap into the unlimited possibilities and potential that you possess to create the life of your dreams!
Visit Personal Development in the 21st Century
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