Use active verbs in your affirmations. Getting, doing, having, learning, loving, and earning are all words that immediately show an image of action to your inner self. The more clearly you are able to see the action in your mind the more powerful the impact of the affirmation will be.

Affirm the positive not the negative. There’s an old song that says, -Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and do not mess with Mr. In-between. Always choose words to reflect the positive results you desire.

For example: “each day I happily choose food that supports my healthy body” is much more powerful than-I am losing weight”.

Notice that both positive affirmations center on choice and health. The basic self (subconscious mind) loves to have a choice. The other two affirmations center on deprivation of no smoking, losing weight. A fear of being deprived can launch the exact behavior you wish to discontinue. How many times have you decided to go on a diet only to begin craving forbidden foods the instant you made the decision?

Keep your affirmations short and sweet.

Affirmations that are simple to remember and repeat will have the most impact. It is more effective to use three short statements that are easily spoken.

Attach strong emotion to your affirmations. When making your affirmations use words that evoke strong feelings in you. When you’re saying your affirmations, even silently to yourself, say them with strong emotion. Here is an example: See it when you say it. Stand tall, stride around the room, and throw your arms out wide.

If you’re in a place where you’re saying your affirmations silently then see yourself taking these physical actions in your mind‘s eye while you’re repeating your affirmations.

Practice the physical part of saying your affirmations whenever you get the chance. This way you’ll have a solid anchor of yourself going through these movements for those times when you need to visualize the movement and you silently say the affirmation.

Use present tense words. I’m now receiving, I’m doing, I now have, choosing these phrases send the message to your basic self that your desired result exists right now.

It’s the responsibility of your basic self to fulfill your directives as quickly as possible. If you put your affirmations in the future tense, as in I will or I’m going to then your basic self has no clear directive to act now. Your desired goal will continue to stay in the future because that’s the information you’re putting out.

Say what you mean. If your affirmation is – I’m a powerful communicator, be sure that you’ve clearly defined to yourself exactly what actions a powerful communicator does.

Remember that words are symbols for our thoughts. Each word or combination of words carries the energy of an image (thought) specific to you. Word your affirmations to get the exact results you desire. Invest in a good thesaurus. The more words you have at your command the more precise you can be in wording your affirmation.

Many teachers and motivational speakers use this technique.

Here is how it works. Choose a time and place when you’re able to be uninterrupted for a while. Start saying your affirmations aloud using lots of movement and great emotional energy.

This can be as easy as touching your forehead with your index finger, clenching your fist, touching your thumb and pinky finger together or any physical activity you are able to assign as your specific anchor action. Avoid choosing a noise action like snapping your fingers or tapping your foot because there may be times when you’ll want to use your anchor unobtrusively. In addition, whichever action you choose, use it specifically as an anchor for your affirmations. If you have a habit of scratching your ear while concentrating then that may not be as effective for you as a new behavior assigned to your affirmations.

As you begin each affirmation, do the action. Put all of your energy and emotion into this. Go over the top, as if you are on stage. Say the affirmation, do the action. Say the affirmation, do the action. Do this for an hour or more if you are able to. Your voice may get hoarse, that is okay. You’re building your desired lifestyle.

Every time you do the action at the peak of your emotional energy while saying your affirmation, you’re creating a direct link between this action and your affirmation energy. You’ll be able to bring up the power of your affirmation any time in the future just by doing this action.

You are able to be in an elevator surrounded by other people and start using your anchor motion. By the time you reach your floor you’ll be pumped, as if you had just spent 30 minutes shouting out your affirmations. The more you use the anchor the firmer that connection will be.

Make your affirmations true and realistic. Your affirmations are your personal directive. Choose the words and phrases that are true for you. Other people may make suggestions and even give you already written affirmations. Use what is meaningful to you and discard the rest. Affirmations created by others may never be as powerful for you as the affirmations you create and believe for yourself.

There are no ‘shoulds’ in personal affirmations. You are responsible for the results that you create in your life by the actions that you choose. Listen to the input that others may offer you and then make your own decisions. Action follows thought. What you decide to think, what you constantly affirm, will determine your action.

A very important guideline for creating affirmations is that your affirmations apply only to you. You may affirm that you are a more loving husband; you may affirm that you have a nurturing relationship with your wife, but if you try to affirm that your wife is a more loving wife, then you are moving into the realm of psychic manipulation.

Affirmations are based on your personal words and thoughts and apply to your life, not to others.