Affirming Our Thoughts, Words And Actions

What is an affirmation?

An affirmation is a declaration that sometimes is true.

We also associate affirmations with the practice of positive thinking or a form of prayer that focuses on a positive outcome.

I remember someone telling me once,

Every thought is a prayer and I've never forgotten that.

So if I say a negative thought,

You can find me canceling it real quick.

Throughout this CD,

You'll hear me speaking from the space of I am,

Which is the shortest sentence and the two most powerful words in the English language.

Because whatever you say after that,

Therefore you will be.

That's what an affirmation is.

Even if you're not there yet,

It's a hope,

It's what I declare to be or any statement you believe to be true.

I want you to consider that while listening to or memorizing some of these words.

And if you choose the word I,

Or if you find yourself wanting to be someone else's spiritual coach and saying the word you,

No matter.

Remember the focus in the end is we.

Kwanzaa means first and Kiswahili,

But I want to remind you about the last word after each affirmation I offer a final request or grace for the value we are embracing.

And my last word is Ashe.

Ashe is a Yoruba word used in West African spirituality and it literally means with the strength,

The power and the God within.

Let it be so.

Which makes it very similar to amen or amen in the Christian tradition.

You can learn about my first Kwanzaa experience on a companion CD,

But now I want to share with you my first introduction to affirmation.

It may have been your first introduction and you didn't even know it.

Do you remember when we were younger and children made fun of us because that was their job to be cruel at times?

Well,

I remember my mom telling me to tell them sticks and stones may break my bones,

But words will never hurt me.

Well,

If I said it with enough conviction,

I actually believed it,

But I noticed that other times that it didn't work and it wasn't always true.

It still doesn't always ring true to this day,

But it was a declaration because it just meant that in that moment I was in charge of my emotions.

Yet if we are to be honest with ourselves,

We know words can hurt and they can also heal,

Especially depending on the delivery and the package they come in.

That's what I want you to think about when using this tool is your delivery and the fact that words can be healing mechanisms.

When I got a little heavier into affirmations from my own experiences when I ran into an acting coach,

I am an accomplished actress,

Model,

And poet.

I am always looking for ways to improve when I'm not being negative.

And this specific coach,

He wanted me to look into the mirror and say things like,

I am happy,

I am healthy,

I'm terrific,

I'm making big money in commercials right now.

And when I would read something like that,

I started laughing because I didn't believe it and I thought,

Why would I say that?

First of all,

Especially something like I'm making big money in commercials right now.

But the more I researched it,

The more I realized most successful people do accentuate the positive.

Mr.

Coyier even had me sing the song Accentuate the Positive,

Right?

I didn't want to do that either,

But then I tried it.

And gradually,

After a few songs and a few reads,

There was a shift.

I didn't mark my words.

Eventually I began to ace my auditions and I was making big money in commercials.

So when I got to that line on my paper,

It wasn't funny anymore because it was true.

Now someone might ask,

Is your success due to the affirmations?

And I would have to say that they definitely helped me get there.

But it wasn't the affirmations alone because the universe rewards actions,

Not thinking.

The thought sparks the command and the command leads to the movement.

Growing up in the Christian tradition,

I was taught in church that God helps those who help themselves.

There is a belief factor with the idea of ask and it shall be given.

Those who step out on faith know we name it and then we claim it.

There is nothing different here.

When you begin to reclaim that type of power,

No matter your belief in the divine or not,

Make no mistake,

Nine times out of ten,

The ego,

Fear,

Doubt,

Or what some call the devil will erupt.

And you have to welcome whatever pain you're feeling because you can let it go after you welcome it.

And it may sound crazy,

But whatever you resist,

It will persist.

So when you claim your divine power,

The devil will appear or fear will be near.

But you just got finished claiming your desire with a clear vision.

So when fear erupts,

You know it's time to stand up and face your fear and believe in what you are affirming and change will come.

Change will come.

And that's without a doubt.

Take your time and know this takes practice,

Patience,

And a sincere heart and mind like any exercise.

You must be kind to yourself.

You may say,

I didn't do my physical workout today.

And it begins,

I'm so lazy or I'm so stupid.

That's easy to say.

Up until now,

I used to enjoy beating myself up.

But in the least,

I'll also do some mental lifting.

If you called yourself stupid a lot or brainwashed yourself into believing you're lazy,

You can wash your brain of that or any other negative thought.

I've spent years investing in myself and my own personal development.

And what I am sharing is the most valuable ideas I've learned.

People who are aware of this type of knowledge know that I'm giving this information away.

But I feel obligated to share with the highest hopes that this will improve.

This information will improve the conditions of people everywhere,

And especially the oppressed and the descendants of Africa.

So please pass it on and consider writing your own declarations.

You know what words have hurt you.

And all you have to do is flip them.

That's what I've done and what I'm still doing.

Now I hope you have a better understanding of how I came about affirmations and how they've truly worked for me.

The thoughts and words that I'm speaking,

I know are divine inspired because of the way they arrived.

They were and are for me,

Even though they are coming through me.

So depending on the day,

I may still feel a charge or get choked up on certain declarations.

The ones I need most.

It's like if you hear it and holler if you feel it.

So when affirming your thoughts,

Words and actions through meditation or song,

Make sure you are practicing in a safe place.

You don't want to be driving because you want to be comfortable in a comfortable setting.

But you may be like whatever Venus.

I have an affirmation that states I'm comfortable wherever I am and no matter what's going on around me.

And so I say that's all powerful and that's good.

What's even better is everyone around me feels safe and comfortable as well.

You don't always have to be in private.

You could have a community of affirmations if that is your goal.

Or you could choose the mirror,

The bathroom with your words taped on the wall.

Maybe you will hear my voice.

When you awake or your own voice before you go to bed at night,

You can meditate for two minutes or choose to meditate for an hour.

You may place your affirmations in your pocket.

It is your choice.

May you find my voice and your own to be an emotional stimulus.

Now I have to let you know that a lot of love went into this project.

Each day coincides with a musical note.

A musical note that coincides with your seven chakras.

As we were hoping to realign or balance these energy centers in your body.

I can see the sounds healing you.

As will the words.

We'll make that so.

Now we've left 30 seconds after each principle for you to sing or meditate on what you need for that specific day.

And remember you can have some funny affirmations.

You can even flip some other ones that your mama might have told you.

Like you can't have your cake and eat it too.

I say it's not true.

You could say I'm gonna have my cake and eat it too.

But don't say that to your mama's face.

You might be eating that cake all right.

And a knuckle sandwich.

And I'm going to end with one of my favorite quotes.

Watch your thoughts.

They become your words.

Watch your words.

They become your actions.

Watch your actions.

They become your habits.

Watch your habits.

They become your character.

Watch your character.

It becomes your destiny.