My story explains the struggles I had as a 23-year-old single, divorced mom with three children, ages six, four, and one and then shows some practical ways I used to change my life and claim my personal power. Self-pity, anger, guilt, and self-hatred were my constant emotional companions. I was suffering physically, mentally and spiritually. In 1980, I made $80 a week, received sporadic child support payments of $300 a month and lived in fear that we would not survive. I was afraid of life and worried incessantly. I smoked, ate unhealthy foods, did not work out and spent endless hours watching television. My mind was constantly focusing on what everyone else in my life should be changing so I could be happy. Because I could not change anyone else, I thought I was a hopeless failure and could not do anything right.
Through the help of Alanon and counseling, I realized that I do have choices and I was the one that needed to change. I listened to my own self-talk. It was negative. I replaced my self-talk, "I am stupid" with "I am learning" and "I am worthless" to "I am good enough." One goal I had was to quit smoking. Studies were showing the negative effects of smoking and I did not like the fact that I was addicted to cigarettes. I had tried to quit smoking many times before. Success was realized when I used visualizations and affirmations to stop smoking. Affirmations are simple statements that you say to yourself, like "I can"..."I am good enough"..."I am successful." Saying affirmations works because your subconscious mind creates exactly what you tell it. However, I was gaining five pounds a month and being good at math realized if I continued, I would be sixty pounds heavier in a year. Determined not to return to smoking to eliminate the weight gain, I turned to affirmations and exercise.
When I started working out, my muscles ached and I wanted to quit because I was not seeing results fast enough. I would say the affirmations to help me get through the work out. Not only did my physical strength improve, so did my self-image and my attitude towards life. Focusing on the affirmations made the workout easier because I was thinking of positive things. Just as my body reaped the benefits of working out twenty-four hours later, so did my mind. I found throughout the day that I would be repeating the affirmations.
By combining exercise with affirmations helped me in many of my daily struggles. If I was in an uncomfortable situation, I started connecting to the uncomfortable feeling I had working out and the affirmations would come to mind. They helped me gain the self-confidence I needed to address my everyday fears and insecurities.
My spirit was becoming more at peace because my body and mind were working together as one. Positive energy was filling my being. Not only was I learning to accept and love myself, I had more energy to cope with being a single parent.
This simple technique of saying positive affirmations when walking, running, or lifting weights is a great way to increase self-esteem and learn to love the entire self, mind, body and spirit. I wanted to share this technique of exercising with affirmations so "Power of Positive Aerobics" was created. To learn about the exciting workout video that combines affirmations with aerobic movements, visit powerpositiveworkouts.com.
Ellie Peterson
Creator of Power of Positive Aerobics Workout Video
powerpositiveworkouts.com
Say aloud:I AM. I AM Consciousness. I AM the creator... Read More
Turn brutality into kindness. There is no small deed and... Read More
Failure is my favorite subject. For I have spent my... Read More
Maureen worked in an office with twenty other people, processing... Read More
HOW YOUR OUTLOOK INFLUENCES HEALTH AND ABILITY TO CONTROL ANGERJane... Read More
So, do you love yourself?Shouldn't really be a difficult question... Read More
It has been said that CHANGE is THE only constant.... Read More
One of the most important aspects of living a healthy... Read More
Part 1Recently, in a women's therapy group that I run,... Read More
Changing Negative Thoughts into Positive Thoughts is a key lesson... Read More
There are many dynamics that go into making a great... Read More
I don't want to say people are basically negative but?..if... Read More
Self belief is a wonderful thing.I know from my own... Read More
One day while in deep meditation and self analysis, a... Read More
You've probably heard this idea at one time or another.... Read More
Know your limits. Accept what you can't change and let... Read More
Most of what we've been taught about how to be... Read More
Improving this single attitude makes your days fly by. You... Read More
Once we understand the difference our attitude makes in our... Read More
In view of the increasing negative events happening around the... Read More
I was always somebody who felt quite sorry for myself,... Read More
Are you completely happy in your life right now? Honestly?... Read More
Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life?... Read More
Are you undergoing a major life change? Or merely trying... Read More
Think for a moment about all of the signals people... Read More
reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..We are all involved in this game called life and... Read More
In my work as a professional coach, I've had the... Read More
Know your limits. Accept what you can't change and let... Read More
Our lives are overflowing with negative information from the newspapers,... Read More
If I say the word "CHANGE" how do you feel?... Read More
Recently, a lady came to see me and she had... Read More
As a being of thought, your dominant mental attitude will... Read More
How are you? That's a loaded question, and I'll tell... Read More
HOW YOUR OUTLOOK INFLUENCES HEALTH AND ABILITY TO CONTROL ANGERJane... Read More
Being the next Carmen Electra or Paris Hilton might or... Read More
Thinkers know better than to be racist. It's generally understood... Read More
One of the most important aspects of living a healthy... Read More
When I was a young girl, my sister and I... Read More
I Hear Voices?This is not a statement of paranormal; it... Read More
Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life?... Read More
"You Are My Sunshine My Only Sunshine You Make Me... Read More
Have you ever thought about you have a lot to... Read More
Yuk!One thing, I really have a problem with is criticism.... Read More
We hear a lot these days about accepting responsibility for... Read More
One of the most powerful influences on your attitude and... Read More
From Making the Big Move: how to transform relocation into... Read More
The summer I was 20 years old, I worked as... Read More
There was someone I used to work with who, well... Read More
My story explains the struggles I had as a 23-year-old... Read More
Humans tend to categorize things by large or small, bright... Read More
Positive Attitude Tips |