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One of the terms you may have come across in your reading or listening about positive thinking is “positive affirmations”; but what is a positive affirmation?

An affirmation, according to a dictionary definition, is a statement asserting the existence or the truth of something. In self improvement, affirmations can be used in silent, verbal, or written communication with yourself. This is normally done in the form of a positive affirmation, a communication to your subconscious that a certain truth already exists; a truth that relates to you personally, and whose realization is beneficial to your personal well being.

You could say that the use of positive affirmations is a form of autosuggestion, or even self hypnosis. However, if you want to make practical use of affirmations in improving any aspect of your life, then none of that really matters. The fact is that using positive affirmations is simple to do, and the technique can be applied in different ways and at different times to suit your life style. While it helps to have some understanding of the mental processes that might take place, and of expert interpretations of what affirmations actually are in the spectrum of self development, it is not essential.

What Aspects of Self Improvement Can Positive Affirmations Be Applied To?

The answer to the question raised in the heading could be answered in one word: “any”. Positive affirmations can be applied to any aspect of your personal life you wish to improve, so if you are considering self improvement in any form, whether to career success, business success, improved health, or the removal of bad habits, then positive affirmations should be considered part of your armoury.

When Should You Use Positive Affirmations?

With positive affirmations, you are making positive statements to your subconscious, with the expectation that your subconscious mind will absorb those affirmations and treat them as reality. Repeated often and firmly enough, those statements should become the reality of your conscious mind and the physical work around you.

As with any form of communicating with your inner self, such as with meditation, the ideal time to make use of positive affirmations is when you can set aside a period and a place where you can get peace and quiet, sufficient to relax totally without interruption. Those who are already experienced in meditation will find it easy to achieve the ideal conditions for using positive affirmations. In fact, integrating your affirmations into your meditation sessions is a practical option worth considering, especially if you are pressed for time.

However, as with meditation, the ideal is not always easy to fit into your busy life, so you may need to compromise. Here are some suggestions on how to build in positive affirmations into your:

1. I find positive affirmations effective at night time, just before sleep. Once you have mastered the skill of not falling asleep too quickly, when you have gone to bed for the night is a good time to fit in some positive affirmations. As you relax and unwind, start mentally going through the positive affirmations you want to feed to your subconscious mind.

If you sleep alone, or have an understanding partner, then you can say the affirmations out loud also. If not, instead of just thinking of each affirmation as you say it, hear yourself saying it so you get the benefit of the sound without having to make any noise to disturb your partner.

You can repeat your affirmations any time you want. It is a mental process, so as long as you are conscious, it can be done. Any spare minute alone can be utilized for positive affirmations, or you can even repeat them mentally when you are in the company of others, such as on the bus or train to work. What is important is that you repeat the affirmations regularly.

Other Tips For Self Improvement Through Positive Affirmations

You can increase the likelihood of positive affirmations working for you by adopting some or all of the following tips:

1. At the same time as you are repeating your affirmations, incorporate visualisation to accompany each affirmation. For example, if your affirmation is “I am a successful manager with my current employer”, then visualize yourself actually performing that role in your work environment.

2. Write down your affirmations, and leave them in places where they act as a reminder, such as pinning them up by the mirror in the bathroom, or on a Post-It on your work desk.

3. Repeat your positive affirmations daily.

4. Make the affirmations as detailed as possible, so that your subconscious is left in no doubt what you mean. For your example, if your affirmation is “I am living in a new house” it is very vague. A new house could be in an undesirable neighbourhood in a part of the country, or world, you would no want to live. Be more precise, and add details of the type of house, key features, and location.

5. Make use of the present tense, as the example I give in 4. above. “I am” is far more convincing that “I will be”, “I will” or “I might”.

Those are just five additional suggestions to help you get the most out of using positive affirmations as a route to self improvement. There are many more tips that may help you, but in time and with practice, you will find what suits you best, and come up with your own “tips”.

This routes-to-self-improvement.com/PositiveThinking.htm positive affirmations article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To routes-to-self-improvement.com Self Improvement website.

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The Department of Homeland Security’s Border Patrol is in tremendous transition. Charged with defending America from terrorists, weapons, narcotics and illegal aliens, the group’s responsibility has never been greater. Acutely aware of the critical nature of their tasks, the executive leaders were highly receptive when I presented my A Strategy For Winning keynote address to kickoff the Border Patrol Chiefs Conference in El Paso on July 12.

And I was receptive in learning how the administration’s Operation Jump Start is impacting America. Twelve thousand agents have patrolled 6,000 miles of land border with Canada and Mexico, plus 2,000 miles of coastal border. The goal of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is to recruit and train an additional 6,000 agents by the end of 2008. Meanwhile, President Bush wants Operation Jump Start to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops to the borders by August. Over thirty states have already responded to this call and a positive difference is being realized. The troops systematically will be withdrawn as new agents come aboard.

Attending the intensive July 12-14 meeting at the Radisson El Paso were the 60 sector Chiefs of CBP, along with executive staff from Washington. Among those on the program were U.S. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, Commissioner Ralph Basham, Lt. Gen. Steven Blum of the National Guard Bureau, and Anti-Terrorism Executive Director Kevin McAleenan. Chief Charles Whitmire was introduced as the new head of the Border Patrol Academy, an important institution in America today.

Chief Aguilar welcomed the group and presented an overview of preparation for unprecedented growth. He said that according to polls, three things Americans have foremost in their minds are illegal aliens, illegal narcotics and terrorism. He was named Chief in May 2004, and assumed the position July 1, 2004. As the nation’s highest ranking Border Patrol officer, Chief Aguilar offers knowledge and expertise gained from over 26 years of service. I was impressed with his dynamic commitment to secure America’s borders. Please pray for Chief Aguilar and CBP daily.

I customized my nine principles in A Strategy For Winning to apply to the specific challenges facing the Border Patrol. A briefing with CBP Senior Associate Chief Sal Nieto provided me with insight and led me first of all to emphasize the importance of discovering, developing and wisely using various strengths as CBP grows in diversity. And then noting that rapid growth often leads to an overwhelmed, frustrated feeling, I spotlighted methods of promoting positive expectations.

Thirdly, since creativity is essential during times of abrupt, gradual or planned change, we reviewed steps in the creative process. Fourthly, differentiating between temporary failure and total defeat, I shared ideas regarding communication and esprit de corps. Since principle five deals with clarifying values, I underscored the need to match professed beliefs with actions. The integrity of CBP must not only be maintained, but also enhanced during this period of tough transition. The sixth principle, goal setting, is crucial and Chief Aguilar has set some high goals. Just as successful employee assimilation and border protection are continual processes for CBP, every now and then we all must ask ourselves: “Where have I been? Where am I now? Where am I going? What will it take to get there?”

Principle seven deals with visualization. The importance of being visionary cannot be overemphasized with CBP. The visions of leaders and agents today help prevent terrorists, weapons, narcotics and intrusions tomorrow. Regarding teamwork, unlike people who say there is no “I” in TEAM, I emphasized the importance of the Individual in TEAM. My philosophy is, “Individuals make the plays and teams win the championships.” There is no team championship without heroic individual contributions.

Principle nine is “Do It Now!” With 1.2 million arrests and the seizure of over a million pounds of narcotics during the last fiscal year, the need for A-C-T-I-O-N is evident. Attack the problem. Create opportunities. Team up for togetherness. Instill a burning desire. Overcome adversity. Now is the time.

We are all challenged to apply to our professions and lives the commitment that CBP, Chief Aguilar and the U.S. Border Patrol are applying in their endeavors.

© You may reprint or repost this material as long as the following information is included: Carl Mays, author and speaker at over 3,000 events, may be contacted at mailto:carlmays@carlmays.com carlmays@carlmays.com or 1-800-I-CAN-WIN (422-6946). His books, including A Strategy For Winning, Winning Thoughts, Anatomy Of A Leader, People of Passion and Are We Communicating Yet?, are available in stores, on carlmays.com carlmays.com and other Internet locations.