An extraordinary life is all about daily, continuous improvements in the areas that matter most. - Robin Sharma

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We all have limiting beliefs that prevent us from achieving our full potential.
I used to be shy, indolent and insecure, struggling with day-to-day tasks. Unfulfilled was the word that best described that state. When I finally hit rock bottom, I knew I need to drastically change the way I live. One of first things I discovered when I started working on self-development was the true power of affirmations. Reading and speaking them every single day gave me a new perspective, motivation and determination to stop settling for mediocre life, silence negative thoughts and most importantly, get rid of constant anxiety and stress.

Affirmations can be a powerful tool to work on areas you're struggling with and completely balance your life. But you have to do it daily. Like working your muscles in a gym, you can't just do it twice a month. It's what you do every single day that defines you.

We are rarely aware of the stories we tell ourselves and influences other people and outside factors have on our mind and beliefs. But those stories shape our identity.
Let's see how we can make it positive.

1. Identify what's holding you back

What are the negative mindsets, habits and emotions you need to change? What areas of your life you want to improve? Create a life mastery circle like this

Rate each area on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being where you ultimately want to be. Are there areas that are particularly trailing behind others? Let's say your body and health are something you are really not satisfied with. Can you think of some constructed mindsets you have that stop you from exercising regularly or eating healthy food? Example:

• I'm always tired and lack energy
• It's okay if I skip this workout, I'll go next week

Identify these rules and pessimistic assumptions you created in your life that stop you from achieving this goal.

2. Replace negative belief with positive one

Everyone's gonna have different limiting beliefs to overcome. Find things that move YOU. Search web for words of wisdom, motivation and determination that really empower you. Write down quotes from successful people and adopt their mindset in areas you want to improve. I prefer my affirmations to be shorter, easily memorable, so I can repeat them in my head through the day or whenever I'm feeling unsure. Phrase them in a language that will really motivate you to take action. Something like this:

• Nothing feels as good as being healthy and fit
• I have unstoppable energy
• I take brisk walks in the sunshine to invigorate my body and soul
• I eat to fuel my body, not satisfy an appetite
• I feel great moving towards my goals today

3. Print out list of affirmations

You can either print them as a bulletin list or create bunch of index cards and write affirmations on them. I recommend having a list on your phone as well, that way you can reread them while you're outside jogging or walking a dog.

4. Read affirmations every morning

It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. - Muhammad Ali

Believe or not, but passionate talking to yourself is not just a characteristic of crazy people. We all do it, more or less consciously. By committing to read positive affirmations daily you put yourself in a position to transform the way you think and feel, and stop reliving the fears and limitations from the past.

READ THEM OUT LOUD! This way it will have much bigger impact on you. Ideally, you should shout them from the rooftop, but that can be inconvenient. ENGAGE YOUR BODY AND PHYSIOGNOMY. Say it with conviction and confidence. Make hand gestures. Be vocal. Don't hold yourself back, this is your dream life we're talking about.

5. Update list with time

As the time goes by, so will your circumstances change. Your circle of life mastery will evolve and you're gonna wanna focus on new things, new goals. If you're satisfied with your progress in particular area, set aside affirmations that already done their job. Create new, inspiring ones. Add new quotes and words of motivation. Review your list at least on a monthly basis.

6. Bonus: Use My Affirmations app

If you are an android user, you can try My affirmations app. How it works is that you enter your affirmations and optionally associate photos of your choice to each. Throughout the day, app will send you notifications with random affirmation to remind and motivate you.

I challenge you to try this for a month. Everything is difficult before it's easy. You will not just stumble upon an amazing life. But you have the power within you to create one.