Affirmations

Remember the old SNL skit with the guy standing in front of the mirror, daily affirming "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me"?

Yeah, I feel like that sometimes. No, not the sentiment, the silliness of it. Standing in front of a mirror, or a treasure map, mouthing words that I hope will change negative thought into positive action. (Don't ask me why I don't feel silly visualizing.)

And then I remember why it works.

It works because our minds and brains and bodies are wonderfully malleable. If we hear something frequently (or perhaps loudly) enough, we believe it, and belief becomes reality.

I think it also works because it reminds us of what we're aiming for. If I tell myself, and perhaps others, that I've lost 45 pounds, even if I haven't gotten there (yet), it's a frequent reminder that I need to get on the treadmill, eat real food (and not too much of it). Makes giving up pizza easier, too. Not much, but enough.

In the abstract, it's also a cosmic reminder: I am creating the life I desire.