Firstly, identify whether you're dealing with a 'graze' or a deeper wound. By this I mean, whether you're trying to shift the energy around a deep-seated issue from the past, or something smaller from more recently. Having said this I always advocate a jolly good clean out, because you never know what might be lurking in there causing trouble!
So what are Step by Step Rich Thoughts? Well, imagine a staircase. It's pretty difficult to start at the bottom of the stairs and get to the top in one leap. It's much easier if you take it step by step and experience the learning each step gives you, because you can then integrate that learning and move on. Of course it's not impossible to make a huge leap up, but quite often you have to retrace your steps back down in order to learn the lesson that a step or two down brings you. So working with your Rich Thoughts step by step is a way I have formulated to make this whole process a lot easier. There are 6 stages, which I'll outline here, with a suggested Rich Thought that fits in with that stage.
1. RELEASING: I am willing to release the need to believe...(your old belief, eg that I can't be very successful). Releasing is essential. Often people find that they can answer yes to this statement very quickly.
2. BELIEVING: I am willing to believe...(that I am really successful). It would be nice to believe... I would like to believe... Again here you are just talking about being willing, nothing else.
3. HAVING FAITH: I have faith that I can be...(really successful). I'm open to having faith that... Faith is about placing this statement in a spiritual context, and once you have this context you can then move on to the next step. It's also about being willing to move forward even if you don't feel certain about what might come next.
4. TRUSTING: I now trust that I can be...(really successful). Trusting that I can be a ...(really successful person), I now do things that are in line with that. Trusting, following on from faith, is very similar to the step before but because you have chosen to bring in the spiritual context, you have that holding you while you trust. It is a subtle but important difference. This is letting go at a deeper level.
5. ALLOWING: I allow myself to be a ....(really successful person). (I'm willing to allow myself ...)
Give yourself permission - here you are inviting in the Universe to support you. This step is crucial, and is about opening the door to not only allow, but welcome in, the truth of the Rich Thought.
6. ACCEPTING: I am now a very successful person. This is the powerful truth you are now able to express, with no emotional attachment to it, it simply is. Using the word 'now' is important as it emphasizes the truth in the moment. It is possible that in another moment, this Rich Thought might not be true for you.
For each of these stages you might want to use the method of recording your responses.
Recording Responses
This is one of the most powerful and successful ways I know of using affirmations.
Take a piece of paper, divide it into 2 lengthwise, head up the left hand column with the title 'Rich Thought' and the right hand column with 'Response'. Now take the Rich Thought you want to work with, say 'I am a very successful person', and write that in the left hand column. Now notice your response to that statement (perhaps say it out loud to yourself) and write that down in the right hand column. Repeat this for at least ten times, noticing what happens with your response each time. If you work with these, writing them down say 10 times in the morning and again in the evening, you'll see your responses beginning to change - I can guarantee that.
Remember when you start that you're not supposed to believe the Rich Thought - if you did believe it, you wouldn't need to be doing affirmations! At this stage, you're simply being curious, no judgment, about what your responses are. It's quite possible that you'll uncover other beliefs or attitudes on this subject matter that you then choose to work with further. Alternatively, you will find that your responses come more and more in line with the Rich Thought itself, until you are at stage six, and feeling good!
Jane Rogers is a specialist business coach to solo professionals, particularly those in the healing professions. For more info on how you can use your mind's potential in your business, sign up at http://www.prosperitytools.co.uk for her free reports, "7 Steps to Thinking Rich", and "7 Biggest Business Mistakes Therapists and Coaches
